# Circle hooks and the bait needle bridle



## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Its offical, I'm fully converted to the joys of the 6/0 circle hook on a rubber band bridle rig.

The rubber band is inserted just in front of the eye socket with a bait needle and tightened off around the hook.

Does anyone else use a similar livebait rig?

With a moderate drag setting, circle hooks regularly set themselves better on the strike. The bridle rig alows the fish to swim properly in a slow troll without suffering hook damage through the nostril.


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## fishinswing (May 15, 2006)

G'day Dan,

I have read many stories about using rubber bands for live bait work and it must be effective. It must keep your live bait in better condition to fish them for longer periods so they don't die to quick when given a piercing through the nose with a big hook. Circle hooks defintely hook themselves. I found that out when we hit the water that time. I didn't do a thing as far as setting the hook, the fish did the deed itself.
That time, I only had the livie pinned through the very front nose section to avoid all impotant organs. I must try the rubber band next time I am out in the big blue.


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## Fishpod (Oct 11, 2006)

Any pics Spooled 1 ???


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Here are pics:

I made my bait needle from a twisted 55lb single strand wire with a tight hook bend on one end. You can also buy them from tackle shops.

The demo baitfish in the pics is a Storm Kickin' minnnow


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## beefs (Jan 30, 2006)

Hey Spooled, i've been toying with the same idea for a while but couldn't find a bait rigging needle, the wire trace will do the trick. Thanks for posting up the pics, are handy.

When you're trolling the bait rigged like this do you have a large sinker attached anywhere in the rig to get the bait down deep?


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## Fishpod (Oct 11, 2006)

Great pics - thanks for that Dan  

From the description and the pictures, it looks like the needle and then the rubber band go through the eye socket itself, ie right at the edge of it. Correct?? Or, is it through the flesh just in front of the socket??

I've seen a cable tie rig before going through the eye socket itself ( on Dave Butfields Jewfish Secrets DVD) but that was on a dead slimey.

I would be thinking that going through the socket itself would be very secure but would give the livie vision problems at best ( not such a problem really) or a very big headache or even death??

Also any weight on the leader???

Thanks again for the pics and reply


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## beefs (Jan 30, 2006)

Pretty sure the idea fishpod is to go between the "gap" between the nose flesh and the eye membrane. Although I dare say it's a tad uncomfortable it doesn't (if done properly) do any damage to the fish.


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Yep! I pin it through the socket and if done properly they'll swim for hours, maybe even days.

About 2 metres up the leader I attach a 3oz teardrop/bomb sinker with a moulded in swivel. The sinker is attached to the leader with an elastic band.

I drop the whole rig to the bottom of the ocean and wind the rig up 5-8 turns of the bottom.

If I get onto a fish, I just rip off the sinker just before it hits the rod tip at the end of the fight.


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## OutbackDee (Oct 6, 2006)

Hey Spooled

Do you have any objections to me adding this to the Wiki page? This type of in depth info would be excellent to have permanently available.


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Go for it! ':wink:'


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## garrick (Sep 2, 2006)

Hay Leigh with you showing me the butterfly pike this weekend and this new info for livebait rigging, I am getting all excited again. When are we all going down again.LOL Who knows we might get those kingies and hammerheads


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWeTGi8UAABrfgAASUCGAChgGmIou77+gIACIIp6hpkyA0aPU9R6hoAip+CGRNTQGgZpDT1BAHqmCpZLQoymPW+3y4iChYHMIaOajrGngx6HBTEIuMp+BTIewgZ65DzRbXmN/zBOPxzRdqYQpV1QqsTdANhMnV9NI4jtANYo7KkaVA0IHmoY4KVwO3C21N7iUhOsZUmqGDUqbAtwvCG6Acg/i7kinChIcmNF4oA==


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Great rig Dan!
It obviously is working mate with some of the stuff you've been catching lately!
What's the weather like Wednesday? 
I'd love to meet Mr Kingy!!


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