Assuming the wind dies by Sunday, I’m hoping to target triggers for the first time. Thinking of hitting the Garden / Y-73 area for them, and if nothing else finding some BSBs or AJ action. Plan to take frozen bait and jigs.
Question: From reading older posts (awesome information!) on here (sellsfish/northchucky/Got2Go/courtland/phin/others), someone posted that they were using basically a chicken rig with a 6-10 ounce sinker for triggers. Can I get away with that sort of lead on a relatively light action spinning reel (e.g. 7 foot inshore MH action paired to Penn 4500 Spinfisher V), or do I need to carry something with a bit more backbone?
That set-up will work for triggers, but could be a problem if you hook into something larger, especially fishing around a wreck. I like a medium to medium-heavy shimano trevalla spinning rod with 50lb braid on a 6000 size reel. Northchucky used a ML Trevalla spinning rod with 50lb braid on a 6000 size reel. Personally, I wouldn’t go below the ML action on the Trevalla. You could downsize to a 4000 size reel and 30lb braid if you wanted a lighter set-up, too. And, remember, small hooks with small pieces of bait, like Hershey kisses.
Small hooks, small bait, and remember not all fish are on the bottom
When anchored or on a super-slow drift, count your weight down to the bottom. For instance, if you drop down in 120’ and it takes 14 seconds to get down you know that you are roughly dropping at 8ft/second. “We” always experiment with our times based on the fishfinder’s markings and depths. So, often Mr. Keys will tell me I found them at 11 seconds while I’m trying 13 seconds. Keep in mind that we are keeping the variables equal by using the same rigs, weights, and line. Everything matters and effects line drag with the ocean’s current, etc. If you want to catch triggers, you need to learn how to catch them suspended. They may be 10’ or 60’ off the bottom. Once you figure out how deep you are relative to the fish, it is game on. Also, a good unit will actually show your rig dropping down to the fish. In that instance, just count as you watch your rig drop down and repeat.
I guess I hadn’t considered what I would do if I hooked into something larger =P I’ll go a little heavier. Also, thanks for quantifying the “small bait” size with the “hershey’s kiss” thought – good rule of thumb. Finally, really great idea about counting the time during the drop and fishing different timings!
Good stuff here. Be aware if they are fired up they can pick you clean on the drop. Be ready for the bite! If they aren’t fired up the bite can be subtle and tricky, but once they get going its on like donkey kong usually.
Also I had quite a light rod for several seasons. It helped when the bite was tough. Also was able to land several big grouper, snapper, and jacks with that setup but eventually it snapped on me fighting a jumbo aj last fall. Light stuff works you might just get punked like got2go said
I use a fairly light rod bottom fishing (7ft MH) but make sure it isn’t to rigid or it will blow up one you hook a monster. I try to use rods that bend parobolically so the force can disperse all the way through the rod and the tip is soft but has good backbone closer to the but for big fish and I use braid for more sensitivity and yards on the spool. The zero stretch braid and a soft tip compliment each other so you get the good feel of braid but there is give in the rod tip so you don’t pull as many hooks. Thank yall for the good info on triggers I always see fish higher in the water column but don’t ever catch triggers but would like to I will have to time/measure better. I also heard barnacles work for triggers and I have seen videos of them biting them off reefs and rocks.
I use a fairly light rod bottom fishing (7ft MH) but make sure it isn’t to rigid or it will blow up one you hook a monster. I try to use rods that bend parobolically so the force can disperse all the way through the rod and the tip is soft but has good backbone closer to the but for big fish and I use braid for more sensitivity and yards on the spool. The zero stretch braid and a soft tip compliment each other so you get the good feel of braid but there is give in the rod tip so you don’t pull as many hooks. Thank yall for the good info on triggers I always see fish higher in the water column but don’t ever catch triggers but would like to I will have to time/measure better. I also heard barnacles work for triggers and I have seen videos of them biting them off reefs and rocks.
Not sure if barnacles work, but I suggest and prefer…
a “legal” b-liner or porgy sacrificed from your limit cut into tiny chunks as my #1 bait of choice
Step 1: hook a bottom fish, anything will do, vermillions work well.
Step 2: reel bottom fish halfway up until you can just barely see it. if the triggers are there, they will follow the bottom fish up and try to eat it.
Step 3: Send squid down to them while they are occupied chasing the hooked fish around. You’ll now be able to see when they bite and see when they’ve taken your bait. Works well in calm weather when you can see far down.
Step 4: may need to restart at step 1 after 30 minutes or so if the triggers turn the vermillion into a skeleton, which I’ve seen happen
If you can get the triggers up high enough in the water column, almost any small weight on a spinning outfit will work.
