Lessons learned on the Islander

I always learn something on trip like this and this past trip was no different.

After the first day of fishing, the 2nd captain gave us a little lecture on how they do things differently in SoCal.  With the super clear water, he was concerned that all the hardware we were used to using was scaring the fish off.

In setting up a 3-way for live bait fishing he recommended fishing reverse dropper loops style with no swivels, slidos or other hardware.  Tie a dropper loop of 12-18" long in the line with a spider hitch, leaving a 3-4' leader to tie to the hook.  Loop a 2-4 ounce sinker onto the loop and you're in business.  Simple!

Another rig we got a lot of mileage out of was a simple egg sinker and small hook.  No spacing between the sinker and the hook, just thread a 1/2 ounce egg sinker onto the line and tie a hook.  Tip with a squid strip.  With a small #4 or #2  hook, this rig was deadly off the boat.  The small hook helped with hooking the whitefish.  On day 3 I was using a 4/0 hook to keep the little shits off the hook.  I watched many times in the clear water ... the little fish would swarm in and nip at the bait, when all of a sudden a large fish would crash through and hookup.  I  like this rig.  I think it will be deadly on schooling rockfish up here.

-Allen

Allen, I've used the second system on WSB before. I know it's a common system for the southerners. Not sure about that first rig you described tho?

Allen, I've used the second system on WSB before. I know it's a common system for the southerners. Not sure about that first rig you described tho?

Come to think of it, I've used the 2nd system on WSB too.  Hah!

I may not have explained the first rig very well.  It's just a dropper loop in which the sinker is on the loop and the hook is on the end.  Make the loop and the hook leader the length  you'd normally make a 3 way rig.  You just don't use a swivel, slido, or any other hardware.

-Allen

I've always wondered about the reverse dropper loop instead of the standard three way rig up here.

For live bait I think it makes a ton of sense. The only advantage the three way might have is with frozen bait that might spin sometimes and tangle in a drift.

Did you get many tangles with the reverse dropper? I like the simplicity of it.


-Eliot

Not sure about that first rig you described tho?

I've always wondered about the reverse dropper loop instead of the standard three way rig up here.

For live bait I think it makes a ton of sense. The only advantage the three way might have is with frozen bait that might spin sometimes and tangle in a drift.

Did you get many tangles with the reverse dropper? I like the simplicity of it.


-Eliot

Yeah, they do get tangled after awhile.

The way Kevin Nakada "sea samurai" tied his rig is similar to Allen's description but he tied the hook to the long loop instead and the torpedo sinker at the bottom end. 
We were targeting YT's using live squid.

The way Kevin Nakada "sea samurai" tied his rig is similar to Allen's description but he tied the hook to the long loop instead and the torpedo sinker at the bottom end. 
We were targeting YT's using live squid.

Same method used on the long range trips for dropper looping for yellowtail, grouper, BSB, WSB...and sheepshead.

it gets twisted up after a while but it aint nothing to just retie it. I'm a fan

The way Kevin Nakada "sea samurai" tied his rig is similar to Allen's description but he tied the hook to the long loop instead and the torpedo sinker at the bottom end. 
We were targeting YT's using live squid.

That would be the regular dropper loop vs. the reverse dropper loop.

I don't think I'll be a fan of either for fishing butts in our waters unless the water is abnormally clear (which it rarely is in the waters I fish).  As others have stated, it does get some twist build up

-Allen

I think the "Invisa Swivel" would help in clearer water down South.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquateko-IN2572C-25-Pound-Invisa-Crystal/dp/B002UEGX2S

I think the "Invisa Swivel" would help in clearer water down South.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquateko-IN2572C-25-Pound-Invisa-Crystal/dp/B002UEGX2S

The package is empty 

I think the "Invisa Swivel" would help in clearer water down South.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquateko-IN2572C-25-Pound-Invisa-Crystal/dp/B002UEGX2S

The package is empty 

Look again...They're "crystal clear"!!!

I think the "Invisa Swivel" would help in clearer water down South.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquateko-IN2572C-25-Pound-Invisa-Crystal/dp/B002UEGX2S

The package is empty 

Look again...They're "crystal clear"!!!

  it was a joke Sonny