Advice On How To Rig My Rod/reel

[Wantingaboat]

Hi All,

My mate and i just got new rods and we are hitting the harbour on Sunday. I got a live fibre with a shimano tyrnos 16 loaded with 40 pound braid. He got a shimano mack king and shimano tekota 700 loaded with 50 pound braid. We will both use 50 pound leader but we have no idea of how to rig up hooks/ sinkers/ swivels to catch some decent kings. We will be "hopefully" using live/fresh squid or possibly whole pichards. I would really appreciate if experienced fisherman could take a minute and let us know your rig setups. Should our rods be rigged differently.... One is star drag and the other lever drag. Does this make any difference to the rig?

Cheers. Mike.

[andrew399]

Hey mate, i dont think the difference in drag styles will lead you to using different rigs. Most people fishing for kings use a double hook rig which is usually a live bait hook size 4/0-7/0 generally at the top and then a treble as the bottom hook. Most people use this when using the whole squid or strips, but if the strips are small you can get away with just the one hook. Tie this on a trace between 1 - 2 metres long conected to your main line by a strong swivel (look on the front of the pack, you dont want to be fishing with anything lighter then 60lb swivels for big fish) and place your sinker above that...

As for whole pilchards, i would just whack them on gang hooks and whether you weight them or not will depend on where you think the fish are ie near the surface or down deep.

[SZ1]

Hi Dicko,

As Mike rigs for Kings are simple, running sinker on the main line to a swivel, then ties you leader to the swivel (I use a 40lb to 60ld leader tied with a 3 turn unis knot) and just attach 1 or 2 x 4/0 -7/0 hook (depending on size of the bait).

In regrads to the gear you guys have. Those are some strong outfits and you should have no problems knocking kings over quick. Just make sure when you set the drag on the Tyrnos you have the drag lever in the free spooling position before you adjust the drag knob, set the drag to around about 8kg and each time you adjust the drag just make sure it is in free spool. You have to fish full 8kg of drag but you know it is there, plus there is always sun set. Just back the drag off the reel and leave the rachat on when not in use.

With you mates star drag he can just set drag at what ever he feels like on the water, as setting the drag is not as complicated as the lever drag and he doesn't have to have the reel in feel fool to adjust the drag.

HTH

Cheers,

SZ1

[Wantingaboat]

Thanks guys. I used a simple rig of braid straight to leader and then a running sinker all the way to the hook. Was about a 5/0 i think and got a king on Sunday. It gobbled down a pillie tail and was perfectly hooked. Gave me a great fight and after netted the hook dropped straight out. The funny thing was that the king had two different hooks already attached to his mouth from busting other people off. I am sure it was pleased when i removed all three hooks and sent him on his way. I couldnt believe that a king with two hooks sticking out would still eat a big bit of pichard. Crazy stuff. Cheers. Mike.