Whats your best trigger rig? We do ok on chikcen rig 80lb fluro with bank sinker(usually 8 oz)and two 2-0 red circles. I use 80lb fluro bc its the same rig we switch to bigger hooks for grouper, cobia etc…Im not killing it though and wonder if Im doing it right. Lots of nibble bites with small pieces of squid cranked three or four times off the bottom but not as many hookups as Id like. Do I need to go smaller? with the line or hooks?
We use a 50 lb mono chicken rig for triggers with a 2/0 or 3/0 heavy wire black circle hook, Owner or Gamakatsu. We used to use 2/0 heavy duty live bait hook until circle hooks became mandatory. Once you catch a few small “baitfish,” cut them up into small pieces and use instead of the squid. It stays on the hooks longer and the triggers seem to actually prefer it. Make sure the hooks are very sharp or you will miss many triggers. If you are missing strikes, replace the hooks, or check and resharpen.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
DAYUM. I don’t get to fish off our coast but, the only time I ever catch triggers is free-lining squid in small hooks while fishing for yellowtails in FL. That is quite a haul.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
The trick to catching triggers is to reel BEFORE you feel the bite. They are probably THE most notorious bait stealers. If you are on a spot and your hooks keep coming up bare and you didn’t even feel the nibble, then it’s a 95% chance it’s triggers getting you. The remedy is to just start reeling as soon as your bait touches the bottom. That will put more triggers in the boat. For the advanced who have a good sense of timing, don’t even let your bait hit the bottom. I’ve seen triggers take a bait with my own eyes while SCUBA diving. As your bait is descending, they will rocket up off the bottom and meet it 20’ off the bottom and be devouring it on the way down like piranhas. Usually, even waiting 1-2 seconds after hitting the bottom they have already cleaned you out.
Using braid for your main line will also improve your ability to detect “nibble” bites. More often than not, we use 16 oz. of lead to get down fast and not have the current carry everything past the boat.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
Thanks for all the advice, sounds like Ive been probably sleeping at the wheel. Too tasty of a fish to not get it figured out though!
Found that sometimes the best thing for triggers is your graph. Cant tell you how many times in 110 feet of water you will find them 20 - 30ft below the boat, not at the bottom. Thats why I like to sit where I can see the graph.