Rigging Macs?

[LONGFIN2]

I need some help from you guys up north. All the yellowfin I caught last week each had a whole bullet mackerel in their stomach. The macs were all over the place splashing on the surface. I could probably catch them on a small spoon and use them but they pretty much look like Boston macs. So here's my question. How the hell do you rig a boston mackerel for trolling? When I use them for shark fishing I use a pin rig like you would use for ballyhoo and wire them on.

I want them to swim though. Should I rig them like a Spanish Mackerel with all the floss stitching and a big egg sinker or do you guys have a secret way? Thanks for all your help guys.

[Tuna Meltdown]

I need some help from you guys up north. All the yellowfin I caught last week each had a whole bullet mackerel in their stomach. The macs were all over the place splashing on the surface. I could probably catch them on a small spoon and use them but they pretty much look like Boston macs. So here's my question. How the hell do you rig a boston mackerel for trolling? When I use them for shark fishing I use a pin rig like you would use for ballyhoo and wire them on.

I want them to swim though. Should I rig them like a Spanish Mackerel with all the floss stitching and a big egg sinker or do you guys have a secret way? Thanks for all your help guys.

Why not use them alive?

[LONGFIN2]

Why not use them alive?

I'd love to, and probably will in the future. I've done it overnight chunking in the canyons. Two problems though. They tend to only pop up in the afternoon, and this weekends Tuna Tournament doesn't allow live bait

[Deep C]

Drawback to boston or tinker macks is that they are soft... You can rig them both ways but at speed they don't last real long...
It's gonna be tough to get em to swim if you don't figure a way to bust that back bone. Possibly debone em like a mullet. They are more cylindical than a spanish so that may work...

[LONGFIN2]

Drawback to boston or tinker macks is that they are soft... You can rig them both ways but at speed they don't last real long...
It's gonna be tough to get em to swim if you don't figure a way to bust that back bone. Possibly debone em like a mullet. They are more cylindical than a spanish so that may work...

I know they're soft but I figured enough brine and stitching would get them to hold together for at least 2 hours.

[Block and Tackle]

load them up with plenty of kosher salt right on there body, especially the stomach. if you pre-rig store with salt on body in cooler before use. Brine is good before rigging but the direct kosher salt is key.

[sportsman250]

Brine them in kosher salt and baking soda for an hour or more to thaw

Run fingers down the bottom, for to aft to force out poo poo

Insert a 10/0 hook with a medium length shank thru the gills and out the bottom so the eye is about at the back of the gill plate. Line it up before you poke it thru.

Put a crimp or two on some #200 leader

Using a needle with the leader go thru the top of the head and out the bottom(making sure you go thru the hook eye!) also make sure your entry/exit holes are centered

Come out the bottom put a 3 or 4 oz egg sinker on the leader
go thru the crimp(s) and pull snug and crimp

At the aft bottom sew the gill plates shut with floss finish with a few overhand knots

Go thru one side of the nose with floss and out the other with 3 wraps around the top of the leader loop finish with a couple overhand knots.

Sew the mouth shut with a few wraps finish with a couple overhands, then wrap the 2 tag ends up the leader in both directions and finish just forward of the crimp and finish with overhands.

You want the floss to pull the fish not the hook. And try to get the egg sinker to end up half in the gill plates, centered.

This works for me they swim well and last most of the day would be a good post for a pic huh?

[Clint3240]

Brine them in kosher salt and baking soda for an hour or more to thaw

Run fingers down the bottom, for to aft to force out poo poo

Insert a 10/0 hook with a medium length shank thru the gills and out the bottom so the eye is about at the back of the gill plate. Line it up before you poke it thru.

Put a crimp or two on some #200 leader

Using a needle with the leader go thru the top of the head and out the bottom(making sure you go thru the hook eye!) also make sure your entry/exit holes are centered

Come out the bottom put a 3 or 4 oz egg sinker on the leader
go thru the crimp(s) and pull snug and crimp

At the aft bottom sew the gill plates shut with floss finish with a few overhand knots

Go thru one side of the nose with floss and out the other with 3 wraps around the top of the leader loop finish with a couple overhand knots.

Sew the mouth shut with a few wraps finish with a couple overhands, then wrap the 2 tag ends up the leader in both directions and finish just forward of the crimp and finish with overhands.

You want the floss to pull the fish not the hook. And try to get the egg sinker to end up half in the gill plates, centered.

This works for me they swim well and last most of the day would be a good post for a pic huh?

chris, make a video ha

[Crabby Cakes]

I need some help from you guys up north. All the yellowfin I caught last week each had a whole bullet mackerel in their stomach. The macs were all over the place splashing on the surface. I could probably catch them on a small spoon and use them but they pretty much look like Boston macs. So here's my question. How the hell do you rig a boston mackerel for trolling? When I use them for shark fishing I use a pin rig like you would use for ballyhoo and wire them on.

I want them to swim though. Should I rig them like a Spanish Mackerel with all the floss stitching and a big egg sinker or do you guys have a secret way? Thanks for all your help guys.

Get your hands on last months On The Water magazine. They have a great article on how to hydro-flush and rig them.

[Tunacious-45]

my experience has been that you have to de-bone them. I've used them in the canyon a few times. Hydro gutting is the way to go. Brine them for as long as you can. More time the better.