Author Topic: COUTA TRACE- Live bait (Read 30497 times)

dugong · « **on:** January 18, 2011, 11:37:57 AM »

These are the live bait traces that I have been using for years, but bear in mind that everybody has their own way of doing them and there are countless variations, some people will only use singles/ two trebels/shorter trace wire/duster/no duster/rubber squid/cut the live bait tail etc....etc.....

This is the basic hardware needed - #3 or#4 wire for trace - #6 or #7 wire for between hooks - #6 or #8 power swivels - #4 4x trebels (I prefer Owner ST66) - 1/0 Mustard big gun (it has quite a wide gape and a shortish shank. VMC also have a good live bait hook to use but bear in mind that different brands have different sizes) - various cuda dusters (if needed)

dugong · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:44:13 AM »

Trebels are a personal choice - from the left - VMC #4 3X - Gamakatsu #4 4X - Owner ST66 #4 4X - Mustard #2 4X

I prefer the Owner which are the same price as the Gamu's but are shorter and corrode less - the VMC's are also good but not as strong and the Mustard are very good and cheap but need to be sharpened !! There are plenty more like Eagle Claws/Daichi/ new Mustard's etc - some guys also only use #2 - which I sometimes use on bigger baits.

As a guideline the Owners are R52 for 8 at Kingfisher and I think the Gamu's were R40 for 6.

dugong · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:48:52 AM »

Standard live bait trace - #6 or #7 wire between hooks (this is the business end so go thicker here - even to #8 if crocs are around)

Connect the single with a haywire twist - (small longnose pliers and cutters help but most experienced guys just use their hands.)

dugong · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:53:02 AM »

Done.

dugong · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:54:26 AM »

Add the treble, the distance from the single will be determined by the size of the live bait available - this trace is for a small shad/big mozzie/small to med mackrel.

I like the trebel to be in the middle of the baitfish or just forward of middle pinned near the top. (couta will attack the front of the bait more often than not)

dugong · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:55:19 AM »

Now add the #4 or even #3 trace wire with a #6 or #8 power swivel - some guys will have a very short bite trace with fluro attached using an improved allbright knot - I have a few fluro traces on the boat but generally prefer about 1 meter of #4 wire.

This is also where you add a cuda duster/squid (I have even seen guys use bass spinner blades)

I leave some 'naked' and have some with dusters.

dugong · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:56:28 AM »

Finished.
NOTE: THE TRACES BELOW ARE NOT TO SCALE (the small mozzie traces can look the same size as the big shad traces)

dugong · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:57:26 AM »

Finished - just need that 'undersize' shad

dugong · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:58:10 AM »

For bigger baits add a second hook - you can do an elongated loop so that you have some adjustment of length (I prefer not to have the adjustment and prefer the instant hookup although it is nice to have adjustment when baits are all different sizes)

Tyrone ter bruggen · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2011, 11:58:27 AM »

Spot on Boet!!!
Well presented and very informative...

10/10
Have some cred.

dugong · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:01:15 PM »

This is a bigger trace for big shad or small kawas - #1 and #2 Mustard trebels and 4/0 kendall round

dugong · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:02:38 PM »

Small trace for very small shad and smaller mozzies. #4 3X VMC and VMC live bait hook (good trace for small lizzard fish in Mozambique)

dugong · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:03:22 PM »

When (bait) times are hard and all you have are very small mossies/pinkies - VMC #4 3X - pin just behind head and drift.

dugong · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:04:07 PM »

Some guys like using a trace with two trebels(especially with mackrel) - pin the front trebel through the nose.

dugong · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:05:06 PM »

When trolling I only deploy 3 baits, all at different depths. Use teardrop sinkers and a rubber band to downrig - one with a 3oz.(middle) one with a 5oz.(deep) and one on the surface. Attach the sinker about 10 - 15 meters from the bait and pull tight, just be aware when moving onto shallower reefs or you can get snagged, also remember that if you cut your motors to drift the baits will sink - it takes a bit of trial and error but you will improve your strike rates as you are covering the water column. Also vary the weights depending on the conditions/current/wind.

If drifting/slow trolling then also throw a spoon, this often results in bringing the fish into the zone where they see the live bait!!

dugong · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:06:44 PM »

The most important thing for live bait are these (yozuris/sabakis/mackrel jigs/jigs) - the ones with the bigger hooks are great for shad, dress with small bits of sard/squid when fishing for shad.

dugong · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:07:39 PM »

Why you need heavier wire between hooks!!
NOTE: King Mackrel, aka couta/cuda/serra/kingfish are not super strong fish but are very fast and their size is often judged by the amount of runs they make, most fish in summer are in the 7-15 kg range with the odd 20+ thrown in.
The Natal south coast gets some crocs in winter as well as the high points off Zinkwazi and the wrecks off Richards Bay, generally caught on bigger baits like kawas/bonnies. Shad and mackrel are a favourite for couta but dead sard amongst the livies sometimes does the trick?? In Mozambique a lot of shoal couta between 3 - 8 kgs are caught and the smaller ones (darts) can become a nusance, bigger fish (15+) can be found on the deeper pinacles but are not as plentiful as the shoal couta - dead baits(halfbeaks/sards) are used more as live baits are harder to come by.
Remember to balance your terminal tackle to the rod/reel/line - if for example you are using a Shimano Speedmaster IV(excellent couta reel) with 20-25lb mono, there is no use to have a #4 power swivel (76kgs) when a #6 (46kgs) or a #8 (28kgs) will do, the same with wire - #4 is 40lbs, unless you are fishing for crocs there is no need to go above this.
The most important thing is your reels drag - it has to be SMOOTH!! couta take long blistering runs and a drag that is snatching WILL lose fish.
Your setup is a personal preferance - I prefer 8' or 8'6" rods, some guys prefer 7' but I would not go shorter than that. IMO these are good combos: COUTA LIGHT - Kingfisher Snoek Ski/Elbe Powercurve and Daiwa SL30 with15-20lb mono COUTA ALLROUND - Kingfisher Dorado Ski or Cuda Ski/Elbe Cuda Pro and Shimano Speedmaster IV/Shimano TLD15 with 20 -25lb mono.
The rod in the pic is an 8' Elbe Powercurve with a SL30 and 20lb mono bending to a shoal couta.

CLS · « **Reply #17 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:25:16 PM »

You get that today ???

dugong · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2011, 01:35:15 PM »

I wish!!, haven't caught a couta since April last year!! Pic is from around then I think?

REEFMAN · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2011, 01:48:04 PM »

Great post Dugong! Have some cred!!