How do you Sabiki?

Everyone,

Thanks for the great input.  This site and all of you are a great bunch!!

Now, it appears that live bait is a good thing and I have some sabiki, just how do you use them?  Drop them in the school and jig, let it sit, add bits of squid to them, what size hooks (I was given an assortment from size 4 to 14 - thanks to a retired dad who frequently visits Walmart for red-tag sales and sends care packages).

Thanks again for all the help!!

rob
jrsyboy

Using a sabiki is simple, and many approaches are productive. Conditions change from day to day, so once you locate a bait school, start with a simple lift and drop action. If that doesn't work, mix in some more vigorous jerks or try a deadstick (still) method. In similar fashion, change the size of the sinker to create different action. When the bait is scattered, try trolling your sabiki but watch out for kelp.

Hook size depends on the bait you're trying to catch. Go very small for smelt, on up to about medium sized for mackerel. The smaller rigs seem to get bit better.

In a slow bite, squid specks help, as does chumming with catfood.

When first using a sabiki, you might want to cut it down to 4 or 3 hooks. When you hook a bait, keep the line taut or you'll end up with a balled-up mess.

1 oz weight at the bottom, Sabiki above that. Drop it down between the kelp and jig. Should take about 15 seconds or so before you get something.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=741.msg6384;topicseen#msg6384

By the way, how did your PVC sabiki rod work??  I thought of building one, but I was afraid the fish would spit the hook while laughing. 

Did it produce?  The price was certianly right!

Mine worked fine but it was kinda heavy. I got a specialized sabiki rod from Mooch who does not need it cause, well he is the Mooch! 

jrsyboy (what exit?  ), you should make yourself a long very well aerated bait tube too.

fresh dead bait works pretty well, but the longer you can keep it alive, the better.

the trick with the sabiki is not hooking the bait, it is unhooking it,  . when the bait comes in,
it is not hard to find. I found a lot of bait in the kelp pockets and in real shallow, near the wharf,
like in just 15-30 feet of water.

yesterday I saw a ton of smelt of all sizes in the kelp. some anchovies are here, but I didn't see many.

what I do is use the smallest possible hooks as I generally want anchovies or very small smelt.

the bigger sabikis will get hit, but not as much, or rather they get hit, but don't hook the fish.
we dont have mackerel here commonly and they
are really too large for most of the fish we are fishing for, we really want 4"
anchovies or 3" smelt as bait if you are fishing in capitola or santa cruz.

I use a 2oz weight, heavier weights reduce tangles, but cast gently if you are casting.

I do sometimes cast to a boiling school, but it's probably not really necessary. you can troll,
use a heavier weight to do that, like 4oz, keep the line short behind you only 20 feet or so.

nonrmally once I spy some bait around, either on the finder or with my eyeballs,
I just drop the sabiki down and then reel up and down slowly trying to find the depth the bait likes.

once you get fish on the sabiki rig I reel it in then position it so the weight is just between my
shins, the rod tip is way up and the anchovies are going crazy on the hook right in front of
my face.  the key here is to relax. a few might fly off the hook and into the water. don't
worry, you can catch more.

first, try to unhook them and get them in your footwells. be patient.
keep the sabiki straight up and down.  block the scupper holes.

if you get seasick easily, take time to look at the shoreline!

once all the bait is off the hook, then
put the sabiki over the side and out of the way once the fish are unhooked, and
before you try and put the bait into the bait tube.
if you don't you will end up with 6 hooks stuck in various things on your kayak or you.
then load the fish one by one into the bait tube. load them tail first always.

I have learned the hard way that it is best to be real systematic about unhooking the bait
and loading it into your bait tube.  . do not take shortcuts!

have fun, a bait tube full of anchovies means you will get a lot of action.

40 anchovies is not too much. I like to use a single 1/0 owner light mutu circle hook through the
nose of the anchovy. you will get a few anchovies ripped off, but will also hook a lot of fish
and hook them in the mouth, not deep. you'll want to release some fish and it's best if
you can hook them in the mouth, not in the gut.

I caught my first halibut on a live anchovy in capitola after catching it on a sabiki and carting it
around in a little bucket.

John

137 (off the Parkway) or 7A (Turnpike).  Just remember,"You don't know who I know, capice......."

Thanks again for the "Idiot's Guide to Sabiki".  I really appreciate it.

I just made a bait tube.  There's an on-line tutorial 'cause if there wasn't, I would have been screwed.

I will be out in Capitola again in July (despite what Mooch says) as it's calm enough to put the princess in the bow of the SS New Jersey and we get to say "HI" to Joshy Otter (for you parents of 3- to year-olds, there's a great book about a sea otter named Joshy Otter.  We bought it at the MB Aquarium). 

Thanks again and I am definately buying an OK Prowler Trident in a couple of years (when dad can get a long weekend pass to go play in Big Sur..........)

Rob
jrsyboy