But how do use that Sabiki bait rig?
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Kyle
Subject: Bait Rig Problem
I have been having trouble catching my own bait recently. Doh!! I've been using my homemade Sabiki style rig. (It consists of 7-8 hooks on dropper loops). Any ways, I am using size 8 hooks on it. Are those too big for catching the sardines, smelt, etc.? I tried using little pieces of squid, but to no avail. What size hooks do you pier rat's use? And do you bait em'? What are the best techniques, cause I tried jigging them, only to find hooks missing. Lol. Thanks-Kyle
Posted by scottlopez
Been there done that. Now I just spend the 1.49 at Kmart and buy a new one when I need it. The type you buy at Kmart are pretty good. I always stick to the smaller sized hook with the shrimp tail on them. They always seem to work pretty good and after 2 or 3 uses I just throw it away and buy a new one. It seems as though you have to do this as the hooks they use are not the greatest but they do work. Also after several uses the line starts to loose its strength and starts to work not as well. As for what bait to use. Some times I find it good not to use any bait at all. The type of rig to use is the one with the 4-6 hooks, i just use a 1/2 ounce weight and let my line fall to the bottom then move my pole up and down slowly for a while. I don’t know about now, however during the summer you can catch a lot of baitfish even some mackerel.
Posted by TCY
I agree with scottlopez. Just buy a rig. I've done everything from small gold hooks with small shreds of shrimp or squid to artificial: ranging from bits of tin foil to custom "flies." Way too much hassle for way too little return. Attaching natural bait to lots of small hooks is slow and tedious. When a school of baitfish come through, you'll want to be in the water as much as possible, so this option is definitely out.
As I had mentioned in previous posts, I have personally noticed a difference between the cheaper Sabiki rigs and the slightly more expensive ones. The cheap ones in the SF Bay Area-area use white plastic as the "fly." The more expensive ones use fish skin. Seems the fish skin is a bit more fluid and seems to attract the baitfish better. scottlopez mentioned one thing which I agree with now. In the previous discussion thread about Sabiki rigs, I argued for re-using the rigs instead discarding them after one or two uses. scottlopez talked about the fact that the hooks on these commercially available rigs are not the greatest. I have found that they do in fact dull very rapidly and unless one wants to spend the rest of one's life patiently sharpening lots of very small hooks, it may not be worthwhile to re-use a rig that many times. For example, one rig that is now on its tenth tour of duty seems to lose half the baitfish on the ride up from the water to the pier. The fish just fall off probably because the hooks really didn't set because of dullness. TCY, Conqueror of bait, Lord of anchovies, Master of very small fish
Posted by Ken Jones
Vary the depth you are trying since the schools move around and up and down depending on a number of factors. Sometimes you'll get them right at the top but often times you have to find them. Start at the top and if you don't have success keep moving your bait rigs down a little until you find the bait. Then again, they may simply be absent!
Posted by realdrums
The store-bought rigs work best for me. To save it try a square piece of cardboard or pieces of cork over the hooks and leave it on the rod. Use raw shrimp for bait; just smear it on the hooks and start right below the surface and work it down or go to the bottom and work it up. Shrimp seems to always produce for me. jp
Posted by Kyle
I could actually see the jacksmelt and I was @ the depth they were at, but I wasn’t catching them.
Posted by realdrums
Bet it’s the rig. Leader probably too heavy or the hooks not shiny enough. Go buy the smallest hook Sabikis you can find and I always cut off the little white things on the hooks. Really give the raw shrimp a try. It always gets the smelt...even if no one else is.
Posted by Kyle
My leader was 20 lb. test. Maybe a little to heavy?
Posted by hooked1
I find that if I get the rig with the smallest hooks and bait the hooks with trout power-bait, I have no problem catching baitfish. You might have seen me do this down at Shelter Island. Give it a try.
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Kyle
Subject: Bait Rig Problem
I have been having trouble catching my own bait recently. Doh!! I've been using my homemade Sabiki style rig. (It consists of 7-8 hooks on dropper loops). Any ways, I am using size 8 hooks on it. Are those too big for catching the sardines, smelt, etc.? I tried using little pieces of squid, but to no avail. What size hooks do you pier rat's use? And do you bait em'? What are the best techniques, cause I tried jigging them, only to find hooks missing. Lol. Thanks-Kyle
Posted by scottlopez
Been there done that. Now I just spend the 1.49 at Kmart and buy a new one when I need it. The type you buy at Kmart are pretty good. I always stick to the smaller sized hook with the shrimp tail on them. They always seem to work pretty good and after 2 or 3 uses I just throw it away and buy a new one. It seems as though you have to do this as the hooks they use are not the greatest but they do work. Also after several uses the line starts to loose its strength and starts to work not as well. As for what bait to use. Some times I find it good not to use any bait at all. The type of rig to use is the one with the 4-6 hooks, i just use a 1/2 ounce weight and let my line fall to the bottom then move my pole up and down slowly for a while. I don’t know about now, however during the summer you can catch a lot of baitfish even some mackerel.
Posted by TCY
I agree with scottlopez. Just buy a rig. I've done everything from small gold hooks with small shreds of shrimp or squid to artificial: ranging from bits of tin foil to custom "flies." Way too much hassle for way too little return. Attaching natural bait to lots of small hooks is slow and tedious. When a school of baitfish come through, you'll want to be in the water as much as possible, so this option is definitely out.
As I had mentioned in previous posts, I have personally noticed a difference between the cheaper Sabiki rigs and the slightly more expensive ones. The cheap ones in the SF Bay Area-area use white plastic as the "fly." The more expensive ones use fish skin. Seems the fish skin is a bit more fluid and seems to attract the baitfish better. scottlopez mentioned one thing which I agree with now. In the previous discussion thread about Sabiki rigs, I argued for re-using the rigs instead discarding them after one or two uses. scottlopez talked about the fact that the hooks on these commercially available rigs are not the greatest. I have found that they do in fact dull very rapidly and unless one wants to spend the rest of one's life patiently sharpening lots of very small hooks, it may not be worthwhile to re-use a rig that many times. For example, one rig that is now on its tenth tour of duty seems to lose half the baitfish on the ride up from the water to the pier. The fish just fall off probably because the hooks really didn't set because of dullness. TCY, Conqueror of bait, Lord of anchovies, Master of very small fish
Posted by Ken Jones
Vary the depth you are trying since the schools move around and up and down depending on a number of factors. Sometimes you'll get them right at the top but often times you have to find them. Start at the top and if you don't have success keep moving your bait rigs down a little until you find the bait. Then again, they may simply be absent!
Posted by realdrums
The store-bought rigs work best for me. To save it try a square piece of cardboard or pieces of cork over the hooks and leave it on the rod. Use raw shrimp for bait; just smear it on the hooks and start right below the surface and work it down or go to the bottom and work it up. Shrimp seems to always produce for me. jp
Posted by Kyle
I could actually see the jacksmelt and I was @ the depth they were at, but I wasn’t catching them.
Posted by realdrums
Bet it’s the rig. Leader probably too heavy or the hooks not shiny enough. Go buy the smallest hook Sabikis you can find and I always cut off the little white things on the hooks. Really give the raw shrimp a try. It always gets the smelt...even if no one else is.
Posted by Kyle
My leader was 20 lb. test. Maybe a little to heavy?
Posted by hooked1
I find that if I get the rig with the smallest hooks and bait the hooks with trout power-bait, I have no problem catching baitfish. You might have seen me do this down at Shelter Island. Give it a try.