Finding us in Point Cumana

We have been in the tackle business a while now, some 30 odd years or so!  It's hard to believe it's been that long. Time sure does fly when you're having fun!  And fun indeed we've had serving the fishing community over the years--from the artisanal fisherman to the recreational fisher.  We graciously thank you for your continued support over the years. 

Now about where we are located....we used to be in Glencoe next to the TT Yatch Club many, many moons ago, where Linda's Bakery is now located.  Then we moved lower into Point Cumana.  

About Point Cumana....I am sure every Trini knows the syncopated refrain, "Drinking rum and Coca Cola, Going down Point Cumana" and the yada-yada about "working for the Yankee dollar."  But I bet you a lot people don't know where Point Cumana is.  Misconception number 1: Point Cumana is all the way "quite-o quite-o" by Toco. No, that's CUMANA.

The biggest misconception is Point Cumana and Carenage are one in the same.  This is a big NO NO.  Admittedly one may confuse Point Cumana and Carenage because of the infamous little strip of rum shops in each community.  But Point Cumana is BEFORE Carenage.  

We may not have a big green arch like St. James demarcating where Point Cumana starts.  But we do have an AWESOME welcome sign by the rum shops:  "Welcome to Pt. Cumana Rum Corner."  I must admit every time I see the sign I have Lord Invader's "Rum and Coca Cola" running in my head.  (God forbid if it was the Andrew Sisters version, given all the copyright infringement bachannal back in the day.)

So now you know where Point Cumana is.  It is not Cocorite, Carenage, Chaguaramas, or Cumana.

We are located on 176-A Western Main Road, Point Cumana.  That is, three corners on your right after Hi-Lo Glencoe/Pizza Boys.  We're in the big yellow and blue building with the sailfish on it.  You can't miss it!

Contact details

176-A Western Main Rd
Point Cumana
Trinidad & Tobago
West Indies

Tel/Fax: (868)632-1782
Email:  tackleshoptrinidad<at>gmail.com

Out with a la vive! In with banking!

So the live bait or a la vive season is slowly tapering off and, as is said in local parlance, “bait HAAAARD,” meaning bait is scarce.  These days those fishers who roll in to get a la vive hooks are calling for “straight 2 and straight 4,” indicating that bait, if gotten, is quite small in size.

Bait being hard, artisanal fishers are banking at the moment.  In banking one typically uses a hand-line starting from 50lb to 150lb, which has multiple arms, rigged with hooks. To reduce line tangle and curl, a heavy duty brass swivel may be used to connect the line to the leader containing banking arms.  Depending on tidal conditions and the depth at which one wishes to fish, a sinker ranging from 8oz to 3lb may be used.  Hooks are baited with herring, bonito, squid, or shrimp.  Common species which are captured in banking are cro cro, red fish, and salmon.

Banking can sometimes be tough on those who haven’t got good “sea legs”.  All that rocking and rolling can cause motion sickness.  Motion sickness has nothing at all to do with having “sexy legs”.  It’s all about sensory perception.  When a boat rocks, your brain interprets movement from the signals it has gotten from your eyes, muscles, joints, and most of all, your inner ears.  Now when the brain receives conflicting signals, that when you feel sea sick.  What in fact happens is your inner ear detects motion while your eyes do not perceive motion.  

Herein lies the sweet discomfort of nausea that only a good barf can cure.  So if you do decide to go banking, be sure to have non-drowsy Gravol on your tackle check list!  In the event you forget the Gravol, try looking out to the horizon to minimise your queasiness.

Banking checklist

• Non-drowsy Gravol or motion sickness patches
• Hand caster (preferably 7 ½ inch or bigger)
• Line (range: 50lb to 150lb)
• Brass barrel or box swivels
• Sinkers (range: 8oz to 3lb)
• Banking rig (ready made)
• Bait (squid, bonito, herring)
• Knife
• Bucket
• Finger guards or finger protection wrap 
• If you want to make your own banking rigs, you need:- cable, sleeves, three-way swivels, single barrel swivels, and snaps.

Cast Away: Choosing the Right Cast Net

Published in The Boca Magazine, Vol. 12, Issue #4

Contributor: The Tackle Shop

Relying on fishing depots as a source of bait is a gamble.  So why spoil your fishing fun, especially in the height of the a la vive (live bait fishing) season?  We recommend catching your own bait, using a cast net.               

Cast nets come in a range of sizes and their dimensions are specified by mesh size and length.  Popular mesh sizes in Trinidad are 3/8" (3/4" stretched) and 1/4" (1/2" stretched).  A net with a 3/8" mesh captures bait between 3" to 6".  A smaller mesh like 1/4" is good for bait 1" to 3" in size.  The cast net length refers to the net radius.  For example, a 4 ft casting net has a radius of 4 ft and a diameter of 8 ft.  Cast nests come ready to use with weights attached.  

There is a positive correlation between mesh size and net break strength since a 1/4" mesh size net has a net break strength between 5-9 lb while a 3/8" mesh size net has a net break strength between 7-15 lb. 

The Tackle Shop stocks a variety of cast nets, ranging from 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12 ft in radius.  Typically, larger nets (10’ and 12’) are used in Tobago while smaller nets are used in Trinidad.  

The Tackle Shop also carries regular and professional grade cast nets.  Professional cast nets are made of high quality (density) monofilament which sinks faster than regular monofilament, thereby capturing the bait quicker. 

Mesh size	Bait size	Net break strength
1/4" (1/2" stretched)	1" - 3"	5 - 9 lb
3/8” (3/4" stretched)	3" - 6"	7 - 15 lb

  

Live-Bait Fishing Checklist

Published in The Boca MagazineVol. 12, Issue 3Contributor: The Tackle Shop 

  

“Ah pack ah 1/0 alavee hook, a 27 wire, and ah pack ah swivel.”  That’s the à-la-vive checklist, a fool-proof formula of what you need for successful live-bait fishing.

In live-bait fishing, a small live fish—usually a joshua— is rigged to a hook attached to a wire leader.  The leader is then connected to nylon with a small swivel.  As suggested in the Patwa term à-la-vive—which literally means ‘in the manner of alive’—the live bait is allowed to swim freely, attracting primarily carite, kingfish, cavalli, and bechine. Since the whole point of à-la-vive fishing is to keep the bait alive until it attracts a bite, care must be taken in selecting tackle which is light-weight and allows the bait to swim uninhibited.

• Hooks need to be light so as not to “drown” the bait and to have a short shank to facilitate rigging.  Both Eagle Claw and Mustad produce bronze hooks meeting these criteria.  The hook must also be appropriate to the size of live bait.  Sizes 1, 2, and 1/0 are for average-sized bait and are popular this season.

• The leader is made with Tooth Proof wire (not cable like Surf Strand) which has the advantage of being flexible and strong enough to hold a haywire twist so that crimps are not needed.  Small swivels are also used to minimize weight.

• Although trolling with live bait is possible, using handlines is more popular in Trinidad.  Bonafide and experienced fishermen use lighter nylons (10, 12, 15 lb).  We recommend a heavier nylon (20lb) for novices.  

• If you are interested in catching your own bait, sabiki rigs do the trick nicely.  Simply attach a small egg sinker to the sabiki rig which consists of very small tinsel jigs with razor sharp hooks and glow beads to attract the bait. 

Measuring up short: Fish legislation & conservation in TT

Published in The Boca Magazine

Vol. 12, Issue #2 (April-May 2012)

Contributor: The Tackle Shop

Any die-hard Trini would tell you that nothing hits the spot like a good bake ‘n shark.  But as much I love this culinary delight, I feel guilty, especially given the size of shark often offered up for sale at local markets.  Sometimes they’re no longer than your forearm which brings into question fishing legislation and conservation in Trinidad and Tobago. 

So what exactly is on the books in the Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51?  In nutshell, kingfish, carite, and grouper less than 30.5cm in length are off-limits.  Redfish, jacks, and salmon over 20.3cm are free rein.  No mention of sharks. In fact, many fish types are overlooked.  This snapshot of fishing legislation highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to conservation since current policies specify a minimum fish size regardless of individual fish species. 

Case in point: kingfish. Regulations state that no kingfish less than 30.5cm in length “shall be taken or sold or exposed for sale.” Compare this to Florida’s Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations, Issue 40, Jan. 2012: the minimum kingfish size limit is 61cm fork length.  Kingfish are reproductively mature in 3-4 years by which time males are on average 71cm fork length and females 81cm.  At 30.5cm, a Trini kingfish happily swimming in the Boca is nowhere close to maturity and ought not to be taken, sold, or exposed for sale. It is obvious that existing size limits are not informed by the species’ biological lifecycle and morphology, a shortcoming that policy makers need to address.