Ok with all the different theories about bait rigging going on I figured I would toss this version into the fray. I will again preface that this is how "I" do it and should not be taken as the only or best way to do a hoo. There are dozens of ways out there and this is just one more that does well for me.
As I love mixing meat and plastic in search of blue marlin we pull at higher speed than many. This bait allows me to pull at 7+ and keep her stuck to the water and swimming. The weight forward as depicted allows for this…
Next I will say that I don't want to hear how bad the pics look cause I suck at taking pics. Sorry looking hoos portrayed here they have been thawed and frozen a couple times as the weather has not let me out to burn them. Ok lets go…
First: Pop the back bone. This is done by pressing the lateral line between thumb and forefinger. Done right it will "valley" then "pop up" careful how much pressure you use so as not to mush your bait, break the skin or otherwise defile the tender yummy hoo. Even distribution and slow steady pressure will insure a happy bait…
The next step is to "drill out" one end of your weight to slide over the uni knot you will use to attach your hook to the leader… If you don't have the black and decker handy you can use a larger hook and using pressure turn the weight on the point til the hole is large enough…
Now run your leader through the weight and tie the hook on with a uni knot which will give you ultimate strength. For whites and general fishing I use 80lb Sufix leader and usually a Mustad 3407 8/0. These pics however show a xl Owner which I use come tourney time. After the hook is tied on, take a piece of rigging wire and wrap about five times around the shank of the hook and bring back up through the eye. (copper or monel will do) I am using copper cause I'm Deep Cheap!
Ok there's the rig… Simple works! Now insert the hook point thunder the gill cover. Only go back the gap of the hook! And poke through belly. Now take the rigging wire and pass it from lower through upper jaw where the hinge is. Draw it up and the eye of the hook should be directly below the jaw. Using medium pressure wrap the rigging wire over the top lip, under the chin and back up the other side of the top lip. Run the wire back down through the same hole and through the eye of the hook. Pull Tight.
Now slide your customized weight to the eye of the hook. Take your wire and run it to the front of the weight and make a wrap that pulls the leader up and the bill down ever so slightly (you don't want to bust the bill). Wrap to the END of the bill and then back wrap tightly so the bait is pulled from the tip and the leader wont slip…
It should look like this when done…
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