Rigging Plastic for Big Blues

[Roddy Hays]

I don't have any pics yet, but it is pretty certain that the 1142 lb blue marlin weighed last week on the island of Vanuatu in the south Pacific was caught on a Hays 9/0, attached to a small yellowfin tuna. The bait was pitched by Tom Evans, multi world-record holder on the fly rod, when he realised that the beast raised behind the BLUE DOG was too big for 20lb tippet. The boat, captained by Dean Bulter and wireman Russ Housby, is on a 30-day cruise through the isles throwing flies at slightly smaller marlin !

As Fred says, them Hays hooks are plenty strong....

[frankypettolina]

Fred, I am looking at them right, the hook is positioned about mid way up the lure? I always thought that this would be effective for Billfish as they grab prey by the head. Just never tried it.

When I was just a pup in this business a Captain by the name of Jack Leonard (may he rest in peace) told me 2 hooks meant one for the fish and one for your hand. I have always lived by this motto.

My .02 about lure rigging. Leader matched to the size of the lure (ie 200 on green machines and smaller jets, 300 on mid stuff, 530 momoi extra hard on the big guns). I was always told that the gap of the hook should fit snug over the head of the lure (key words are fit over head of lure, I think). Be sure to check connections frequently when taping over crimps. The silver colored ones (aluminum?), especially will corrode.