Witch Doctors
Submitted by mossie on Mon, 2010-02-08 23:34.
Hey Guys, Planning on taking a Witch Doctor for when we are trolling for the macks / sails and alike up in Exy in april. Anyone used one before and can recommend the setup to rig it to the boat. I hear you need to tie them fairly secure as the fish can sometimes have a go at them.
Thanks
Buz
Posts: 302
Date Joined: 28/08/07
We used to use one all the
We used to use one all the time when up in Exmouth. Whether or not they work i wouldnt know as we were recommended to use one and so have never trolled without it. We always seemed to be able to get heaps of different pelagics around, including billfish.
Our main issue wasnt so much fish having a go at the but sharks. Our one now has shattered mirror panels on the side glued back on(which we replace after most trips to exmouth)and massive teeth marks and scrapes all over the wood parts.
How we set ours up was to have it connected to 4m of 400lb 49 strand wire, to a really heavy duty torpedo swivel, to the thickest venitian blind cord we could buy(from bunnings). Seems to have worked well. Having the wire is nice as bities cant get through it and it doesnt twist so really easy to retrieve it quickly when a fish is on. May seem a bit overkill but hey it works!
Believe me if you do it this way, no chance of losing it to sharks, but they will still have a crack at it. You'll be trolling along and all of the sudden you feel the boat sort of jolt/slow down and then release. First time it happened to us we were like WTF was that???? Pulled the Witch Doctor up only to find massive teeth marks in it.
lurcha
Posts: 82
Date Joined: 29/12/09
they are worth running, the
they are worth running, the flash they throw off on a sunny day is huge. definately do something like mentioned above as they do get attacked
Just wanna get on the water!
grayzeee
Posts: 273
Date Joined: 09/07/09
go to the pakula site. they
go to the pakula site. they show how to rig it up
my names graham and i'm addicted to tackle
deepwater
Posts: 456
Date Joined: 09/05/07
i have a cheapy off
i have a cheapy off ebay[stickface stacker] and i allways use it out up here it is excellent,mac and billies love it ,some time that is the only teaser i run ,mine is rigged pirty much the same way as buss
jeff
Lucky Tim
Posts: 758
Date Joined: 28/11/07
when it's sunny the bolts of
when it's sunny the bolts of light that they throw off are amazing, they can only get fishes attention. I'd tow one if I were you.
Tony Halliday
Posts: 661
Date Joined: 14/06/07
I use to use a bundle of old
I use to use a bundle of old CD's connected to each other by swivels. Cheap and nasty, but produces huge amounts of flash as they twist under water. just remember to put a small lead weight on the last one to get it to track straight.
Mines was about 4m long and ran about 5m behind the prop wash off to the port side. Was tops for raising tuna. It was fed out on an old reel, with 100lb mono on it, so quick and easy to wind in. I think an old avley deck-winch would work well.
Tony Halliday
Meals on Reels ~ Nulla dies sine linea
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
DazSamFishing
Posts: 458
Date Joined: 19/08/09
I've got a pakula
I've got a pakula witchdoctor - always used it when trolling - even if trolling for wahoo @ over 12knots.
Just make sure you tie it securely - don't leave your deckie to do it... I've lost 1 once.
They sure do flash - I've heard others say they can spook fish, but I've always had success.
davey
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 17/05/07
witch doctors
do the witch doctors work for other species like tuna,bonito salmon etc ?
Is it worth using one down albany or are they just for sailfish etc
cheers
DazSamFishing
Posts: 458
Date Joined: 19/08/09
give it a go. They simply
give it a go. They simply attract fish (flashes like a bait ball). Fish investigate & find a nice looking skirt or minnow in your wash.
crasny1
Posts: 817
Date Joined: 16/10/08
I tow a Pakula deeper and a daisy chain i made with surface
splashers and squid skirts without hooks on the surface ( when i am in the mood) Slow trolling for troat and rankings and other ooglies sure get their attention. Also at higher speed mackies etc love to come to party, aswell as Sails on the daisy on the odd black on the Pakula. No problems with sharks so far but i have a spectra coated in steal mesh towing robe for the pakula.
Hope this helps/
Neels
Flat seas!!
Alan James
Posts: 226
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Exciters
Make sure there is a weak link in your towing system. Don't run all wire as you run the risk of ripping a cleat out or other damage if something seriously fancies it.
mako magic
Posts: 5557
Date Joined: 03/08/05
a definate thing i use, i
a definate thing i use, i run a witchdoctor as well as a bird teaser etc , run both together and your attracting the best of both ways
mossie
Posts: 88
Date Joined: 06/01/09
Thanks for the heads up guys
Thanks for the heads up guys .... I would like to know the best way of riging it as I have been told not to use wire like Alan Suggested as you can run the risk of ripping the top point out if you get something that facnies it.
I hear spectra is stronger then Kevlar so it would be on par with wire i guess.... ?
Can I purchase from somewhere the corect gear to rig this up with ?
Buz
Posts: 302
Date Joined: 28/08/07
You can run wire just make
You can run wire just make sure there is something in the link to absorb some of the shock. Like i said earlier at the end of the wire we attach it to thick venitian blind cord for about 3 meters to the boat. It stretches enough that even when we have had big sharks grab it, or when it has hit reef(trolled in a little too shallow one day oops!) the rope absorbs most of the shock.
sarcasm0
Posts: 345
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Spectra/plasma
It is stronger than wire by weight, theyre just different brand names. They have no stretch similar to braid fishing line so the guys saying it needs to be able to take a hit would probably not suggest it. Also has very bad wear abrasion.
Another way might be to secure it with a cable stocking, which some tow arrays use as a backup over the main line.
Rigging stores can provide wire rope, chain, plasma/spectra, cable stockings and can also press ferrules and make eyelets/splice.
Several in Perth, look up TLC and ask for Damian or Lance, smaller than the big players and better service.
Bryan
HuggyB
Posts: 2239
Date Joined: 03/08/08
last exy trip
I swear you see that thing flashing under water at times and think its a fish like a dollie!
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Buz
Posts: 302
Date Joined: 28/08/07
My Witch Doctor Setup
Bite Marks
Torpedo Swivel
mossie
Posts: 88
Date Joined: 06/01/09
Great Info guys... thanks
Great Info guys... thanks again.
Cheers for the image Buz... awesome!!! Gotta love Fishwrecked!!
Ryan Thipthorp
Posts: 3239
Date Joined: 24/08/05
Teasers!
I use a small miror teasers for pelagics (prefer smaller than bigger sizes).
I prefer & use the surface soft birds & squids daisy chain teasers for billfish!
At my shop Mossie we rig up all teasers free of charge, both surface or subsurface....ya just gotta buy the components!
Owner of;
Ph #9337 5682 - Advice, Knowledge, Experience......that's our difference!