alternative to the chin weighted ballyhoo

[Squidnation]

While fishing in Guatemala on wed and thursday I noticed the mate deploying an odd looking rig on the long riggers. They mate would have two egg sinkers 1 oz each sliding on the mainline prior to the swivel and the 4 ft leader. I asked why and he said it helped keep the bait from jumping around too much and could fish the longs a little closer to the boat. He said the high riggers on the center console made it impossible to keep the baits in the water without the sinkers. I asked why not just chin weight the baits. Capt gave me two reasons. 1. they would need too much weight for the size of baits they were using. 2. by using the weights on the mainline and not chin weighted they were not losing as many weights. Did not seem to affect the bite much at all as we got a few that bit the long riggers. the negative that I saw in this technique was that a couple dolphin did attacked the two weights and not the baits.

[Deep C]

One day when I get around to it I'll take some better shots and reintroduce my "ugly". We use a one ounce lead with a groove stamped in it under the bill. Its wrappped before the weight around the jaw to keep it closed then out all the way to the end of the bill. Heavy billed baits work better on this rig.
This bait swims at 7+ knots without hopping and would fill his need for no floppin on his riggers...Thing is not pretty at all until its behind the boat and the hook up rate is way way good...

[Squidnation]

I personally didn't like this method. But 2/2 couldn't ague with its success.

[Deep C]

There was a guy years back in Key largo that did a rig I never saw anything like that used a weight forward like that except it was about eight feet forward. His rig was really different. He actually split back and deboned his bally hoos. He then pulled a double J hook rigged on wire through the mouth. Hooks pointed up and the pin inside the mouth before comming through the upper lip.

Seemed like a lot of work but day after day that old timer put my catches to shame... He too argued that the weight up there worked for his purpose. I never really argued back cause its hard to debate when he produced so well.