As the local and island yellowtail bite picks up speed there seems to be no better time to share how our field testers have been putting their Pínchovies to good use on them. Captain Ezekiel Cruz, or Zeek, (@zeeksbit) has been boating mossbacks for customers aboard Brother’s Sportfishing (@brotherssportfishing) all spring so we caught up with him to get a few words on what’s been triggering the bite:
I really like the Pínchovy as a yellowtail lure because when targeting big local yellows, timing and lure placement are often the most important factors in actually getting a bite. These fish will often only come up for 15-30 seconds so I need a lure I can confidently cast a great distance, even if the boat is still sliding or I need to cast into the wind. When approaching a spot of boiling yellows it is important to get to them as fast as possible so you can get a lure into them before they go down. DO NOT run the fish over but get near them quickly, then pull the throttles back to allow you to make a stealthy approach. Generally, I will run up at full speed until I’m about 100 yards away from the fish then put the boat in neutral, letting me slide into casting distance without disrupting the fish’s feeding. If needed, I will bump the boat in gear to get closer, but the faster the boat is moving when you fire your cast the less likely you will be able to put your lure on target and give it the necessary action.
I fish the Pínchovy with a medium-fast retrieve, and I will occasionally throw in a single extra-fast handle turn to cause the bait to kick out wider, which will hopefully trigger any fish that are following the bait to commit to the eat.
If the fish aren’t coming up to the surface but you’re marking them on the meter or sporadically boiling and breezing in an area that feels like they might be more responsive to a yoyo jig or more vertical presentation try making long fan casts with a “Z-retrieve." In this fashion allow the lure to initially sink for 30 seconds or more then make several cranks at your desired retrieve speed before allowing the lure to sink again and repeat until the lure returns to the boat, effectively making a “Z” pattern vertically through the water column. Initial and repeated sink times, cranking speed and duration can be varied throughout until the trigger is identified, and allows a lot of water to be covered quickly with the Pínchovy's high sink rate.
As for tackle, Zeek also shared some notes on how he’s been rigging his Pínchovies and overall setup for this application:
When targeting yellows with the Pínchovy I fish a 10' Seeker Skinny Butt Ulua jigstick, which I feel excels with smaller baits. I fish a Daiwa Saltist 40 and clear 50lb Izorline First String. For hooks I like the #2 Owner ST-66 4X Strong Treble on the belly, and a 5/0 Owner 4X Strong ZoWire Single Replacement hook on the tail.
In contrast to the hard, bony mouths of tuna where penetration is the name of the game, a hook’s ability to hold is imperative to remain pinned in the fleshier jaw of these jacks as they headshake and flail to earn their freedom. For this, treble hooks can outperform inline singles, and we suggest replacing the belly inline single with something along the lines of a #2 to a 1/0 Owner ST-66 while maintaining the inline single on the tail. As these fish typically target the head of their prey, most often they will inhale the belly hook at a minimum (if not the whole lure), in which case the treble firmly seats itself in the jaw, while the single hook on the tail catches a part of the mouth, internally or externally, locking the lure in place and disabling the fish from using the lure’s mass to work the treble free.
Hopefully that helps connect the dots during your next trip, or alternatively get in contact with Brother's Sportfishing and book a trip with Zeek for an on-the-water demonstration.