Live Bait Rigging

[fish-n-dude]

When using live baits do you use two hooks or one? Similar to adding a stinger hook for king fishing.

[swordfish123]

ive never fished live bait but im almost positive that everyone uses a single hook with a bridle rig

[Shark Tagger]

I use treble hook stinger on live bait. Not hooked in the fish, just hanging. It is about 8 inches from the bait. I haven't missed on live bait in a while, but i haven't had one hooked in the mouth either... We brign up alot of foul hooked fish. Somtimes I just fish a single j hook if there are alot of little guys around.

Good Luck.

[SFLMAN]

What size treble I would think there wasnt one strong enough for swords?

[Shark Tagger]

10/0 works fine and the biggest I could find. Almost like gaffs

[hannaman]

On live baits I do a simple rig that bypasses the bridling and works better. On my regular 11/0 hook I tie on a 4 or 5/0 hook. If you take this smaller hook and thread it with about 1 foot of floss you can tie it onto the 11/0 at the bottom end and secure it with a few knots. If you have a few of these ready made all you have to do take your live bait and hook him in the mouth with the small hook only. This rig is nice and fast and you don't have to handle the bait all that long. Tieing on the hook takes all of 15 seconds.
Captain Cary Hanna

[fish-n-dude]

Thanks for the feed back!
As with anything there are multiple options, and you guys have certainly given me some good ideas.

I'll be heading out this Fri. for our first trip.

[JahMussa]

Originally Posted by hannaman

On live baits I do a simple rig that bypasses the bridling and works better. On my regular 11/0 hook I tie on a 4 or 5/0 hook. If you take this smaller hook and thread it with about 1 foot of floss you can tie it onto the 11/0 at the bottom end and secure it with a few knots. If you have a few of these ready made all you have to do take your live bait and hook him in the mouth with the small hook only. This rig is nice and fast and you don't have to handle the bait all that long. Tieing on the hook takes all of 15 seconds.
Captain Cary Hanna

For live bait... we bridle the bait to a swiveled 11/0 or 12/0 Owner Super Mutu. It's fast and the swivel allows the bait to swim better without the load of the line weighing it down.

Guy at RingedHooks.com makes all my hooks and also makes the real version of what Cary is duplicating. It's called the “Clipperton Trap Rig™” .

Snip... The “Clipperton Trap Rig™”was designed to give your live bait the greatest health and mobility while carrying a Large Big Game Hook. It is made from a Mustad 12/0 7691 “Big Game Southern Tuna” hook and a Mustad 5/0 7691 “Big Game Southern Tuna” hook. They are connected with a #230 SPRO Stainless Steel “Power Swivel” and two brazed rings. The Small hook is inserted in the bait and the bigger hook “Trails” behind, which will give your bait better swimming action. If you have a need for any other hook sizes, just e-mail us. We do not charge any extra for customizing.

[swordfish123]

A similar rig is in the sport fishing magazine this month for hte guys who are catching the huge yellowfin, they do the same thing.

ps. -Tek the tiagras are sweeeeeeeeeeet! Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

I don't like live bait, but I still swordfish with it. My hook up ratio/boating a fish isn't as good as it is with dead bait. I know alot of guys that use stingers and b!tch & complain when they pull the hook on a fish 1 or more hours into the fight.

When I fished with Cary, I liked the way he rigged his live bait, it is definately easier then bridling a bait. I have used his way a couple of times on live bait since I fished with him, but the fish we caught on those trips ate the squid.

[quack quack]

I know this is an old post but just saw it. I rig like cary except I use 2 crimps on mono to attach small hook. I like that type of rig stiff. I have used this rig for almost 20yrs with great hook up ratios on every thing including Marlin,tuna,sharks and swords. It's the best rig for live bait boneheads or small tuna for Blues.

[FishbyNite]

Tek,

So how are you guys bridling them? In the eyes or the back, the 11/0 just floats above the 5/0?

[JahMussa]

With the Swiveled hook... we usually go through the eye socket but will bridle them in front of the dorsal too.

With the clipperton rig... the little hook is usually used to hook the bait while keeping the larger hook exposed.

-Tek

[FishbyNite]

Got'cha, thanks!