AS SEEN IN THE 2004 SUMMER ISSUE

Strategies for successful Running & Gunning.

It’s an exciting season! Prevailing spring winds have finally dissipated and the offshore grounds have turned into a much more comfortable place to be. It’s time for anglers to point their bows toward the Gulf Stream in search of that winning feeling.

On a recent outing, the gamble to head offshore in search of success paid off big! Our adventure began while drifting for sailfish off Miami Beach in stiff southeasterly winds. Unexpectedly, the crisp breeze fizzled out to less than variable. I convinced my anglers it was time to reel in the kite baits and prepare to run & gun for the remainder of the day.

Run & Gun: An increasingly popular blue water plan of attack. The act of running offshore at a high rate of speed until you find some type of promising floating debris and hitting it hard with your entire arsenal until you hook up!
 
With an empty fish box, we headed offshore in search of something more promising. Our plan was to keep running east until we ran across any type of floating debris (aka floaters, flotsam). Floating debris offers shade and security for multitudes of baitfish, crabs and sea critters, all of which are crucial to the existence of our larger aquatic environment. Flotsam includes anything that floats at or slightly below the ocean’s surface. It can be found in as little as a hundred feet or in well over a thousand. Discarded pallets, unattended buoys, driftwood, well formed patches of Sargassum weed, buckets or just about anything else that has been bobbing on the ocean’s surface for while can hold fish. Once smaller baitfish and crustaceans take up residency, larger pelagic species will move in to take full advantage of the situation. Dolphin are the primary species commonly associated with floating debris, but tripletail, tuna, wahoo, and the occasional blue marlin may be lurking below.

These floating treasures hold a fantastic and diverse amount of life. Time and time again floating debris has yielded huge payoffs for those well prepared and willing to put in the time. Granted, when running & gunning a large percentage of your valuable fishing time may be spent searching rather than fishing, but when you do strike gold, it’s often well worth it. It’s a big ocean, and there’s no arguing when heading offshore, intently focusing your efforts around areas of proven fish attracting structure significantly increases your odds of catching quality fish.
On this particular day, our gamble paid off with excellent results.

We had secured the deck and steamed toward the horizon. Four pairs of eyes scanned for bird activity, color changes, rips or anything else that might indicate game-fish may be nearby. Searching for these familiar indicators, we luckily stumbled across a large discarded buoy. Hardly ever passing up even the smallest piece of flotsam, I knew this pot of gold was a great discovery.

Just about any sizable debris can hold baitfish and predators will in-fact concentrate under even the smallest floating objects. As a matter of fact, just a week ago I ran across a small black wetsuit floating some 14 miles offshore. Initially it appeared to be lifeless, but upon closer inspection my guests spotted several beefy dolphin in the cobalt blue waters. Since we were well prepared, everyone on the boat knew the drill we ended up catching a handful of 15 to 18 lb. fish.  As we approached this bright pink buoy, I could feel my heart racing with anticipation. It’s the unknown that gets me every time.  

It goes without saying that being prepared when running & gunning is essential to your success. I’d recommend several spinning outfits in the 15-20 lb. range. All should be rigged with a Bimini Twist or Spider Hitch to form a length of double line, and finished off with a 6 to 8 foot length of 50 lb. fluorocarbon leader material. A laser sharp 3/0 – 6/0 live bait hook will finish things off nicely.   

Along with the lighter equipment, I’d carry at least one or two heavier 30 lb. spinning outfits rigged in the same fashion. This will ensure you’re ready when the real slammers show up. A couple conventional trolling rods and a sabiki rod for catching bait should complete your entire arsenal.

Speaking of sabiki’s, there’s no better way to kick off a day of running & gunning than by topping off the live-well with as many frisky baits as possible. You don’t have to spend all morning catching bait, but it does help to have a variety on hand. Hungry dolphin are often like Billy goats and turned on will usually eat anything. However, there are occasions where I’ve seen big bulls and cows ignore the friskiest gogs and liveliest runners only to slam half dead cigar minnows.

My all time favorite live bait when fishing debris is a simple pinfish. Pinfish are easily caught with shrimp tipped bait rigs over grass beds in many local bays. Most anglers never consider taking them offshore though pinfish in-fact make excellent bait. When hooked by the anal fin, a pitched ‘penny’ will instinctively swim toward the bottom. That can be a real chore for the little guy when the bottom is several hundred or thousand feet below. In the frantic bait’s search for cover, chances are he’ll first find his way into the jaws of a hungry wahoo or large mahi. As a rule, prior to pitching a pinfish or any other live bait over, I add a 6” trace of # 5 wire to my leader via an Albright knot. The wire prevent cut offs and seldom turns off large fish.

An alternative to spending time catching bait is to always keep a sabiki rod rigged and ready. Many times offshore you can find all the bait you’ll need hiding underneath floating debris. Most types of forage inhabiting flotsam can’t resist a sabiki rig and all make ideal offerings for hungry predators.

In addition to your supply of live bait, a bucket of fresh cut chunks can often make the difference between winning and losing. Ballyhoo is real easy and works great, though bonito, glass minnows and white baits will also do the trick. Remember to keep a few fresh bally’s intact. Whole ballyhoo make great pitch baits for big dolphin.

Anxious from a fairly long ride, we finally settled up wind of the floating buoy to determine if it had character. Character is a term I use to describe floating debris which has fish attracting appeal, like small baitfish swimming in the shadows.  It’s also not uncommon to find schoolie dolphin darting around, which happened to be the case with this particular find. As soon as the big pink buoy drifted with in casting range, a handful of juvenile two to three pound peanuts could be seen zipping its base. Since we’d just about perfected the running part of the game, it was now time to try the gunning part.

Keep in mind that it’s always wise to spend extra time on flotsam with character. If you clearly see baitfish and small predators, don’t be afraid to put in over time. Chances are you’re only seeing part of what is actually under the debris. Spend time soaking different baits at various depths. Larger fish may be down deep - especially as the day grows hotter. Always allow your live baits a chance to swim away from your boat and away from the shelter of the debris. Try dropping a 4 to 6 ounce jig tipped with live or dead bait. Let it drop down a hundred feet or more and work it quickly back towards the surface. Wahoo love speed – and speed kills!

On this picture perfect morning, dropping a few livies over brought immediate results. Everyone knows the old trick of keeping a dolphin hooked by the boat to keep nearby fish interested. Well this technique rarely fails and on this particular occasion we were greeted by a pack of larger dolphin that stopped by to admire our handy work.

After only a few minutes the fish flunked out on us and refused to chew. Luckily, pitching a few live baits and some small chunks quickly renewed their savageness. It’s not uncommon for dolphin to lose interest, especially if the school has recently been hit. Keeping the fish eating may require a variety of live and dead baits. Small jigs and plugs retrieved rapidly across the surface will also keep dolphin fired up. 

Regardless, on most occasions any school of dolphin will inevitably dissipate and even the larger fish will swim off. Be patient though as they will often return. I recall one trip last summer when we happened upon a few small mahi’s darting around under an 8’ 4x6 piece of lumber. One of the anglers on my boat said he spotted a much larger bull take off. Not wanted to second guess him, we tossed a couple live baits near the small plank and waited. We waited, and waited some more. Patiently, I may add for nearly thirty minutes while nothing happened. Finally, one of our baits got slammed by the 34 lb. bull. As we had hoped would happen, the elusive fish eventually made its way back to the small piece of driftwood.


Once you believe you’ve done everything you can, there is still one more angle of attack you should consider prior to heading right off in search of the next spot. Take out a pair of trolling rods and drag a couple high-speed artificial lures in tight circles around the floater. Lil’Stubby’s, Island Lures and Billy Baits work great and everything eats them. Over the years I’ve seen Lil’Stubbys fool everything worth catching, including slammer dolphin, tuna, sailfish and even a blue marlin. As you troll around the debris, increase the diameter of the circles with each pass. This technique has accounted for plenty of wahoo and large dolphin holding on the outside periphery.

If you’re weak in the trolling lure dept., here’s a simple ballyhoo rig that your team can use to quickly put together an appealing spread. It’s called a marathon or double hook rig and works great for pulling fresh ballyhoo. Grab an 8/0 long shank hook (not offset). Pass a smaller 4/0 long shank hook through the opened eye of the 8/0. Tighten down on the eye of the larger hook and make sure the barb is facing opposite the 4/0 hook. Hold a fresh ballyhoo in your left hand and work the larger hook through the gill flaps and back down into the bait. Bring the 4/0 hook through the bottom of the ballyhoo’s chin and up thru its mouth. The double hooked bait should be streamlined. It may take a bit of practice to perfect, but you’ll quickly get it. Rigged properly, this bait will swim excellent naked or covered up with your favorite skirt. It also doubles as perfect pitch bait.

When running & gunning offshore in search of life, stop every ten minutes or so and scan the horizon with a pair of binoculars. Look in every direction, even the one you came from. Birds following fish move quickly and may surprisingly turn up right behind you. For the most part, sea birds that are following fish are waiting for concentrations of baitfish to be pushed up to the surface where they provide easy pickings. Chasing these birds is really where running & gunning may drive you nuts! I’ll drag lures at 12-14 knots and even faster just trying to stay ahead of the screaming gulls and terns. Dolphin, tuna and wahoo can easily swim twice as fast and will smack your baits without hesitation, so don’t ever think you’re trolling too fast. 

Any Frigate birds swooping and circling in a specific area are often a clear indication of a single or pair of large fish somewhere below. Determine what direction the bird is flying and steer ahead of its path. Pitch out a couple live baits and scatter some chunks. Any hungry fish in the area looking for an easy meal should find their way to your transom. If you happen to see lots of small chicks working a specific area chances are they are following smaller fish or possibly baitfish. 

Finding the right piece of flotsam will help ensure a fantastic fishing trip. Many times you won’t be the first to stumble across a nice floater and chances are if you spot a load of boats gathered in a small area, they are on fish. They do not own the spot - they just beat you to it! Be patient, work the area and you too will have success. Be sure to release small dolphin unharmed. They grow very quickly and may be over 15 lbs. by the end of the season.

Remember running & gunning is like a crapshoot. You never know what you are going to roll. Sometimes running offshore pays off big and sometimes it doesn’t pay off at all. Have fun, put in the extra work and hopefully these tips will keep you on the winning side more often than not. By the way, we ended our day with a pair of chunky blackfins, a dozen keeper dolphin and a lone wahoo. All caught in the shadow of the pink buoy. 

Bio:
Capt. Larry Berryman Jr. is a life long resident of Miami, Florida and has pursued his passion for fishing off South Florida, the Bahamas and the Florida Keys for over twenty years. Larry works for the National Marine Manufacturers Association and helps coordinate the Tampa, Atlanta, and Miami Boat Shows.

When not on show site, Larry skippers the Top Shelf, a tournament rigged 26’ SeaVee center console. Larry earned his Master’s Degree from the University of Miami in Education, and enjoys sharing his fishing and boating skills with all anglers. He specializes in live bait offshore fishing, kite and tournament angling.

Contact Capt. Larry Berryman Jr.
Top Shelf Fishing Charters
305-926-3810 or 305-971-5257
lberryman@nmma.org

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