Greetings. I’m basically new to fishing. All my experience so far has been bottom fishing on party boats off northeast Florida. In between trips, I try to research new tactics to try out on future trips. Next trip, I want to target larger sea bass. I can catch non-keepers all day but would really like to pull in a few big ones. I have been using the old reliable hi-lo/chicken rig with 2/0 circle hooks. No problem catching nice b-liners, triggers, and even AJs trying to eat my b-liners. However, based on information I’ve read, diamond jigs might help deter the smaller sea bass. That said, here’s the rig I’ll be trying. It features an 8oz diamond jig with 6/0 J-hook, plus single dropper with 2/0 circle hook. Jig will be tipped with squid or other cut bait and jigged on reefs and wrecks in 80 to 100 feet of water. Total rig length is about 4 feet. Made with 100# mono.
Please take a look and give me your experiences with similar rigs. Interested in reading constructive suggestions and recommendations.
It’s all about the bait and little to do with the rig.
A single circle hook rig with a 4"+ chunk of blue fish will produce legal sized BSB.
As stated above. Keep it off the bottom.
3-6 ounce bucktail with a 6"-9" action tail plastic trailer will keep the little ones off as well. Also, this works great to pick up some cobia if they are around.
Yep, it could just as easily be a 30 lb. grouper that runs under a rock and has to be horsed out. And blackfish aren’t leader shy so might as well go big.
When targeting BSB I’ll usually use a 3 or 4 hook chicken rig with 60 lb leader. Try to catch them 3 at a time
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
3-6 ounce bucktail with a 6"-9" action tail plastic trailer will keep the little ones off as well. Also, this works great to pick up some cobia if they are around.
