Gin Pole Advice

[Fess n Flora]

We just brought home a 2320 from Maryland to Central Texas and are currently working on rigging her out for the Texas Gulf Coast.

Since it is usually only the wife and I on trips, a Gin Pole is a "necessary item."

We saw the pic Phil posted of the pole mounted to the cockpit step and like that idea for mounting.

We are also curious about opions on whether or not to have a swing-out arm or not? Pro's and/or Con's?

Thanks in advance for input.

 

[Fess n Flora]

Ok folks, I see that people have been reading our humble request, but no one has a suggestion.
Now Dale has posted this picture and now more than ever I WANT A TUNA!

http://classicparker.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2846

However, now that the kids are out of the house and we can spend some quality time on the water, I have been put on light duty and am not supposed to lift anything over 10 lbs (but only for the next 2 years.)
Boy that puts a damper on my sinister plan to bathe the cockpit in tuna blood this fall.

So here is another humble urging, if anyone has experience with, has installed, can think of pitfalls to avoid, or has a clever idea that could be put to good use.
Fess is going to need help lifting "MY" tuna out of the water.
Thanks
Flora

 

[Megabyte]

I only wish I needed a gin pole.

We don't have Tuna in the Bay, and if I caught a Rockfish that required a gin pole to hoist it aboard, I'd be one happy camper!

 

[tara11]

What is a gin pole, I have a good idea in my head, but I bet i am wrong

 

[DaleH]

Ok folks, I see that people have been reading our humble request, but no one has a suggestion.
Now Dale has posted this picture and now more than ever I WANT A TUNA!

http://classicparker.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2846

Until I read your restriction on not lifting anything over 10-pounds I was going to say you don't need a gin pole for fish like Mark 'Chop-Chop' caught.

I'd check with local fabrication shops that support your local crabbing or lobster fleet, as any shop that serves commercial fisherman should be able to make you up one easy. Heck, you could even buy a swing-out dingy davit and use that too!

Just keep in mind ... I've had tuna on light gear, i.e., 30W or less, that just about tore the rod and reel out of my hands. At the end of a 1-hour fight on an estimated 200-300 pound medium tuna, the veins in my arms looked like pencils pushed under the skin.

Thing is ... and why I mentioned it ... with your weight restriction, I'd go with a bent butt rod with a 30W class reel and would make SURE to use a shoulder harness so the weight is born by the back and legs ... NOT your arms.

I can take photos of the shoulder harness rig I have with either 30 or 50 class reels as needed. Should I add ... I caught NOTHING on them this year? It was mostly a spinning gear bite using poppers or Sluggos jigged down deep ...

FYI, here's a 'gin pole' mounted on the side cabin of a 22' Sisu small lobster boat:

 

[Fess n Flora]

We have striper here in the local lake, my biggest so far was 26", they are catch and release because of the mercury levels, however, it was on an ultralight with 6# so that was fun.

Fess' biggest fresh water striper to date was 37".

Dale, you are a gentleman and a scholar (at least that's the way I'll spin the yarn for the grandkids.) A picture of your shoulder harness would be awesome.

Fess finally gets the boat of his dreams and I can't bear the thought of losing a fish on the side of the boat. Well at least not more than a time or two.