Having trouble tying rigs and hooking bait

[Mattman NZ]

I would give ( bait tie ) a go - just put your bait on the hook and tie it on with bait tie - My prefer d bait to use here in NZ are pilchards cut in half with two hook rig - 7/0 at the bottom and a 5/0 above with lumo tubing between the two hooks - a short trace via a pulley rig and when casting the bottom hook is held by a bait release clip or impact shield clip and releases your bait when your sinker hits the water..

Rgds

Matt...     

[Mattman NZ]

Another pic using the head .

[Mattman NZ]

The snapper over here love it. 

[Dominick]

Go to the nearest sewing and fabric shop and buy elasticized thread.  Use that to tie bait on.  Dominick

[Reel Beaker]

I would give ( bait tie ) a go - just put your bait on the hook and tie it on with bait tie - My prefer d bait to use here in NZ are pilchards cut in half with two hook rig - 7/0 at the bottom and a 5/0 above with lumo tubing between the two hooks - a short trace via a pulley rig and when casting the bottom hook is held by a bait release clip or impact shield clip and releases your bait when your sinker hits the water..

Rgds

Matt...     

Why the difference in size for the 2 hooks? Does it matter?

[Mattman NZ]

I use the smaller hook at the top because most of my baits are thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top - and if im using a strip bait ie Kahawai or sea salmon both my hooks are nominally the same size - we call the top hooks on our rigs her in NZ the keeper hook.

Rgds

Matt... 

[bill19803]

if you  are  gonna  use   salt    make  sure  it is  not  IODIZED  salt  or  you too  shall be  sorry.  Rock  salt    kosher  salt are  fine  but   the   stuff in  the   round   canister  not   so much

[Jeri]

In answering some of your questions, for I assume that we are taking about surf casting with baits.

The biggest single benefit for keeping soft baits on the hook or hooks is bait elastic, and here there is a fair bit of science, sure you can use the very heavy stuff available for dress making, but there are much finer products available, whioch are surprisingly strong and very much less intrusive in the presentation. Cut of whole sections of sardine ar mounted on the hook, and then bound very securely onto the hook shank and the leader above the hook - including right up to the second sliding hook if you are using one.

Link below for one of the prime UK suppliers - I think they have a US outlets as well.

https://www.breakaway-tackle.co.uk/sea-fishing-accessories/bait%20elastic

The next challenge is to get the whole rg aerodynamic, and here, keeping the hook length shorter than the sinker length is critical, so that you end up using some sort of 'clipping' system. Simplest are the ones in the link below:

https://www.breakaway-tackle.co.uk/Terminal%20Fishing%20Tackle/Bait%20Clips%20and%20Impacts/bent%20rig%20clip

The clip is tied to the end of your sinker length nylon, and then the sinker mounted on the clip. Then the baited sardine, with the bottom hook being left proud is mounted on the side clip - this allows the baited hook length to carry the sinker on a slightly loose length of nylon. When casting the sinker with the bait still attached will carry the whole lot during the flight, and release on impact with the sea. More complex types are available, but these are also more secure during seriously powerful casting. Different options for different circumstances.

https://www.breakaway-tackle.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=192

The finer arts of surf fishing, even with small and soft baits like worms, clams and shrimps all tend to be variations on the theme above, just using more or less of the bait elastic. These systems avoid the need for more elaborate bait preparations, just use slightly defrosted frozen product.

Try using slightly heavier mono for your rigs, say 50lbs, the lines are slightly stiffer, and when lubricated will be less prone to curling up. The secret is to snug knots home before giving that final pull to secure the knot. Pulling knots tight when dry, and over other nylon generates heat from friction and deforms the nylon - hence the curly designs you have been perfecting.

Some future developments for you might be to google 'pulley rigs', 'pennel rigs', simple paternoster. These will lead you to other variations of sea angling bait rig styles. However, something I have found, is that fish are generally not impressed with complex rigs, so look to keep it simple.

Hope that helps

Cheers from sunny Africa

[wailua boy]

You have received some good suggestions above. One other option is using tougher bait, assuming its still effective for your target species. Some of the larger squids are very tough and can be fished unsalted and untied, if you can get them at a affordable price.

[CapeFish]

there are lots of bait presentations on this site:

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=34386&forum_id=59

the very thin latexthread works very well for tying bait and it is easy to remove as well

[Reel Beaker]

if you  are  gonna  use   salt    make  sure  it is  not  IODIZED  salt  or  you too  shall be  sorry.  Rock  salt    kosher  salt are  fine  but   the   stuff in  the   round   canister  not   so much

mm... iodized salt is table salt right?

[Decker]

if you  are  gonna  use   salt    make  sure  it is  not  IODIZED  salt  or  you too  shall be  sorry.  Rock  salt    kosher  salt are  fine  but   the   stuff in  the   round   canister  not   so much

mm... iodized salt is table salt right?

Table salt can be either iodized
or uniodized. I use kosher salt.

[Keta]

mm... iodized salt is table salt right?

Most table salt in the US is iodized.   

I prefer canning and pickling salt, Kosher salt is my #2 choice.  I prefer the finer C&P salt over the slightly courser Kosher salt and do not like the much coarser rock salt all that well.

[Decker]

Mattman, could you show some more detail on that blue spider sinker?   Thanks.

[Mattman NZ]

Hi Decker - they are known over here as Gemini Breakaway sinkers - I bought the Gemini System 100 mold and buy in the components. The tails can be short or long and the legs are ether standard or long and each leg can be a justed to snap open independently - I colour code mine foe easy weight reference ie blue = 3oz up to red = 4.5oz
Rgds
Matt...