This will be my first year of jetski fishing so I need a beginner chat with the pros.
I usually land base shark fish and have had amazing luck at it for the past 2 years.
Now me and my friend are picking up our skis and are going to target the game fish.
These are the fish we will be targeting:
King mackeral
Dolphin
Tarpon
Cobia
AJ
Blues/Spanish
And some wreck fish other than the AJ's

Info needed:
Where do you target these fish,
where do the go after the run up the east coast (struture wise cliffs/rock piles etc.)
water depth, type of bait, live/artificial, what to do different in choppy water,

I know it's a hard question(s) to answer but I need tips and detailed info.

Please be detailed in your answers if possible
I will be fishing in north carolina between topsail and oak island if you need a map to be more clear.

Thanks again Douby!

Kind of a broad question but Ill answer as best as I can. Wherever you fish try and find some kind of structure, wrecks, seamounts, ledges. These will normally hold the most fish due to habitat and the ledges and seamounts will create upwelling. Get to know your local tackle shops, since those guys will hear from the other fishermen what biting and what they have been catching on. Try to pick up a good sofware setup, theres an app for the I-phone called Navionics. Its pretty good, both Louis and I have it.

Trolling: There are so many varieties of lures it ridiculous. You just need to try a couple different ones and find out what works in your area. Bigger is not always better. I have a couple smaller skirts that normally always catch fish, plus its less drag on the rods on the ski. Blue/white, pink/white, green white. anything with mylar or has some flash to it works well also. Normally we run 2 lines, one about 25 yards back, just outside the bubbles in the prop/jet wash. Then another 100 yards back. there is less chance of a tangle with that much distance in your lines. I have a flatline clip I use that I attach to my close skirt to keep the line lower just for added insurance. If you plan on trying to use a planer or weight to put the lines deeper in the water column thats another story in itself. As far as trolling speeds go 6-7 is my normal target speed. If you arent catching try varying that also. Remember fish are fast... dolphin, tuna, wahoo, kingfish all have great speed. I've caught all at 12+ knots. Some people will always put a ballyhoo or mullet ito their trolling spread, I dont think its necessary, but again it depends on whats in your area and what the fish are feeding on during that time of year. Match the hatch. Try and run skirts with that same colors as you local bait too. blue/green with chrome/silver normally work well. Also make sure your gear can handle your target. I normally run 4/0 penn senators, but avet, accurate, shimano all make good products, spooled with 30 lb mono or braid. You will get more bites using mono leaders, but wire will prevent cutoffs. Again its personal preference and what you find works for you.

Drifting: this is where underwater structure GREATLY increses your chances of catching. Live bait while drifting is the best choice. Put one up top on a flatline and let him free swim. Then take another and drop it to the bottom. Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack (aka Reef Donkeys), bonito, sharks, cobia...etc will hang around the wrecks and ledges. Catch 2 -3 sharks or donkeys and you prob wont want to catch anything else. Also with the flatline bait, just about anything can and will show up to slurp it down, dolphin, sailfish, kingfish, ...etc. Obviosly current and depth will dictate how much weight you need. Again use braid or heavy mono for your terminal gear, then run a long 30-60 lb mono or fluro leader with a circle hook.

ALWAYS Look for anything in the water also. Weeds, Debris, birds, Turtles, look for rips in the water or slick spots from current as these are also likely to hold bait. Remember ANYHTING can and will hold bait. I caught fish under barrels, bouys, wood pallets, tree branches, even a toilet seat. If something catches your eye, check it out. You never know what may be lurking in the depths below

Jason

Thanks buddy this helps alot. Is there any always great lures that you go to. Has to be one or two. From my experience live is best, but artificial what's good.

http://www.basspro.com/Billy-Baits-Mini ... 2734/62592

http://www.basspro.com/Boone-Turbo-Hamm ... 7122/78377


Both of these are very popular, and very similar. Also try cedar plugs, rapala x-raps, or large spoons

jokerj280 wrote:Kind of a broad question but Ill answer as best as I can. Wherever you fish try and find some kind of structure, wrecks, seamounts, ledges. These will normally hold the most fish due to habitat and the ledges and seamounts will create upwelling. Get to know your local tackle shops, since those guys will hear from the other fishermen what biting and what they have been catching on. Try to pick up a good sofware setup, theres an app for the I-phone called Navionics. Its pretty good, both Louis and I have it.

Trolling: There are so many varieties of lures it ridiculous. You just need to try a couple different ones and find out what works in your area. Bigger is not always better. I have a couple smaller skirts that normally always catch fish, plus its less drag on the rods on the ski. Blue/white, pink/white, green white. anything with mylar or has some flash to it works well also. Normally we run 2 lines, one about 25 yards back, just outside the bubbles in the prop/jet wash. Then another 100 yards back. there is less chance of a tangle with that much distance in your lines. I have a flatline clip I use that I attach to my close skirt to keep the line lower just for added insurance. If you plan on trying to use a planer or weight to put the lines deeper in the water column thats another story in itself. As far as trolling speeds go 6-7 is my normal target speed. If you arent catching try varying that also. Remember fish are fast... dolphin, tuna, wahoo, kingfish all have great speed. I've caught all at 12+ knots. Some people will always put a ballyhoo or mullet ito their trolling spread, I dont think its necessary, but again it depends on whats in your area and what the fish are feeding on during that time of year. Match the hatch. Try and run skirts with that same colors as you local bait too. blue/green with chrome/silver normally work well. Also make sure your gear can handle your target. I normally run 4/0 penn senators, but avet, accurate, shimano all make good products, spooled with 30 lb mono or braid. You will get more bites using mono leaders, but wire will prevent cutoffs. Again its personal preference and what you find works for you.

Drifting: this is where underwater structure GREATLY increses your chances of catching. Live bait while drifting is the best choice. Put one up top on a flatline and let him free swim. Then take another and drop it to the bottom. Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack (aka Reef Donkeys), bonito, sharks, cobia...etc will hang around the wrecks and ledges. Catch 2 -3 sharks or donkeys and you prob wont want to catch anything else. Also with the flatline bait, just about anything can and will show up to slurp it down, dolphin, sailfish, kingfish, ...etc. Obviosly current and depth will dictate how much weight you need. Again use braid or heavy mono for your terminal gear, then run a long 30-60 lb mono or fluro leader with a circle hook.

ALWAYS Look for anything in the water also. Weeds, Debris, birds, Turtles, look for rips in the water or slick spots from current as these are also likely to hold bait. Remember ANYHTING can and will hold bait. I caught fish under barrels, bouys, wood pallets, tree branches, even a toilet seat. If something catches your eye, check it out. You never know what may be lurking in the depths below

Jason

Jason pretty much hit the nail on the head, I do want to add, if you are drifting, don't lock down. Keep letting line out as you are moving with the current and want to let your bait sit on the bottom and not drag and possibly get snagged. You will generally feel the bait hit the bottom if you are using the right amount of weight (depth and current dependent) and then it will slowly continue to let out. I am a big fan of stinger hooks because I generally bottom fish with a plug (tail section of sardine) when I want to fish for snapper and it almost always lands the fish as there's a second smaller hook at the other end of the bait waiting for them.

Good info that's what I'm looking for. Thanks everyone.
Went to the saltwater expo in Raleigh nc last Friday, picke up some old 7strand pro pushers 3's for a great price, and some plugs and a few rods and gaff. The fever is hitting me hard. Don't know about you all but I'm ready to hear a line screaming

Douby,

Give me a shout when you're planning a trip. Don't know if you have anybody to run with yet or if you go with a boat buddy, but I don't know too many people around here yet that are into the jetski fishing scene. I'm assuming you're gonna wait til it warms up a little and we can actually keep some of what we catch. How far out are you planning on going?

It will be me and my buddy Ricky, we are die hard fisherman. To begin with no than ten miles, around the 1-7 to start with. Sounds good and I def will give ya a shout.

Do you know where the wrecks are around there

wish i can join you guys..

First trip will be in the end of April. Then once a month at minimum Til it's to cold. In the summer around the end of may first of June we are going down for a month straight of fishing (land base shark fishing/ jetski fishing). So join in.

Me and my buddy are going down Wednesday to pick up 2 2004 yamaha fx ho crusiers that we bought out of ft. Walton FL.

They are very very clean, alot of hours (more than I want) but well taken care of.