Sea witch

[Marie Maddie]

When using a seawitch- is it normal or customary to add additonal weight to the bally such as an egg sinker. This would seem to me that the additional weight could throw the balance of the bally off and make it more likely to spin?

[Fishfinder]

Depending upon the size of the ballyhoo to be rigged determines the size of the chin weight. If you are using a 1/4 oz skirt and a small ballyhoo, use a 1/8 oz. chin weight. Medium ballyhoo, 1/4 oz weight will work. It really doesn't make any difference if you are using a 1/4 or 1/2 oz. skirt. A properly placed chin weight will help the ballyhoo run upright and straighter. Breaking the backbone and milking the ballyhoo properly will keep the ballyhoo running upright as well.

Capt. Joe Shute

[Glenn W]

When using a seawitch- is it normal or customary to add additonal weight to the bally such as an egg sinker. This would seem to me that the additional weight could throw the balance of the bally off and make it more likely to spin?

Joe about covered it. Everyone--- I mean everyone uses a chin weight (most of the time ) with a witch in NC. The chin weight acts as a keel and actually aids in the prevention of spinning and assists in the swimming action. However, there is an old saying--- the bigger the weight, the dumber the mate.

[Marie Maddie]

Thanks gentlemen for the info. So i take it that anything over 3/8-1/2oz is too much?? Also the chin weight has to be centered-correct? Provided that the bally is "milked", eyes out, pec fins trimmed, back broken it shouldn't spin. I have heard the term more weight dumber the mate, but a 1/4oz skirt with a 1/4oz chin weight is the same as a 1/2oz naked right or wrong?

[Fishfinder]

Your bait should not spin unless there is too much tension or pressure where the hook exits the belly. If there is too much tension there it will spin. To correct that situation, make a small cut just infront of the hook where the bend of the hook exits the belly, not more than an 1/8 of an inch. This should releive the pressure and stop the bait from spinning. The weight of the witch has nothing to do with the bait swimming upright.

Capt. Joe Shute

[birdhunter]

I think the biggest problem most have, myself included at times is that the bally wants to swim on its side not up right. This is where a chin weight helps you out not with the spinning part.

[Marie Maddie]

Thanks guys for the info. It is very informative!!! Being new at this you hear different things at the docks and not being able to go out everyday makes it tough to really figure out what you are doing wrong.

[Persistence]

I would THINK that if the bally wants to swim on it's side it is too stiff - ie, you have not limbered it up correctly OR the line is not centered off the bally's nose/beak. Before I learned to prep bait correctly, my ballys would "move side to side" but not swim. And yes, at times they would look to be on their side some times...

Once I learned to de-poop, break the back bones, limber with S turns and rig with wire (correctly), they swim very nicely and never slalom back and forth. And yes, if they spin, I relieve pressure where the hook is exiting the belly. For sure, you can use rubber bands to rig them effectively but I feel wire takes the guesswork out as you can rig them 100% correctly every time via the wire.

Glenn

[Marie Maddie]

Does cutting off the pec fins help at all?

[clt_capt]

Does cutting off the pec fins help at all?

YES - Helps to keep them from spinning