Drop some burley into the top of the water, you will get plenty of interest from kahawai
Been advised in the past brings in the sharks big time, and does. Then go to move and they will often follow..
use the 1kw transducer to pick them up on the plane in 30 - 60m
Have found the sounder works well like that on the east coast.. west coast, again from local knowledge... just pick a spot from old school read the currents/birds/ change water temp etc and drop.. After a few trips one marks spots, note time date, tide height, full tide height, water temp. After a while there is a collection where can just go out drop and catch...This works east coast as well.... consistent fishing is not luck, it is homework. My Dad did it from the 50s, I do it, charters do it, comms do it, locals do it
Couldn't help but wonder if the big commercial trawlers had been through last time we out there....
Got to give lot thanks to the greenies who fort long and hard to protect the maui dolphins. The result we see now in our consistent catches. Also can be seen in mpi rec estimates, general fishing reports, boat and surf casting, when compared to the unprotected areas nth and sth.
One often sees a comms trawler going up or down the coast during the week anything from the 40 to 80m mark. Going too fast to be trawling. One can also see where when they have been, are and going to on smart phone apps.
And the number times over the yrs we see the fish on the sounder, and no matter what size, type lure or bait you present, they will not take it.
My sounder is more used to find gutters, bit foul, anmolilies in the sea floor, locate spots, future potential spots subject to time yr tides etc..than fish.
Also very important is local knowledge espec generational knowledge. Couple consist spots to get started, but more important is your traces off the west coast.
I was given several, which still use as a pattern today...Hence a foremost reason I pre tie my traces on a jig. Over the yrs had many crew with their own pre tie, or tie on the boat, or ex shop brought. A ledger of correct dimensions correct size 'flasher'/ lumo/ lure has constantly out fished the above, and when they have change to a jig tied their fishing changes dramatically.
I owe a lot to asking, listening to local and espec generational knowledge for the west and east coast fishing.. and other than minor change of flasher or lure or lumo or hook size, those basic traces remain the same as where 50/70 yrs ago.
Do only 1/2 the homework, anytime of the yr, over the bar, 3 guys get binned up (often bin too small) in 1 to 2 hrs at anchor.. not including travel time (approx 30 to 40 miles) throwing anything under 40cm back and upto 65cm if lucky 75 plus.
Feed the family, extended family neighbors friends, fill the smoker, and all the frames except the large wings go to the local community.
Every trip.