Rigging Live Yakkas

[BreamChaser]

Hey Guys

Hoping you can help me out with some ideas for rigging Yakka's.

I have two scenario's

1. How do you guys rig them for trolling on a down-rigger?

2. Do you change the rig if you are anchored and are simply live baiting them?

Cheers

[kingwhiting]

How big is ur yakka? There r different style depending on the size of the yakka

[andrew399]

for downrigging i put a rubberband through either the nose or eye socket nd then attach to my main hook, i then also have a treble stinger which i either put in the back of the tail or just leave trailing free of the yakka. When at anchor i only use a single hook which i place above the lateral line in the back half of the yakka. I use these methods regardless of the size of the yakka.

[BreamChaser]

Cheers Dicko

Does putting the rubber band or cable tie through the eyes kill the fish?

Also is there any secret to making sure the yakka doesn't spin?

Spooled, the yakka will be what ever size i find.

[Guest Aussie007]

good topic this is a bridle needle still used if using cable ties?

[kingwhiting]

if the yakka is really small, you cant really bridle rig it, so you can hook either infront of the top fin or on its bum.

when bridle rigging, i like to use a short shanked live bait hook that way the hook will not go to the fish's eye even if the fish has been in the water for a long time.

[andrew399]

No it doesnt kill the fish, they last for longer than if it were pinned through the back. But dont just stick the needle straight through the eye ball, that will probably kill it pretty quick! Go through the front corner just in front of the eye ball, still through the socket but just not through the eye itself... Otherwise go through the nose hole.

Sometimes I just stick the really small sized cable tie through the nose, no need for a needle then, and pull tight around the hook. I do this with really small yakkas also, but might swap to a smaller hook... I would say though if doing this method then use a treble stinger also because even the slightest of hits will cause the cable tie to rip through the nose and you will lose your bait with no hook up if it didnt have the whole thing in its mouth. I havnt tried cable tieing through the eye socket but I dont think you would use a needle to do it, just push through the front corner.

The yakka wont spin if done like this as long as its still alive and you are only trolling really slow, say under 1.5-2kn.

I am probably going out this week so maybe I will take some photos and put them up so you can get a better idea of what i mean

[Guest Aussie007]

dicko the pics would be very helpful mate at this moment i just pin the yakka thru the nose sideways with the hook whats the difference between this and bridling?

[Evets]

Breammaster,

If you are using circle hooks you really should have some slack between whatever you attach the hook to and the bait. About 25 mm would be about right. If you dont then the circle wont work as well.

I got my bait rigging needles from a nationally recognised fabric store. The needles are about 200mm long and a bit thinner than a bamboo skewer. I made a tiny cut with my dremel at one end of the eye. Cost $0.99 each to buy.

Evets

BTW I use number 16 rubber bands to rig them up just as Dicko has described.

[BreamChaser]

Dicko i'm a few weeks from getting on the water gain so a pic would be sensational!

Cheers