swim bait

you guys probably already knew this, but I tried something different on Sunday (7/26/09)at FR  other than the usual combo.  I bought a pack of white plastic swimbait (split tail) from wal-mart and decided to try it out.  Make the snap swivel as your lead swivel, snap on a torpedo weight, tie about a 10" to 12" line to your swim bait and viola!!.  I used this combo when I was stationed in Diego Garcia (tropical fish heaven) and it never failed me, I landed some pretty good sized senorita's.  Well I used this last sunday, and went to one of the spots at FR.. and sure nuff, I hit limit within an hour.  Just my two cents.

Pern     

Is the idea that it gives better action than a lead-head?

Thanks for the tip!

What is "FR"?

Ben

fr is fort ross
and i would think this idea would give better action than a lead head.  it is sort of like a carolina rig but with a torpedo weight instead of a sliding egg sinker.  I would probably use a EWG gama hook and make it "weedless" which should help it be slightly more "rockless" too.

I'm afraid I can't quite put it together in my head...do you have a pic?

I was gonna try something similar.. but more like drop shotting with zoom flukes.

I caught a couple of nice blacks at Albion dropshotting a fluke above a leadhead scampi.

Sounds like dropshotting is nothing more than tying a dropper loop above the weight or jig at the end of the line. All my fish at Albion came on the dropper loop, using a squid-type plastic with a tiny #4 live bait hook. Next time, I have to make easier for me in "threading the needle" by using hooks with a larger eye. That, or use ringed hooks.

i believe he is talking about doing it more "in-line" than on a dropper.

if you were to use it like a dropper i would just do a three way with a lighter leader to your sinker so you dont break off everything.

rod ---> torpedo sinker -----> hook

I like it a lot pern...my next foray will include that setup!!! thx for sharing...

yeah it works real well for me, matter of fact, i shared this with sailfish on our last sunday trip to fort ross.  About a couple of hours into our fishing session he wasn't seeing much action until I gave him one of my set ups... no kidding guys, he started nailing 'em left to right and I believe he hit his limit too, that day.  I don't have a pic guys, sorry but bassman's got the idea.  I usually drop the sinker to the bottom and then go up about 10" or so, then bouce from there and do the same process depending on how fast the current is.  I also use split tail plastic swimmers (a pack of 5 at wal-mart) and size 3/0 hooks, and anywhere from a 2-4 oz. torpedo sinker.  As far as snags go, most of the time the hook is what will snag, which makes this rig so easy to get out of these situations because the hook easy to unsnag from a rock or kelp, BUT if it the sinker were to snag, it takes a little more effort.  I don't usually snag with this setup and when I do, I get out of it easily by keeping my line taught and paddling forward to unsnag it.  Sailfish I think didn't have any snags at all when he used this rig last sunday.

Yes, thanks to Pernel, I'm a firm believer this setup works!  I was using a 4oz lead head with swimbait without much action until he gave me one of his rig.

Okay so here's a pic of the rig, the picture kinda sucks (cell cam).  I usually use 30lb gorrilla wire instead of nylon since it's lighter than nylon.  The swimmer isn't split tail since the split tail is still on my rod right now.  Good luck, guys.

Pern

OK Pernel I will try your rig tomorrow.

ok good luck.. and watch out for those sea lions!!