Rubber Bands for pin rigs?

[youngsaltydog]

I was looking through some post and saw Jimmy K was using the same bands “for hair” that I bought for my pin rigs. I was looking at trying something new and I know that allot of people use ortho bands or monel but what do you think about these instead?

[Deep C]

You can use rubber bands (I used to get the ones for braces from a dental supply) but copper wire allows you more flexibility as to how tight you close the mouth, how much bill you leave behind (To run in different conditions), and you don't have the same degree fo failure (band popping off in the wash.
I'm talking about trolled baits of course... I pin rig and split tail macks for mako fishing and a light band in that application works better than the copper...

[Chilli]

I've been know to toss out a banded hoo under certain conditions... Tuna fishing with windon leaders a band is useful. You can change hoos and have the bait back in the water much quicker. Helps when you can have the baits going back out and swimming as your bringing in a multiple hookup. Billfishing is a different story. No banded hoos there. Gotta get the baits looking as pretty as possible under those cercuimstances and as Deep stated, you just can't do that with a band.

[WAHOONBOX]

THERE IS NO SUBTITUTE FOR MONEL...PERIOD BUT...........

HOWEVER.....I DO USE RUBBERBANDS WHEN THE SITUATION ARISES AND I USE #16 ...SO EASY TO HANDLE....AND I CAN GET MANY TURNS ON THE HOO TO MAKE IT TIGHT!!

[Fishin Fool]

We've been using the bands to skirt the hair on the heads with no problems at all, we run a bead of superglue around the band and it holds just fine. It's also easier to cut off to retie at a later date.

For the pins, we use bands for meat fish and monel or copper for the bills. It does hold the bait better using monel and it will swim better.

[BTH284]

Is it bad practice to not use a pin rig when using mono leaders? I still use them for wire rigs. But have switched just about all my mono rigs to using monel only to secure to the leader by winding 'hoo down securely & letting the groove that is exposed by removing skin tag ride on the leader.

[Deep C]

I do it both ways and find the pin far faster to rig with no loss in number of fish raised. In fact my hook ratio is a bit better with them as the hook sits a tad further back.
Over in the islands it can get mad dog for the bite. If I have baits pre rigged the crimps get the hell knocked out of them by the salt I pack my baits in. With the speed we need to keep spreads flowing quick we use the pins almost exclusively there...
My pitch rod is rigged non pin for those hyper finicky whites up north and my bird rig is another non pin where a one once lead actually gets wired down under the bill.

[youngsaltydog]

So what your telling me a the rubber bands will work well to secure my leaders for when I wind them up. Thanks again for all the information.

[O-SEA-D]

I used to use monel on everything. Now I changed to rubber bands on my YFT and Wahoo top baits. I can get the baits back out in the water faster with the rubber bands when the bite is on. If I am rigging a hoo that will be swimming down deep I use monel.

[tunatamer4]

Just my thoughts guys.... Both have their place on the rig. When dealing with fish that you know will inhale the entire bait upon strike, there is no question bands make up the speed when the bite is hot and heavy. BUT....when dealing with critters that tend to cut and run or mouth a bait, MONEL takes it. When you need to kill for clients, a drop-back can be the difference between a fish turning around for the remains or dropping a naked witch. Monel holds the bait a bit better on the initial strike and when dealing with small/medium mahi, hoos and bills, dropping half a ballyhoo back is better than a witch and a naked hook with a rubber band on it.