Tackle and Bait

The Rods and Reels

I fish mostly 7' heavy action boat rods with Penn 320 reels but also usually fish a medium action ugly stick with an Okuma depth counter level wind as well. All of my reels are spooled with at least 150 yards of 60lbs test Tuff Line.

The Tackle

I use a weighted, 4 to 6 oz Delta or Deep 6 diver followed by a short rubber snubber, which is hooked to a medium or large triangle flasher. Green, silver and blue are my preferred colors. I use at least 6 of leader and longer if my rod length permits. The longer the leader, the better the bait seems to perform.

The rubber snubber is a very important piece to the equation. The divers put a tremendous amount of strain on the line and Tuff Line does not have any give so combined with the strong current and the impact of the initial strike, the snubber provides much needed give, allowing for better hook penetration without tearing a giant hole in the mouth of the fish. It can also help prevent your leader from snapping on the initial strike.

The Knots

Tuff Line is pretty slick stuff and if not tied right, the tag end of the knot will slip right through releasing the whole works and losing your gear. I will loop my line twice through the swivel I am tying to, twist 8 to 10 times, run the tag end through the bottom loop at the swivel and then through the loop at the top of the knot before pulling tight. If done right, the knot will never slip.

The Hooks and Hardware

I will use packaged mooching rigs with a 4/5 or 5/6 hook combo depending on the size of hearing I have to work with. I will also tie my own mooching rigs usually using 4/0 hooks and 25lbs test leader, keeping the trailer hook within 3 of the top hook. I will also run a spinner in the mix and switch back and forth between baits and hardware depending on the depth and preference of the bite.

Plug Cuts

I like to fish blue label herring for the most part but will adjust to what ever fresh bait is available. The smaller the bait, the smaller the hooks I use so for green label herring, I will not use any larger than a 4/0 and may drop down to a 3/0 depending on the actual size of the baits.

Right Hand Cuts

This is the typical way I use a right hand bait block to make my plug cuts.

Left Hand Cuts

I have seen this done and have been playing with it as well. It may provide a more stable roll but I need more practice and time to compare the two.

Slitting the Belly

Slit the belly of the fish from the rectum all the way up to the anal fins. This will help keep you bait from quickly deforming at the plug cut and will help stabilize the spin of the bait.

Hooking Up the Bait

I am refining how I cut and rig my herring but have narrowed it down to what I have seen referred to as a 9:00 and 12:30-2:30 technique. I am still experimenting with right and left hand cuts as well as right to left and left to right hook insertion seeking that ever elusive perfect roll. I will penetrate at the top of the back bone about 1/4" from the top of the cut and have the hook exit through the opposite side between the 12:30 and 2:30 position within 3/8" from the edge of the cut..

The trailer hook should follow the center line on the side of the fish where the skin turns from dark to light.

If done just right, the bait will roll inside a 3" circle. If the bait has a radical wobble or does not spin aggressively, get rid of it and try again. Baits that are dead in the water will not attract much more than a seagulls and baits with a spastic spin are less likely to trigger a strike.