we have always just used small “J” hooks on a 2 hook chicken rig. not sure how this works with circle hooks. how is everyone rigging for triggers?
Tie my own single chicken rigs. Only use heavey gauge circle hooks. Last time out tried a smaller hook and ended up straighting out one and breaking another.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
JB3,
You need to PM Sellsfish on this one - he is the master with TriggerFish!
36 Contender Fisharound
Are We There Yet?
http://fishingdestinguide.com/TRIGGERFISH.html I found depending on the water depth your in you might want to stay 20 feet of more off the bottom to stay away from the BSB. A few weeks back we fished in 110 ft of water and the triggers were only 20 ft below the boat. Keep an eye on you sonor.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
OOPS, we were doing OK on some triggers 6-8 ft off the bottom and wondered why a few seemed to follow hooked fish to the surface. maybe they were just under the surface all along. I was just not happy with our hook up ratio. we were using small circles and mostly just fed the fish and occasionally hooked one. would like to know a better way.
They are bait steelers. When they were right below the boat we could watch them come up to the bait turn sideways and basically snip at the bait. That?s also why I use a single hook rig. That way I get a better feel for the fish, instead of two fish hitting two pieces of bait. I seem to have a better hook up ratio compared to the other guys in the boat who use two hook rigs. I also just give it a steady slow pull or steady reel with the circle hook instead of a hook set like with a J hook. Might want to try a Octopus Circle Hook. They will have less of a circle and more of an opening.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
i find khale hooks them the best. but the wire is so weak you have to baby them to the surface.
also live bait non offset hooks do great. the smaller the better. the ones that can be covered by a nickel.
BEFORE you buy the hooks, take a piece of 60-80lb test , double it over, and try and fit it through the hook eye!
a lot of the smaller size, thicker gauge hooks it is dang near impossible to get on a loop.
mhebbard, that’s the very problem that helped start this discussion. I may be using hooks that are too big for the Triggers. Trying to figure out how others do it. we catch a few but nothing like the numbers I hear being caught. Tomorrow I’ll try to see exactly what size hook. I know the line is 80lb.
thanks
harder to find these lately but they worked great on a bit longer of a loop 5-6" than i would fish livebait hooks 2-3". I think they take 60lb lines through the eyes. good cutbait redfish hook too. never gut hooked a red or bent or broke one.
MUSTAD DEMON PERFECT CIRCLE RING EYE HOOKS #39950NP-BN (old ref. 39950BLN) - 3X STRONG 1/0 or 2/0 SIZE, 10 PACK, BLACK NICKEL
Tie a chicken rig (2 dropper loops) with 25-30lb mono and 1/0 heavy bait hooks. Make a handfull of them and when they start to wear thing switch out. Keep your bait 20ft off the bottom. For an interesting experiment, have someone fish a 30-lb chicken rig next to a 50-80lb chicken rig and note the difference in quality/size of the fish being brought back to the boat. Play em easy and they won’t break off.
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
- More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927
31’ Contender
“Touche”
250 HPDIs
1/0 209411 Gamakatsu 4X Circles or Owner Mutu 1/0
The mustad 3X are also okay, but the eyes tend to be bigger for getting doubled 60lb thru on the gamakatsu and owners.
50 or 60lb pink ande mono is my preference, and also clear of course
double, triple or quad droppers
If big bait fishing, I agree with what was said above about going with only one bait/hook. However, with triggers, they are frenzy feeders and you can load up quick if you present for it. Use small pieces of tough bait so the fish has to touch the barb if it want’s to rip you off. You will get a fish on every hook this way.
slow, steady reeling retrieve
If you are using braid mainline, the fish is hooked as soon as you’ve felt it bite by pulling against either your sinker, retrieve, and/or other fish that are hooked. These hooks are laser sharp and very hard. You do not have to set these like old school hooks fished of rubber band mono mainline. When you jerk the rod, it dislodges these small hooks quite easily. Also, horsing a triggerfish with these small hooks will also dehook the smaller ones pretty easily because they don’t have the hooks that far into their mouths and they’re not as tough.
slow, steady retrieve
http://www.sustainablefishing.org/
www.joinrfa.com
Luke 8:22-25
Well I appreciate the information and will try it out soon.
quote:
Originally posted by Phin1/0 209411 Gamakatsu 4X Circles or Owner Mutu 1/0
The mustad 3X are also okay, but the eyes tend to be bigger for getting doubled 60lb thru on the gamakatsu and owners.
50 or 60lb pink ande mono is my preference, and also clear of course
double, triple or quad droppers
If big bait fishing, I agree with what was said above about going with only one bait/hook. However, with triggers, they are frenzy feeders and you can load up quick if you present for it. Use small pieces of tough bait so the fish has to touch the barb if it want’s to rip you off. You will get a fish on every hook this way.
slow, steady reeling retrieve
If you are using braid mainline, the fish is hooked as soon as you’ve felt it bite by pulling against either your sinker, retrieve, and/or other fish that are hooked. These hooks are laser sharp and very hard. You do not have to set these like old school hooks fished of rubber band mono mainline. When you jerk the rod, it dislodges these small hooks quite easily. Also, horsing a triggerfish with these small hooks will also dehook the smaller ones pretty easily because they don’t have the hooks that far into their mouths and they’re not as tough.
slow, steady retrieve
http://www.sustainablefishing.org/
www.joinrfa.com
Luke 8:22-25
Man, now that’s some Trigger 101 right there. Class dismissed!
Advaned Trigger Applications, by Sellsfish
http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20091103/ARCHIVES/311039921
“Temptation may lean on the doorbell… opportunity may only knock once”
What about hogfish techniques? Anyone, 
?
Spear gun
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
quote:
Originally posted by Got2GoWhat about hogfish techniques? Anyone,
I have the same question…looks like Larry and Wes have ben doing alot of Hogging the fish:stuck_out_tongue:.
I think it is different off SC coast than it is in Florida…just my guess tho.
With rod and reel anyway.
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
They can be taken on rod and reel it just takes lots of practice to figure it out
.
PROUD YANKEE
Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
