# Dead and Live Bait Trolling Rigs



## Murdoch

Hi guys and girls,

Was wanting to start an educational thread on rigging up live and dead baits for trolling from the yaks.
The Palmy Army guys seem to have it down pat, as do the Sydney Stealth crew, and old mate in WA who paddles 3 strokes and hooks into the monsters must have sorted it out. Can't say I've ever seen a yakka here in Mackay, but assume the rigs will work just as well on mullet, or pilchard.

Haven't done it myself yet, so I won't be educating anyone, but was hoping some of the crew are willing to put up some pics of how they do their rigs for us noobs.

Cheers
Murdoch


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## kayakone

Try this....direct from a master

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43581&p=454396&hilit=mackerel+rigs#p454396

Trevor


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## Barrabundy

I've often considered rigging up a big mullet for an even bigger barra. Apparently a barra will take a bait about 50% of its own length.

I'll be checking out the above link and watching this space also.


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## Slide

Great topic, I would love to see how the Army is making those front weighted hooks. Do you buy a mold or make one?

I have resorted to buying tt trolling rigs, since taking the photo below, I have actually cut the gangs off the front hook and attached a stinger off the thing at the back of the weight. Also now using a smaller skirt.

Murdoch, I have seen some of these at Tackleworld recently but all were yellow, I prefer pink or red. Not even sure if TT still make them, can't find them on their website. Wouldn't mind being able to buy the front weighted hook in a pack of six.


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## kayakone

See Indiedog's photo

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=51541&start=240

Trevor


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## BIGKEV

I have some of these ready to try also http://www.bcf.com.au/online-store/...hin-Guard-3-x-9-0.aspx?pid=129745#Description
and I also have one of these:








Both are about $10-$15 each and both work on the same princinple. You pin the head of the bait up through under their jaw and secure with rubber bands or dental floss etc and then pin the gang hooks in the belly, swim to make sure it's straight and then troll them. On the big one from citer with the 3 x 9/0's I have nipped off the last two gang hooks and replaced them with a treble stinger attached with wire.

Still yet to catch something on them yet but haven't really given them that much of a run so far with actual fishing trips few and far between and on the rare occasion when I have managed to get out it has been realy quiet.

Kev


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## bundyboy

I tried one of the TT weighted trolling rigs offshore with a frozen pilly but didn't think it was much chop, not heavy enough to troll at a nice speed, fiddly to set up and still twisted a bit while trolling. I have since bought one of those citer chinguards and put wire trace on the front tow point and a shorter wire trace with a treble stinger on the back hook. Haven't used it yet but I recon it will be an improvement on the tt trolling rig I tried last time. Haven't even be able to catch any bait to put on there yet and I don't often buy bait. Not sure about offshore trolling with livies...have only ever used smaller livies (herring, mullet etc) in the estuaries on a much lighter setup.


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## DougOut

picked up this large spinner bait from Noosa a few years back ( Bill Watson used them with great success ) they are best rigged with the bigger dead baits, sea-gar, herring etc. has a good size lead within the skirt. 
Before swimming it again, I"ll replace the ganged hooks with a wired stinger. 
Tried an experiment with a hard body a fews days back ( only took an average school mac on it though ) but quite happy with the way it swam and the depth it ran at ( the idea was to get down to about 5 mt. ). 
Next time I'll play around with different h-b's by adding a snap to the wire end rather then tying it direct to the split-ring.


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## BIGKEV

Lazybugger said:


> Do you guys attach these with wire or is straight onto mono/fluro OK?


Personal choice Scott. Some use wire, some don't. Many believe that if using anything with gangs then wire is not really necessary.

I use wire, but simply because at around the same cost as a lure it is a basic insurance policy, if others around me are catching fish and I'm not then I can easily re-rig with a couple of quick snips and a few knots.

Kev


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## Slide

My tt trolling rigs now look like this, yet to be tested. The chin guards look like they would suit a bigger bait, like a ribbon-fish, more than a pilchard.


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## Murdoch

Some good looking setups and useful links there fellas, cheers.
Haven't ever used wire before, so the first links tutorial gets a big thumbs up as it looks pretty easy.

Keep em coming...


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## ant

That's a good rig Slide,


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## Guest

Like your work there ant


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## Slide

Thanks Ant, that's exactly what I wanted to see.


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## bundyboy

Any updates on this topic since it last featured? I know I haven't had a chance to try my lastest rig since I last posted in Feb but hoping this weekend might be a possibility.


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## spooled1

If you haven't got the $$$ for a 1/2 teardrop mold, carve a teardrop shape into a block of Hebel and pour the lead in. Does the job.


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## jayman

I use a couple of the biggest split sinkers I could find for my front hook and it's worked for me. Just another idea if u don't have a mould. 
Cheers jay


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