Small tuna rig option

[Bullshipper]

Keeping small bullets alive longer on the hook when trolling is possible if you use a smaller thin hook up through their nose, instead of bridling with cord through the eyes.

Regular 1/16" dia galvnaized fencing wire from home depot area was used here and this rig was fished for 5 days. The wire is stiff enough to stay put on the shank and keeps the circle hook in an upwards position. This is a 10/0 wide gap circle hook with 3/0 live bait hook bent near the eye to create more bend to keep the tunny on better.

But, hold the forward part of their head firmly when you push the small hook up through its nose as this upward force can break their neck without support.

I theorize that the small gauge hook pulls free from the nose easier than a bridle through the eyes, and not pulling the fish along with the hook frees the hook to catch tuna better. Josh points out that this can be a disadvantage with marlin as they will sometimes come off when they beat it prior to eating it. So trolling on freespool with just the clicker might decrease this mishap.

We had 3 hooked tuna on 2 bullets and one larger skippy on our last trip in PV and the hooks were set after a short 3-4 second run on the clicker. The Yellow Fin Tuna's ranged from 160-200 lbs.

[ZZZZZ]

AKA Clipperton trap rig.

[sdangler]

Originally Posted by ZZZZZ

AKA Clipperton trap rig.

Brad,

I think there might be a problem with the swivel. The Bullet Tuna aren't very hardy and you need to know when they start spinning so that you can pin on a new bait.

JMHO, I could be wrong.

Mark

[ZZZZZ]

Originally Posted by Bullshipper

The wire is stiff enough to stay put on the shank and keeps the circle hook in an upwards position.

I did not catch that but now that you mention it Mark.

I see. The wire is sturdy. I wonder if it would hold if a Cow got pinned on the small hook?

But if the bait dies slow trolling and it starts spinning that is allot of line twist without swivel. How does the wire let you know the bait is dead?

Or isn't there a swivel anyways on the leader? So maybe the wire is just for what I quoted above. I dunno so many variables.

I think some were having problems with the free swinging big hook coming back around and pinning the bait. That could solve it.

[sdangler]

Originally Posted by ZZZZZ

I did not catch that but now that you mention it Mark.

I see. The wire is sturdy. I wonder if it would hold if a Cow got pinned on the small hook?

But if the bait dies slow trolling and it starts spinning that is allot of line twist without swivel. How does the wire let you know the bait is dead?

Or isn't there a swivel anyways on the leader? So maybe the wire is just for what I quoted above. I dunno so many variables.

I think some were having problems with the free swinging big hook coming back around and pinning the bait. That could solve it.

You are correct on the line twist... Somone needs to be watching the trolled baits constantly or it's a huge problem. With no swivel, the bait will oscillate and you can actually see it rolling.

Good point about the big hook. I've seen a spectra tied Clipperton rig, but have never seen one in use.

Mark

[Bullshipper]

If the bait comes up the throat, its nice to have the hook come loose or stay exposed above the baits head to catch on something. Thats why I like this wire, as the dacron lets the hook twist unless you pierce the large hook through head skin, again, hurting the small fish.

When the trolled bait dies he pops up, and he quickly looses the high reflectancy on his belly as it dulls to dark grey very quickly. IMO, its this belly reflectance that makes the skippy such a great bait as large eyed preditors see them better from a much greater distance.

[zigzag]

Lets try the wire gig man im up for what works best and the same thing every day does not work best. each day is a day of the hunt.You know as I do that you gotta work it every day,how ever and what ever.All things being equal Danny and Manny moll JT kurt clark chelita and others catchem on a hand line with a J hook.Its not about technique its all about time and experience.We all Know who they are,im just trying to learn from the best and all those guys and others are aproven fact THEY ARE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.FISHEN FISHEN

[IglooMan]

Jeff have you had the problem of the smaller J hook getting stuck in the stomach or throat? Doesnt look like there is much room between the J and circle for that to happen, but it could. I guess this would only make a difference on a billfish that you really wanted to release, or if you were C/R all tuna.
We usually use about the same thing, only we attach a small (1/0 or smaller) J hook to the shank of the circle hook with 20 lb + or - mono. The small hook then goes into the top of the eye socket of the bonita. Youd think this would mess up the eye, but its pretty easy to get the hook up under the "eyebrow". This small hook keeps the bait alive, and if the small hook gets stuck in the stomach or other unwanted place on the marlin/tuna the mono will break allowing the circle hook to find a corner of the mouth. It also keeps the circle hook riding right above/in front of the nose, and upright. I believe that it would give the bait a bit more freedom than what youre using, keeping the bait from having to swing the J, wire and big hook around on its head. We use this on bonita/tuna, big cocinero, big mackerel and ladyfish for roosters.
You can also substitute the mono and small J hook for some small wire. Just attach one end of the wire to the circle, then poke the other side through the eyes like a bridle and bend the tag end either around the wire itself or the shank of the big hook.
But thats just what works for us...

[Bullshipper]

No problems in 4 years, but I have only been using the stiffer wire a short time too.

I used to use the mono, but it flops around and lets the big hook go off angle. All tuna and bills hooked in the corner of the mouth that I can remember. It helps to let the billfish take it for a longer period unless you can see that he has already turned sideways to the direction of the boat so that the line will pull through the corner of his mouth.

This setup has helped me on dorados too as they seem to take a much longer time to swallow a skippy, especially a large one. I just hate letting the fish run a long time with a bait as a lot of times they will spit it.

I will try the eye socket idea.

[Ali]

The gap in the small hook is too small to catch anything on the bigger tunas.

It's never happened to us....

[IglooMan]

We used to use heavier mono and would have that problem once in awhile. Im not sure if it was just a coincidence, or if the little hook actually dig in and caused the circle to grab unwanted meat, but using the lighter line it doesnt seem to happen any more.

[ZZZZZ]

Yah the gap between the 2 hooks is very small. Very low percentage hanging a fish on the smal hook.

Refining rigs is cool.

The rig I posted the gap between the 2 hooks is large enough to hang a fish on the small hook. But the hardware would hold