Bait Rigs. Bait rigs have become a standard issue, all around fish catcher during the past couple of decades. In fact, these multi-hook bait rigs along with the standard high-low leader are probably the most commonly used riggings at piers.
Common, at least back to the ’40s, were the “Paulis Jigs” which were replaced by the almost identical “Lucky Joe” leaders used in the fifties and sixties (and still available today). These rigs typically had four small hooks covered with yarn. Next came the "Lucky Lura” leader which also usually has four hooks but contains shiny beads and wax paper. Newest are the Hayabusa Sabiki (or”) Bait Rigs. These come in two types, fish skin and squid style and typically have 5-6 hooks. I've found the rigs with the fish skins to be particularly deadly. (The Pucci Jigging Rig and Jorgensen's Tom’s Jig are the same as a Lucky Joe leader; the Pucci Johnny Jig is the same as a Lucky Lura rigging).
Each of these rigs is primarily intended as bait catchers although catching bait for piers is not necessarily the same as catching bait for a Sportfishing boat. All of these rigs can be deadly on small fish when used with small size 12-8 hooks — with or without bait. Such outfits are commonly used in southern California to catch sardines, herring (queenfish), tomcod (small white croaker), shinerperch, jacksmelt and topsmelt. In central California the rigging is commonly used to catch anchovies, sardines, walleye surfperch, shinerperch, jacksmelt and Spanish mackerel (jack mackerel). Years ago, when the schools were a yearly visitor to the piers, the riggings were used to catch baby bocaccio (generally called tomcod, red snapper or rockcod). In northern California they are used on schools of (true) herring, sardines, walleye surfperch, smelt and anchovies.
To use them, simply attach them to the end of your line and then add a small torpedo sinker to the end of the rig. Sometimes for the sardines, smelt, or perch, you need a swift upward motion with your rod, but usually a simple yo-yo, up-and-down motion is all that is required. For queenfish in the south the yo-yo technique is almost always best. Use a fairly slow motion and when you find the water level that the school is in, they will usually find and strike the hook. It is up to you to find the fish: walleye surfperch are usually mid-depth; silver surfperch are a little higher; sardines are found from near the bottom to the top; smelt are usually near the top; white croakers are near the bottom; queenfish usually hang a few feet off the bottom to a mid-depth area; Spanish mackerel are usually mid-depth to the top; anchovies are usually a few feet under the top of the water. Experiment until you find the school.
I mentioned that different fishing situations sometimes require different bait. On long range boats, sometimes on local party boats, and even on some rock cod boats anglers occasionally will “make bait.” Usually this means using these bait rigs to catch Pacific mackerel or sardines. Bigger hooks are used since bigger fish are being sought for bait. However, it shows that larger fish can be caught with these rigs. In fact, these rigs are commonly used to catch mackerel in southland waters. Usually larger number 4 or 2 size hooks are used with a chrome torpedo sinker (often with a treble hook) or a small diamond jig attached to the end.
When the macs are in one of their patented "mac attacks" the rig is simply cast out and retrieved without bait. In such situations it is fairly common to have multi-fish hook-ups, four to five mackerel at a time. Of course most leaders don't last too long in such situations. At times the mackerel are a little more choosy. That is when you attach a small piece of mackerel to each hook before you cast out and retrieve. A third approach is to attach a large bobber, cork or Styrofoam float a few feet above the leader. When used this way bait is put on the hooks and the float keeps the leader (and bait) near the top of the water. Do adjust the level of the float until the feeding level is found. This rigging is best used with the larger rods which not only provide proper backbone for setting the hook but often are required to pull in several fish at one time. Using this outfit with too light a rod will almost guarantee tangles on a crowded pier. When bonito were still common — back in the sixties — using a Lucky Joe leader (on a boat) would sometimes result in 4-5 bonito at a time, an almost unheard of event today.
A few additional notes: (1) The Sabiki bait rigs use a different hook classification system so translate these numbers into the appropriate sizes; (2) Several of these bait rigs use small but very sharp hooks that rust quickly so you may want to rinse them off with fresh water before putting them back into the tackle box; (3) Rules stipulate that in San Francisco and San Pablo Bay only one line with no more than three hooks can be used by an angler. To follow the rule you need to cut off the excess hooks from these rigs before using them in those areas; (4) These rigs are just about the best money makers and profit leaders for tackle stores. Don't be afraid to try the generic brands as long as you're catching fish.
Common, at least back to the ’40s, were the “Paulis Jigs” which were replaced by the almost identical “Lucky Joe” leaders used in the fifties and sixties (and still available today). These rigs typically had four small hooks covered with yarn. Next came the "Lucky Lura” leader which also usually has four hooks but contains shiny beads and wax paper. Newest are the Hayabusa Sabiki (or”) Bait Rigs. These come in two types, fish skin and squid style and typically have 5-6 hooks. I've found the rigs with the fish skins to be particularly deadly. (The Pucci Jigging Rig and Jorgensen's Tom’s Jig are the same as a Lucky Joe leader; the Pucci Johnny Jig is the same as a Lucky Lura rigging).
Each of these rigs is primarily intended as bait catchers although catching bait for piers is not necessarily the same as catching bait for a Sportfishing boat. All of these rigs can be deadly on small fish when used with small size 12-8 hooks — with or without bait. Such outfits are commonly used in southern California to catch sardines, herring (queenfish), tomcod (small white croaker), shinerperch, jacksmelt and topsmelt. In central California the rigging is commonly used to catch anchovies, sardines, walleye surfperch, shinerperch, jacksmelt and Spanish mackerel (jack mackerel). Years ago, when the schools were a yearly visitor to the piers, the riggings were used to catch baby bocaccio (generally called tomcod, red snapper or rockcod). In northern California they are used on schools of (true) herring, sardines, walleye surfperch, smelt and anchovies.
To use them, simply attach them to the end of your line and then add a small torpedo sinker to the end of the rig. Sometimes for the sardines, smelt, or perch, you need a swift upward motion with your rod, but usually a simple yo-yo, up-and-down motion is all that is required. For queenfish in the south the yo-yo technique is almost always best. Use a fairly slow motion and when you find the water level that the school is in, they will usually find and strike the hook. It is up to you to find the fish: walleye surfperch are usually mid-depth; silver surfperch are a little higher; sardines are found from near the bottom to the top; smelt are usually near the top; white croakers are near the bottom; queenfish usually hang a few feet off the bottom to a mid-depth area; Spanish mackerel are usually mid-depth to the top; anchovies are usually a few feet under the top of the water. Experiment until you find the school.
I mentioned that different fishing situations sometimes require different bait. On long range boats, sometimes on local party boats, and even on some rock cod boats anglers occasionally will “make bait.” Usually this means using these bait rigs to catch Pacific mackerel or sardines. Bigger hooks are used since bigger fish are being sought for bait. However, it shows that larger fish can be caught with these rigs. In fact, these rigs are commonly used to catch mackerel in southland waters. Usually larger number 4 or 2 size hooks are used with a chrome torpedo sinker (often with a treble hook) or a small diamond jig attached to the end.
When the macs are in one of their patented "mac attacks" the rig is simply cast out and retrieved without bait. In such situations it is fairly common to have multi-fish hook-ups, four to five mackerel at a time. Of course most leaders don't last too long in such situations. At times the mackerel are a little more choosy. That is when you attach a small piece of mackerel to each hook before you cast out and retrieve. A third approach is to attach a large bobber, cork or Styrofoam float a few feet above the leader. When used this way bait is put on the hooks and the float keeps the leader (and bait) near the top of the water. Do adjust the level of the float until the feeding level is found. This rigging is best used with the larger rods which not only provide proper backbone for setting the hook but often are required to pull in several fish at one time. Using this outfit with too light a rod will almost guarantee tangles on a crowded pier. When bonito were still common — back in the sixties — using a Lucky Joe leader (on a boat) would sometimes result in 4-5 bonito at a time, an almost unheard of event today.
A few additional notes: (1) The Sabiki bait rigs use a different hook classification system so translate these numbers into the appropriate sizes; (2) Several of these bait rigs use small but very sharp hooks that rust quickly so you may want to rinse them off with fresh water before putting them back into the tackle box; (3) Rules stipulate that in San Francisco and San Pablo Bay only one line with no more than three hooks can be used by an angler. To follow the rule you need to cut off the excess hooks from these rigs before using them in those areas; (4) These rigs are just about the best money makers and profit leaders for tackle stores. Don't be afraid to try the generic brands as long as you're catching fish.
