What size Ballyhoo do you prefer for White Marlin/Sailfish

[Innovator]

Hey Guys,

I am working on a new project. I am looking for detailed input on the following-

• What size Ballyhoo do you prefer for White Marlin?
• Do you fish circle hooks?
• What is your preferred rigging method using a circle hook?
• Do you only fish circle hooks in tournaments?
• What size leader and type do you prefer- length, Flouro, Mono, Size etc.?

Please be as detailed as you can pros/cons etc. Looking for as much input as I can get

Thanks,

Kevin

[Anthony of the ARK]

We use Small or dink ballyhoo by Bionic

8/0 eagle claws both of these never change if we're targeting whites.

I used to use the monel rig but now my favorite is the floss rig with 60lb floss that puts an X on the top to the head. I feel this gives a better hook up ratio it also swims much better.

When targeting billfish we always use circle hooks, circle hooks are much more effective.

when numbers and release tournament fishing we used 60lb seagear fluro. when we fish fish the WMO and the Mid atlantic we used 80lb fluro.

[austin ensor]

ballyhoo size: Small

Circle hook yes

8 in. of 20lb monel 1/4 oz. chin weight

80-100 lb fluro. 8 ft leader

[SeaMent]

Hey Guys,

I am working on a new project. I am looking for detailed input on the following-

• What size Ballyhoo do you prefer for White Marlin?
• Do you fish circle hooks?
• What is your preferred rigging method using a circle hook?
• Do you only fish circle hooks in tournaments?
• What size leader and type do you prefer- length, Flouro, Mono, Size etc.?

Please be as detailed as you can pros/cons etc. Looking for as much input as I can get

Thanks,

Kevin

Small or pee wee ballys- Baitmasters
always circles billfishin- 7/0 Eagle Claw
70lb floss rig w/ chin lead, they swim like a ribbon
circles 100% on Whites & Sails
60lb Jink leader

[mattmain]

What size Ballyhoo do you prefer for White Marlin? dinks
Do you fish circle hooks? 7/0 or 8/0
What is your preferred rigging method using a circle hook? floss with a chin weight.
Do you only fish circle hooks in tournaments? yes have to these days.
What size leader and type do you prefer- length, Flouro, 6to 8 ft of floro.
Mono, Size etc.? 60lb

[jbonvetti]

Medium baits, Eagle Claw ELM 8/0, 1/4 ounces chin weight with copper wire and a small loop on 60# Yo-zuri Hybrid. That setup has never treated me wrong.

[Deep C]

Small end of mediums for ballyhoo. Tounament time yes I use circles. 7/0 mustad light wire on 40 mono rigged out to what limits tourney puts on leader length. Hooks are rigged on forehead with 1/4 oz under the chin and tacked down with 9" copper or monel. Outside of tournaments my standard local rig is a long shank owner j 9/0 which is really the size of an 8/0 3407 mustad I up my fun leaders to 60 lb of about 8 feet.
Large end of mediums for whites. In tourney I go to 8/0 Owner or Eagle Claw circle with 80 mono. Same style rigging as above. Leader is usually 10 feet with a wind on to bring me to maximum allowable. For fun in the islands I go to a large end medium on 11/0 Owner long shank J (really about 9/0 size). Our baits there are almost exclusively "combo" with flat or concave lures over them.

[Innovator]

Pretty much what I figured, now a couple more questions-

• Do you prefer the thin wire or standard wire thickness on the Eagle Claws
• Do you think the Flouro makes a difference visibility wise or more for chafe resistance
• How many baits would you go through on your average day fishing?
• What Ballyhoo brand do you prefer?

Keep the responses coming!!!

Thanks,

Kevin

[Deep C]

I am not a fan of fluoro having had it just flat out break too easy for same test as mono. I use Sufix by brand on leader to really reduce chafing issues. For store bought I prefer Baitmasters followed by Bionic. Prefer home set ones caught in the keys to both of them though.
Two dozen if salted properly usually gets me through a day but at chub we go to three dozen because of the shear number of bites we get from dolphin and wahoo between the billfish.

[jbonvetti]

I prefer the medium wire eagle claws. I like the flouro just for the chafe resistance and it also may help prospecting baits...Most of our bait comes from our boat down in Islamorada.. I like to rig up 4 dozen a day and at the end of the day re-vacum seal the left overs for when the bite is on...