Fast Switching Jigs (Yellowtail)

[Long Enuff]

Why not use the same setup that comes standard with butterfly jigs?  Tie your mainline to a solid ring that has a split ring attached to it.  Then use split ring pliers to change from jig, topwater, or live bait hook.

[Steve-O]

Why not use the same setup that comes standard with butterfly jigs?  Tie your mainline to a solid ring that has a split ring attached to it.  Then use split ring pliers to change from jig, topwater, or live bait hook.

What he said!

I recently purchased a bunch of the solid "8" rings. This piece of tackle keeps the jig and split ring off of the leader or mainline knot entirely.  The hook is on the larger solid ring and the split ring holds the jig. Split ring pliers are all you need. I'll be fishing various jig weights off and onshore in Alaska in 7 weeks...but I'm still carrying 3 setups for Salmon, Halibut, Lingcod and Rockfish.

[Vince]

Why not use the same setup that comes standard with butterfly jigs?  Tie your mainline to a solid ring that has a split ring attached to it.  Then use split ring pliers to change from jig, topwater, or live bait hook.

Seems like this approach would be similar to using a snap on the end of the mainline (without a swivel)? I imagine that might work well for jigging- would the extra hardware be too obvious for live bait purposes though? I dont have enough experience to be able to say that mainline-hook is +/- productive as mainline-ring-hook re: yellowtail fishing. For rock cod and ling cod I always use the snap approach.

[Long Enuff]

It would be similar to using a snap, but would eliminate that piece of hardware.  The rings are already on the jigs.  For bait fishing, if the fish aren't bothered by the sight of the hook, those two little rings won't bother them.

Bill

[Steve-O]

Unless your snap is heavy duty or $ quality is it the piece most likely to fail. Solid rings hardly ever. I had a split ring open up two years ago on a huge pacific cod which decided to spin like a drill during the fight. Got it to the surface in time to see the jig fly off -wahhh! It was one of SaltyDawg's I got in a trade with Dominick.  But the fish was on the hook on the solid ring not the jig so he did not get away.

Big corkscrew snaps work great for quick change and need no split ring pliers. Mostly in big sizes. We use them for the 2-4# halibut rig weights and unscrew the weight off as the fish is about to be brought on board for obvious reasons.

[MarkT]

This is simple stuff.  On an overnight boat out of SD, you're going to be using a Salas 6x/6xJr yoyo iron, Tady 45/Salas 7x surface iron or a 2/0 hook.  Maybe a flatfall jig.  Either way, no need for any hardware.  Maybe some fluoro leader with the hook if they go offshore for some BFT.  Not needed for YT.  If they're mid-column, a 1/2 oz egg sinker above the hook would be good with a sardine.

[Cor]

I fish for Yellowtail 3 day a week in season and have done so for 50 years and always use a "clip" with or without a swivel to attach my various lures to my line.     If you fish from shore this is essential to avoid the line breaking on the lure, if it bumps on to a rock.

The only time not to use a "clip" is with a deep diving type lure that swims, like a Rapala or similar.

I don't usually fish with bait, so can't really comment on that.