How to rig live nippers

[seasponge]

Really want to know the best way to rig live nippers. I've searched the internet for pictures, articles or videos but can't find anything that actually shows you how to rig them onto a hook.

Read varying ideas of going straight through the tail, to threading the hook along their body. Any time i've used live nippers, by the time i've threaded them onto a hook, they're virtually falling apart, and definately dead. If i just thread them through the tail, they just get taken off the hook with no chance of a hook up.

How to people rig them, what size/type of hook, and how do you ensure the best chance of a hook up? Links to pics or videos would be great.

[Rah]

Hey seasponge,

I always go through the tail and am very interested in everyone else's thoughts on this.

Cheers

Rah

[Krispy !]

Thread them all the way along the hook and expose the point of the hook through their head. Any half decent fish will take them whole so you wont have a problem with hookups.

[seasponge]

Is that for live nippers Krispy? How do they fair after you've threaded them?

[Fab1]

I use a #4 LSH and thread the nipper exactly the same as a dead prawn up the hook with 2 half hitches around the tail.I find this to be the most secure method but does kill the nipper.If you pin them once through the tail like a live prawn they get torn off at the slightest touch as you have found out.Also if you need to cast them some distance keep your casting action smooth and gentle,think of a gentle lobbing motion.Don't worry about the nipper being dead as they don't last long if fish are about anyway.The problem with nippers in my opinion is if there's pickers about you go through a few in a session.At these times I switch to the humble soldier crabs or squid baits.

Cheers.

[Davemmm]

Is that for live nippers Krispy? How do they fair after you've threaded them?

Dead as a post but they still go great guns.

You can use a 1/0 and gently go from the top straight down through the end and then bring the point back out at the very edge of the head. This will keep them alive for a reasonable time but you will struggle to land flathead on that size hook. Goes fine for bream and whiting though

Dave

[Krispy !]

Is that for live nippers Krispy? How do they fair after you've threaded them?

They wont last long anyways bud, usually get a hit within a few minutes. even if they die, a fish wont pass up a fresh nipper

[seasponge]

I guess I'd been too concerned about trying to keep them alive. Every time I've used them they've just been smashed and I've never had a single hook up on them. Think I'll just sstart rigging them like a prawn and be happy knowing my bait is as fresh as possible.

[bretto101]

I guess I'd been too concerned about trying to keep them alive. Every time I've used them they've just been smashed and I've never had a single hook up on them. Think I'll just sstart rigging them like a prawn and be happy knowing my bait is as fresh as possible.

i alwas use nippers !! cant go pat them , catch almost anything on them ! flatties , moster bream , blackfish etc . just thred through the tail and bust through the chest plate .. not the head as you will kill it . remeber biggest nipper ant always the best , medium to small fish will take it in one bite and a good chance the hook will be eaten aswell from the beach with live nippers always come home with a feed !

Bretto

[DerekD]

Hi,

I've been fishing nippers for decades and I luv using them since they don't leave a stink on your hand like prawns and secondly the fish love them. Got a fair few 40cm plus whiting on them too.

My preferred method is to use a long shank number 4 hook although if I don't have one of them I will also go to a #6.

Break the big claw off at the base. They can draw blood. Flip the nipper over and look underneath and almost at the end of the tail. You will see the outlet of the poop tube. Usually indicated by some black waste under the skin. Thread it up through this hole and up to the chest cavity where you will bring it out on the underside of the nipper. You will have to gently bend the nipper around the curve of the hook.

The second method I use less often is to feed it in through the mouth and down the body exposing the hook in underneath the nipper.

I have heard one fisho who likes to pin two nippers by the tail to the hook. The theory is the extra movement of them kicking against each other attracts the fish.

[bretto101]

Yes so as I said through the tail up through the chest