Kite fishing 101 with Tigress Outriggers and Gear
by Tigress Outriggers & Gear 1 Apr 2023 05:35 AEDT
Kite fishing © Tigress Outriggers & Gear
Kite fishing is gaining popularity in the offshore fishing community as anglers note the productive results behind a very exhilarating fishing strategy.
Tigress has designed many options to give anglers all the gear they need to succeed when trying this method. The kite keeps live baits on the water's surface, creating a realistic presentation for surface-feeding fish. As anglers deploy the kites, a large surface area across the ocean gets coverage as the bait fish entices the target predator to come up for a quick bite. This technique is most known for catching sailfish. However, kite fishing will attract other species, such as the dolphin or mahi-mahi, wahoo, king mackerels, and tuna.
As an offshore angler, one of the challenges to attracting fish into the spread is the tackle and preventing the lines from being seen. For example, when trolling for tuna, a key element to success is avoiding high-visibility lines and preventing terminal tackle from getting noticed. However, kite fishing eliminates this issue as this strategy prevents tackle from being in the water and visible to the target fish. The irresistible motion of the bait is all that the predators below notice when they are looking up, seeking out their next meal. Kite fishing has given anglers an edge in the deep blue and provides a unique approach that leads to results in every fishery, even fisheries with high pressure.
Offshore fishing often comes with a wide variety of winds and sea conditions. Like the traditional kite, the wind will play a role in the kite's ability to fly. One of the fantastic features of the kites offered by Tigress is no matter the wind circumstances, multiple kite selections are available and fine-tuned for each type of wind, whether light or strong. The options available are the Specialty Lite Wind Kite, the All Purpose Kite, and the Hi-Velocity Kite. Constructed to fly at wind speeds from 5-15 plus MPH, each design has a sturdy and dependable structure. Simple adjustments on the Lite Wind Kite allow reliable flight in 5-10 MPH winds, while the All Purpose Kite is best in 10-15 MPH winds. The Hi-Velocity Kite, completed with four holes in the custom fabric, allows the kite to fly in higher-velocity wind days. Helium balloons play a vital role on almost windless days by keeping the kite airborne and flying correctly.
One of the incredible features of Kite Fishing is that it only requires a little additional gear to get started, which is rare in offshore fishing. Aside from offshore, shore anglers also utilize kites to get their baits past the breaking waves and into areas where the larger fish like to reside. So, even a boat is optional for kite fishing success. Of the gear needed, accessories like release clips are necessary. Multiple release clips allow one kite to present several baits at varying distances. By covering a variety of lengths, anglers can zone in on the optimal area in the water column where the fish are feeding and focus there. A typical method to kite fishing is drifting. Anglers drift the boat over a certain water depth, noting strikes along the way. Once a certain water depth is covered, it's time to reel in the lines and restart the drift, which may be shorter and over a more focused area.
Rod holders are vital during kite fishing as rods fishing baits on the same kite should be clustered together. Tigress offers adapters to expand the rod real estate of existing rod holders, allowing anglers to fish and manage multiple rods side by side. The most common amount of lines fished on one kite is three. However, each kite can fish up to six lines. A braided line connects the kites to the boat, and kite line assemblies and braid are available at Tigress in 100, 80, and 50-pound tests and include clips and swivels. Comprehensive rigging kits are also available that include various accessories to complete a kite fishing tool kit.
Tigress is a one-stop shop for all Kite fishing gear needs. From kites to rod holders and accessories, fishermen can find high-quality gear built to last that also aesthetically matches boats of all varieties. Anyone looking to start kite fishing, here's the perfect place to start.