Trolling With Live Squid

[Mondo Rock]

OK Raiders

In order to achieve one of my 'summer fishing goals' (thanks Sharky) I'm going to need to get my squid trolling skills honed so that I can maximise the chances of getting a few big kings.

My questions is this: obviously a downrigger is the best way to troll squid at various depths, however are there any other methods for trolling livies (squid or anything really) that don't require a downrigger?

For example, what about just attaching a sinker to the line? Alternatively, can you buy 'bibs' for the livies that force them to swim at a certain depth or anything like that?

All advice is welcome (and is in your own best interests really since I hope to flood the site with pictures of me and big kings this summer!!).

OK - it's probably NOT in your best interests to see the site flooded with pictures of me, but I assume the kingies will be welcome.

Alright fine - I'll just take photos of the kingies.

Mondo

[tuffy]

Those plastic "bibs" are available at either Target or ***** and they're about $20 or $30. Haven't bought one and not sure how well they work but they look interesting. As opposed to adding lead weight to your livie, these things can be adjusted to dive to varying depths, but just how effective they are is unknown to me. I'm going to get one when I remember to, just to give them a go. Besides, it's always good to buy something else for your tackle box, even if you don't use it !!!!!

Might be interesting to get feedback from any other raiders who have come across these things.

[netic]

Hey Mondo,

Mate you do have a few options,

The option of adding a sinker is probably not the best idea, I did try this when i fiorst started out and found that you need at least a 1 pound sinker to get the bait down and even then it would plain up.

What i used to do before i got my downriggers is attach a heavy kinfe jig which will help keep the line down, caught plenty of kings doing that.

You can also just troll your squid or yakka without and weight at a really slow speed, say just in gear, the live bait should swim down a couple of metres.

Or the best option as you mentioned is to invest in a downrigger.

[kingpig]

netic

Do write off the sinker option. You can bridle rig a live bait with a faily large barrel lead eight in front of the hook and troll slow.

If you want to troll slightly faster you can bridle a dead bait the same way but you need to stich the mouth closed or will not swim correctly.

If you hunt the net there a couple of sites that show how.

Kingpig

[Guest Big-Banana]

I remember a certain tackle shop owner laughing off my suggestion to buy downriggers for Kings. He swears by the sinker trick and with a bit of percevierance you can hook into the fish he got into a few years ago.

[reefa]

One of my mates uses a large barrel sinker.Normally not available from every tackle shop.With a short but heavy boat rod, its as close as you are gonna get to a downrigger

[Mondo Rock]

Thanks for the tips guys - very helpful.

Now for me to fulfil my promises of many kingy photos . . .

Betta give me a month or two