Bottom fishing rigs

Saltwater Offshore Discussion
21

Clem with size 6 circles you will miss a lot of fish. I personally feel that you will miss 99.9% of triggers, 80% of your porgies and 50% of your Beeliners

…
Mike Martinez

2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s

22
quote:
Originally posted by FLORIDA_BOY2

Clem with size 6 circles you will miss a lot of fish. I personally feel that you will miss 99.9% of triggers, 80% of your porgies and 50% of your Beeliners

…
Mike Martinez

2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s

Those are some handy calculations. I just printed those out and taped them to the side of my console as a benchmark. :smiley:
23

Yes the 6’s are too large for triggers but if your bait is a live bliner, the little stuff won’t eat it anyway. I use a heavy 4 for most bottom critters other than using large hooks for live baits. I did have a swarm of triggers attack a live grunt a little while back. They tore it up.

Olde Man Charters
843-478-1538
Oldemancharters@gmail.com
286 Seafox/Twin 300’s

24
quote:
Originally posted by FLORIDA_BOY2

Clem with size 6 circles you will miss a lot of fish. I personally feel that you will miss 99.9% of triggers, 80% of your porgies and 50% of your Beeliners

…
Mike Martinez

2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s

One trip I was dropping down live cigar minnows and hardtails on a single 8/0 circle hook rig and was catching triggers on every drop… literally every time it hit the bottom. Got tired of wasting live bait and switched over to squid… then got bored of that and got a bunch on diamond jigs and even a bucktail. good times…

I use 4/0 or 2/0 heavy gauge for cut bait and do fine usually. I’ve caught grouper on them too, but def use heavier stuff when fishing live bait

“mr keys”

25

For chicken rigs I like to use 6 or 7/0 offset circle hooks with the eye inline. Daiichi are my favorite. 60 lbs mono. Have caught triggers on every drop with those too.

Problem with the smaller hooks are that the dropper loops don’t fit into the eye of the hook.

26
quote:
Originally posted by dreamin-on

For chicken rigs I like to use 6 or 7/0 offset circle hooks with the eye inline. Daiichi are my favorite. 60 lbs mono. Have caught triggers on every drop with those too.

Problem with the smaller hooks are that the dropper loops don’t fit into the eye of the hook.

Agreed man. The whole point of my post was that when they are chewing it doesn’t really matter much…

“mr keys”

27

A short piece of lightweight mono can often be used to pull the dropper loop through smaller hook eyes.

Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250

28
quote:
Originally posted by northchucky
quote:
Originally posted by dreamin-on

For chicken rigs I like to use 6 or 7/0 offset circle hooks with the eye inline. Daiichi are my favorite. 60 lbs mono. Have caught triggers on every drop with those too.

Problem with the smaller hooks are that the dropper loops don’t fit into the eye of the hook.

Agreed man. The whole point of my post was that when they are chewing it doesn’t really matter much…

“mr keys”

Sure doesn’t. Making rigs is a lot of personal preference anyhow.

29
quote:
Originally posted by skinneej
quote:
Originally posted by FLORIDA_BOY2

Clem with size 6 circles you will miss a lot of fish. I personally feel that you will miss 99.9% of triggers, 80% of your porgies and 50% of your Beeliners

…
Mike Martinez

2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s

Those are some handy calculations. I just printed those out and taped them to the side of my console as a benchmark. :smiley:

Next time you dive, will you set this plan to action and have someone drop the squid and let me know how accurate they were?

…
Mike Martinez

2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s

30

Do you all anchor up, or do you just drift and fish when bottom fishing reefs and live bottom?

02’ Seapro 17’CC w/ 90 yamaha 2stroke

31
quote:
Originally posted by Clem1984

Do you all anchor up, or do you just drift and fish when bottom fishing reefs and live bottom?

02’ Seapro 17’CC w/ 90 yamaha 2stroke

Yes.
32

Drift to find them, anchor when they are thick.

Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250

33

with a reef anchor

34

I’ve been using a danforth anchor since the invention of fishing…

35

This is becoming entertaining…

36
quote:
Originally posted by skinneej

I’ve been using a danforth anchor since the invention of fishing…

well you have more experience releasing a danforth than i do. Ive lost numerous danforth style anchors on a reef, but i havent lost a reef anchor yet

its just easier for me, but if you’re good with a danforth, more power to ya

37
quote:
Originally posted by TheMechanic
quote:
Originally posted by skinneej

I’ve been using a danforth anchor since the invention of fishing…

well you have more experience releasing a danforth than i do. Ive lost numerous danforth style anchors on a reef, but i havent lost a reef anchor yet

its just easier for me, but if you’re good with a danforth, more power to ya

I just drop the anchor in the sand just up current of the structure. If you anchor at the grillage or something like that, then YES, you want to use a reef anchor. Or potentially a large live bottom if you are anchoring in the middle of the reef.

I typically move a little upcurrent and just let out some scope until I am on the $$$.

38

10-4…and you anchor from the stern right?

39
quote:
Originally posted by TheMechanic

10-4…and you anchor from the stern right?

I tow it from the stern up to 20 knts.
40

but only if the seas are at least 3ft