queensland Trolling paravanes for macs

[davostephens]

Been doing a bit of this lately. Trolling paravanes for macs. I love em. 45$

So much easier than downrigging and quiet cheap. I use a small one 

about 3 oz size. Clipped strait onto my TLD 25 with 15 kg line. 90 lb trace before and after planer.

Been trolling live chubb trevally (a small yellowtail trevally thing) 2-3 kts. you could troll gars etc but these livies work for me.

Troll the bait about 8 ft behind the paravane. Trolling the bait around 10 mtrs down.

They are awesome because as soon as the fish hits the paravane trips and its like fighting a normal rig but with 8 ft of trace. The only issue is if its a decent size bait or lure the paravane will trip easy. So i tie a light rubber band on mine to stop the ring sliding without a decent strike.

I got this one on it. And the next bait lost one half as big again rite at the boat after a half hour fight and near a mile chase. 1/2 spooled the TLD so I had to chase him. Estimated 30-35 kg. So I would have let go anyway due to cigutera potential.

The one pictured is EST 20 kg. 

And before you ask that thing on my head is my face wrap.. HAHA

So paravanes I can fully recommend. you could drag them on any braid or mono combo so long as it is reasonably heavy as they create alot of drag until they trip.

[kmcrosby78]

Very interesting - I've only trolled metal spoon lures behind my paravane (different to yours) and hadn't considered trolling a bait behind it. Time to think outside the box more often ....  

[davostephens]

I troll live school macs aswell. Some times dead ones up to 2 kg. 

YOUTUBE. Live bait rigging mackeral. find a 17 min vid from modern fishing doing a special on a Pro fisho out of Bundy. Peter Stevens i think.. Well worth a watch. Very direct and no BS. You will learn alot. Team that up with a paravene and you will do well.  If you know where macs hang.

Its funny that I was anchored with livies out for an hour in the exact same spot I caught the fish slow trolling . Wouldnt touch the livies anchored. But as soon as I dragged em slow behind paravane I got 3 good hits each pass... Sometimes you just have to try something slightly different.

 

[Drop Bear]

Pro tip mate thanks. I have only used spoons as well. I must fix that. 

Do you know if the yamashita paravians are ok for big baits? 

[davostephens]

Dunno them. I actually used a home made one that a guy sells thru tackle world Cairns. I towed this bastard to weipa and back about 15 times doin 10-12 knots with a smith jig behind it. Cargo ship fishing with chord and bungee. Never missed a beat. The one in the photo is just for the Idea/Pic. I have only used this style in the photo. And they troll easy on a TLD 25 and 15 kg rod with 15 kg line. My only issue with what i use is wtih big baits the ring can slide and trip. So I rubber band it to stop this. If a fish hits the rubber band snaps and the paravane trips. I only use a small one on a rod. The weight is about a 4oz bean sinker.

 

Just looked at the yamashita. I dunno. Looks gimicky.

These stainless ones are pretty indestructable. Like I said I put one thru a few thousand miles.

There are a few youtube vids of the Yanks using them on rods n reels trolling 10 knots. Have a look there. They call it planer fishing. Pro mac fishos up gulf way use them on chordlines with Gar wogheads. Very versatile. Slow trolled as they have lead on em you could run them pretty deep if you need to. Yamashita would be depth limited as no lead.

[kmcrosby78]

@Drop Bear the Makka ones that Lance sold are stainless metal like this - can't recall if they have the sinker weight on them though. You'd have to think around 'the Group' and Pt Lookout area would work well doing this. Wonder how dart from Boat Rock would work?

[Drop Bear]

2 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

@Drop Bear the Makka ones that Lance sold are stainless metal like this - can't recall if they have the sinker weight on them though. You'd have to think around 'the Group' and Pt Lookout area would work well doing this. Wonder how dart from Boat Rock would work?

Trevally from boat rock would be awesome. 

[davostephens]

live slimy if you can get em. Live tailor/ bonito.. Do you get wolf herring that way?

[kmcrosby78]

5 minutes ago, davostephens said:

live slimy if you can get em. Live tailor/ bonito.. Do you get wolf herring that way?

No we don't unfortunately -  used to catch them trolling spoons around Mackay when we were kids.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Davo

Wonderful mackerel. That would’ve put up an excellent fight abs tasted great as well.

Thanl you got the detailed tips on paravaning for mackerel.

Cheers Hamish 

[Old Scaley]

6 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

@Drop Bear the Makka ones that Lance sold are stainless metal like this - can't recall if they have the sinker weight on them though. You'd have to think around 'the Group' and Pt Lookout area would work well doing this. Wonder how dart from Boat Rock would work?

I have one of the stainless ones that Lance sold. Any of you guys are welcome to borrow it if you want to try it out before you buy one.

@davostephens, thanks for the tips. Can you please explain how you attach the rubber band?

[davostephens]

You just tie the rubber around the stainless bar where it comes up from the flat plate, Go thru the ring, and tie it back to the bar.. Its just so the ring stays on the bended part.. See pic of planer where i drew a black squiggle. You could use light mono aswell.

Also see my hooks for trolling. 86lb wire. Make sure you put a swivel as seen in pic one behind the leading hook keeps the rig true, First hook just behind head. and I only put one of the gangs in. The other just floats. If I use live school mac there is 3-4 gangs at the back end.Only put one in so stays alive and swims better.

Wire in front of lead hook is about a foot to a small barrel swivel. Then 8-10 ft 90 lb mono clipped to the paravane.

If you cant clip onto paravane then Crimp on a small section of mono to it(1 foot) going to a ring or ball bearing barrel swivel. 

I have a foot of Mono going to a coastlock swivel attached to the planer fin. Then I just clip on my premade 8 ft rigs as reqd

youl work it out

[davostephens]

Hope this helps See my dodgy paintbrush pic. just remember the trace i reckon should be 8-10 ft mono.. but up to you. there are ways of rigging ths so you can put hell long trace. And remove planer easy during fight Watch the yanks do,it.. My method is easy for me and works. Just depends on what you need it to do

[Old Scaley]

Thanks @davostephens. Much appreciated mate.