I’ve fished on boats where we rigged ballyhoo with wire, springs and rubber bands. (assume you’re fun fishing, not a tourney or anything like that)
Interested to hear the debate from all sides on which you prefer and why.
Does the target species influence how you rig your hoos?
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
I am a spring guy, been using them for 15 years if trolling with skirts. Easy to rig and almost foolproof. We are stictly fun fishermen, and usually have most of our crew being inexperienced or new. The guys that really enjoy it are the ones who dont just get handed a rod but that participate in the whole experience and even a newbie can rig a ballyhoo to swim with a spring and a little instruction. I didnt notice any dropoff when i switched from copper wire in terms of strikes or hookups. If we are out beyond the ledge i will add a naked ballyhoo or two rigged with floss and circle hooks.
Hydra-Sport 3300VX
18 Key West
Small Scunci black hair band AND spring. Better holding power and less labor than copper wire.
Duct tape a 9/0 circle hook on a live kitten… Hard to beat the action!!!
Not that’s funny. I don’t care who you are.
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As long as the baits are swimming good not sure its a debate because its just preference.
I use wire because I can do it almost as fast as spring or a rubber band and i’m an old fashion type. Been doing it that way for 25 years and like the look of it. But the springs work fine with skirts. Although sometimes the spring size needs to vary if you are using large ballyhoo and that can get annoying.
For naked baits wire or a rubber band is the way to go. That spring has too much mental showing if its not covered up by a skirt.
Speaking of naked baits, I’ve been using less and less skirts every year. If I only have one naked in the spread it seems to get hit first more often than not.
Naked dink ballyhoo on circles for sailfish.
quote:
Originally posted by shevyAs long as the baits are swimming good not sure its a debate because its just preference.
I use wire because I can do it almost as fast as spring or a rubber band and i’m an old fashion type. Been doing it that way for 25 years and like the look of it. But the springs work fine with skirts. Although sometimes the spring size needs to vary if you are using large ballyhoo and that can get annoying.
For naked baits wire or a rubber band is the way to go. That spring has too much mental showing if its not covered up by a skirt.
Speaking of naked baits, I’ve been using less and less skirts every year. If I only have one naked in the spread it seems to get hit first more often than not.
Naked dink ballyhoo on circles for sailfish.
Do you run your nakeds in a particular spot in the spread?
Do you change up that strategy on your spread if you’re targeting dolphin, BFT, wahoo?
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
quote:
Speaking of naked baits, I've been using less and less skirts every year. If I only have one naked in the spread it seems to get hit first more often than not.
I’ve found over the years that it’s the odd bait that usually gets hit first and more often, no matter what it is. If you pull 4 skirted baits and one naked, the naked will almost always get the first hit. But if you pull 4 naked baits and one skirted, the skirted will probably get the first hit.
Same with colors. Pull 4 pinks and a green, the green will get hit more often. Pull 4 greens and 1 pink and the pink will usually get the hit.
Just my observations, might not mean anything.
Oh yeah, I prefer copper wire too. Then rubber bands. No springs for me.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I use wire and springs. Fish don’t seem to prefer one over the other.
quote:
Originally posted by skinneejDuct tape a 9/0 circle hook on a live kitten… Hard to beat the action!!!
You just gave away the secret goliath bait!!!
If I get murdered in the city, don’t go revenging in my name…
That little puss is about to get waxed [:0]