Went to SI yesterday around 5:30 to fish the incoming. Was around station 19.
Had 2 rods set up, both with 3 oz wt, 1 with double dropper rig with shrimp (frozen) pieces on both hooks and on the other rod, had a single fish finder rig with a frozen finger mullet hooked through the head.
After not getting any bites, I downsized the hooks and shrimp pieces on the dropper and then about 7:30, the whiting started biting. For the next hour and a half, caught whiting after whiting in the 8-12 inch range.
Never got anything on the mullet.
For you surf fisherman, do you build your own rigs using flouro or do you stick with something store bought?
Any other advice on rigs for reds? I’ve got to think that for the 4 hours I was out there, that a red or something other than a whiting had to come across that finger mullet but wouldn’t eat and am wondering if it had something to do with the rig?
Tie your own rigs with flour, they have worked much better for me. I almost always use a fish finder rig, even for whiting. I just downsize the hook. Seems to work better for me.
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Originally posted by allenjz
Tie your own rigs with flour, they have worked much better for me. I almost always use a fish finder rig, even for whiting. I just downsize the hook. Seems to work better for me.
The fish finder rigs are pretty new to me. How do you build yours? You need to use a circle hook right?
For the vast majority of my surf fishing exp, I’ve just always used the double dropper but I’m sure that’s probably not the best set up.
Double dropper works just fine, with mono. Have caught drum red and black, ladyfish, pompano, whiting, croakers and blues on them. Oh and rays, lots of rays. Hand tied size 4 owner hooks with orange beads. Frozen shrimp from the pig in their bait cooler, or cut up finger mullet pieces.
I use sputniks because of the current. Put a sliding sinker on your mainline and tie a hook to a swivel and attach to your snap lock on your mainline. most simple form of a fish finder.
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I agree if you are fishing mono, a double or even just single dropper with a Sputnik weight a the bottom is the way to go. Learn how to tie a surgeon’s loop and you won’t waste any money on pretty beads and cheapo swivels. The cool thing about this is that you can change hooks and weights very quickly and after you catch a few fish, just cut and tie another. I use 20# line, but if you get a lot of cut offs, you can tie on a heavier leader.
Chris
Hobie Adventure Island "Rogue Wave"
I use a single hook rig. I use 30# line. I make dropper loops at the top and bottom. At the top I put a barrel swivel, and a pyramid sinker on the bottom.
The upper drop loop is a bit of a “special” dropper, because I tie it in a way that has a very long tag-end (for the hook), and the tag-end sticks out 90 degrees rather than sticking straight down (keeps the hook/bait from tangling as easily on the line below the hook).
The main point is, I only use 1 hook. Using two hooks is, in my experience, a total waste of bait around here unless there are so many fish that you are catching doubles. And it’s almost always the bottom hook that they hit.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
quote:
Originally posted by bonecrusher
quote:
Originally posted by allenjz
Tie your own rigs with flour, they have worked much better for me. I almost always use a fish finder rig, even for whiting. I just downsize the hook. Seems to work better for me.
The fish finder rigs are pretty new to me. How do you build yours? You need to use a circle hook right?
For the vast majority of my surf fishing exp, I’ve just always used the double dropper but I’m sure that’s probably not the best set up.
A fish finder rig is just a Carolina rig, but instead of a egg sinker you use a sinker slide w/ clip and clip on a pyramid weight. I do use circle hooks on the cut mullet/live bait rigs, but i have caught many large reds, black drum, trout etc on a fish finder rig that is rig for whiting. I just do the fish finder rig, but instead to a circle hook i use a #4 eagle claw ex-long shank J hook. Just tip it with a fresh piece of shrimp. And for what ever reason the red colored hooks work better that the stainless steel ones, go figure. I have caught lots of fish on a hand tied double and singe drop rig too, they work great. Just for me i like the fish finder, b/c i seem to be able to detect the bite easier. They are both good though, just be sure to tie your own whatever you use and use smaller hooks.