rigging live bait

[capt.dan]

Well, I thought I knew how to rig live bait but after a few days out tuna fishing I now wonder if I'm doing it right. I've been fishing with mackeral and whitting. I've had several macs get off my hooks and one whitting which I know a tuna had hit it. I had my 130 class rod bend pretty good and then bounce back and the whitting was gone! I've been bridling the mackeral and whitting through the nose, with a elastic band. I'm using a 9/0 gami live bait hook, I take a small elastic band and put the hook through one end and the other end i put through the bait. Then i put the hook through the other side of the elastic band once it's on the other side of the nose. And let it out to swim. The band is small enough that I don't have to twist it I just put it though and put the hook through both ends. How do most people do it?

[tightline9]

Just hook 'em through the back

[ryan c]

I do the same as you but I go through the eye sockets. They need to swim, not see. Its far less like it will tear out vs. the weak flesh of the snout.

How are you getting whiting?

[bankrat]

FWIW, this year we have used only macs on balloons, we have no kite and dont have time to get pogeys. macs are hooked through the nose (in the hard spot between the nostrils) with a gama 8/0 live bait hook. so far we have a 100% strike to hook up ratio. every one thats been eaten has resulted in a hooked fish, each time right in the hinge. we even manged to land them all, they have been between 57" and 66".

Of course, we have only hooked about 15 fish, so its a small sample size, but I'm not changing anything anytime soon.

to each his own, but thats how I do it.

good luck next time out.

[High Hooks]

Just hook 'em through the back

I was live line'n macs for stipers earlier this year, hooking them just in line with the end of the gill plates being careful not to hit the spine, shallow in the back meat.. i wasnt using elastics at the time but thats a good idea.. I didnt have any problems with the bait getting off the hook. good luck Capt. BTW your charter that cancelled on you for today was really kicking himself in the arse, Lol!! He loved your text....

[tightline9]

...being careful not to hit the spine, shallow in the back meat... I didnt have any problems with the bait getting off the hook....

They'll last all day this way...until chewed on

[hotreels jr]

I just hook mine through the back. 9/0 owner offshore hook on the balloons, 8/0 owner jubo on the kite.