Gozza Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hi all! Recently my friend bought a boat, which means we will be out on the water hunting for the bigguns. My question is what's the best way to rig a livie? (without the aid of a downrigger). Also, do you hook them through the shoulder, the mouth or just above the anal fin? I know some fish attack head first and others tail first. Cheers in advance. P.S Happy and safe Australia Day to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hi all! Recently my friend bought a boat, which means we will be out on the water hunting for the bigguns. My question is what's the best way to rig a livie? (without the aid of a downrigger). Also, do you hook them through the shoulder, the mouth or just above the anal fin? I know some fish attack head first and others tail first. Cheers in advance. P.S Happy and safe Australia Day to all. Hi Gozza A member was inquiring about butterfling fish baits, rather than me doing a lot of unnecessary typing, read my reply below and this is how I also bait up live baits :- I'll answer the butterflied fish bait question for you...... Cut the tail off a whole fish or a live bait that has died on the hook...... then do a knife cut close to the back bone all the way to the bottom of the neck area on both sides but don't cut the fillets off......Then do a 45 degess cut at each side of the backbone taking care not to cut too far past the sides of the backbone...... lift the backbone away as far as the knife cut and cut it off where it continues into the neck and add the remainder and the gut and the gills to your bottom burley onion bag or container.......... I always use two hooks rigged about 6 inches apart for larger baits and 3 or 4 inches apart for average size baits and closer together for smaller baits... I do not use an adjustable top hook......... Why I use two hooks is because the neck hook shank and the stand up line can be pulled down onto the body of the bait to provide a free path for a head take and swallow.... that can be done by pulling down on the leader before pinning the bait with the tail area hook.... If the leader distance in between the hooks is a llittle short it doesn't matter... if it is too long it can be threaded into and wrapped around the bait at each side........ At that point, I cut one fillet off and reverse it and pin it back onto the body with the hooks to show flesh and blood on both sides...... I am a believer in neck or dorsal hook positioning on dead or live baits and having the hook facing the tail of the bait with the tail area barb turned around to face the neck barb so as to hook up a fish that attacks the gut area or anywhere near the centre of the fish, as if a fish pulls at the bait and let's go for instance or you strike too early, having a hook barb at either end facing one another will increase your chances of hooking up two fold. Hope this helps Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gozza Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hi Gozza A member was inquiring about butterfling fish baits, rather than me doing a lot of unnecessary typing, read my reply below and this is how I also bait up live baits :- I'll answer the butterflied fish bait question for you...... Cut the tail off a whole fish or a live bait that has died on the hook...... then do a knife cut close to the back bone all the way to the bottom of the neck area on both sides but don't cut the fillets off......Then do a 45 degess cut at each side of the backbone taking care not to cut too far past the sides of the backbone...... lift the backbone away as far as the knife cut and cut it off where it continues into the neck and add the remainder and the gut and the gills to your bottom burley onion bag or container.......... I always use two hooks rigged about 6 inches apart for larger baits and 3 or 4 inches apart for average size baits and closer together for smaller baits... I do not use an adjustable top hook......... Why I use two hooks is because the neck hook shank and the stand up line can be pulled down onto the body of the bait to provide a free path for a head take and swallow.... that can be done by pulling down on the leader before pinning the bait with the tail area hook.... If the leader distance in between the hooks is a llittle short it doesn't matter... if it is too long it can be threaded into and wrapped around the bait at each side........ At that point, I cut one fillet off and reverse it and pin it back onto the body with the hooks to show flesh and blood on both sides...... I am a believer in neck or dorsal hook positioning on dead or live baits and having the hook facing the tail of the bait with the tail area barb turned around to face the neck barb so as to hook up a fish that attacks the gut area or anywhere near the centre of the fish, as if a fish pulls at the bait and let's go for instance or you strike too early, having a hook barb at either end facing one another will increase your chances of hooking up two fold. Hope this helps Cheers jewgaffer Thanx alot jewgaffer. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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