Advice on Sabiki Rigs

[Gengar]

Hi Guys

I have been reading up on sabiki rigs and wanted to try to see if it makes it easier to catch yakkas. I am land based and I do catch the yakkas but it would be great if i dont need spend time baiting them up. However, I am not sure if there is a brand or particular shape of the actual lure/hoot that works better than others?

I have seen the Hayabusha ones which appear to be one of the best but they have some that looks like small shrimps, some with UV, multi colours etc etc. Obviously I dont want to buy every different kind and ideally just the one to at least try out first.

Any tips or recommendations? Thanks!

[PaddyT]

Depends on the location, and the time of the year. Now bearing in mind all my fishing these days is boat based ill talk about a few aspects of bait catching. I used to anchor up and berley and fish handlines and catch yakkas and slimies a couple at a time- now aggressivly sound up the schools and bomp with sabiki rigs- gets me a full tank in 15-20 minutes max most days-EXCEPT -this time of the year-i will go back to berly /bait and baited sabiki's, personally for landbased i wouldnt bother with sabiki's as its hard to keep more than 5-10 baits alive without a waterpump-aerators wont cut it. As for jigs- they all work.

[JamoDamo]

Use size 0 rocket sinkers Jarvis walker brand they have a perfect sink rate, me and my mate stock up on herring for livebait so we have done quite a fair bit 

[kingie chaser]

They work but but being land based would make it a but harder to fish with them.

I usually break them down into 2 & make 2 x 3 hook rigs out of them as 6 hooks can be a pain at times. 

Imo battery aerators work fine, I use one in my tinny & use a simple clear storage tub, keeps up to 10 yakka's alive for 4-6 hours.

I have also started to use a chum/berley cage as the line weight, attracts the fish as well as using berley.

Edited August 10, 2020 by kingie chaser

[the skipper]

Hey Gengar,

I use to use them but found they did not last very long and six hooks is a pain so I make my own.

I just use between 4-6lb line and make up a pater noster rig for two hooks and a small bomb sink in the loop on the bottom.

Hooks I use are Mustad red extra long shank 1/0 and tie them on by cutting down one side of the loop you normally feed through the eye of the hook because you will not be able to push the loop through the eye of the very small hook.

So you will be able to thread the line through the eye of the hook and tie it off do that to both loops.

I normally use salted pillies cut into very small pieces as the salted pillies have a tougher flesh and will hold on the small hook better I also flatten the barbs on the hook so as to be able for quick release into your tank without damage to fish and try not to handle them to keep them in prime condition if you have to use a wet rag.

Berley is key but do not over burley just enough to keep them around your boat .

This system works well for me on yakkas and slimies.

Cheers

the Skipper 

[New Signing]

First tip of any bait jig is to cut every second hook off. This will save you a lot of stress in the long run especially when catching slimies in deeper water. Second tip use a way over the top sinker. You do that to keep the line tight and stop the little so and so from tangling it all up.

I wouldn't bother using one from shore i think that'll be more trouble than its worth. I always had good success with a blackfish float, two hooks beneath it and chicken breast with plenty of burley as a kid

[jeffb5.8]

I use these Jigs, when I have the 3 little kids onboard, I remove two hooks or 3, add a very tiny piece of either squid or Pillie and a heavy snapper sinker.

The extra weight is needed as when the Yakkas get hooked they swim up, so if you hook two or 3 then it is a instant tangle.

I also rig them to a very cheap Kmart Kids rod as it makes it easier to secure them we moving spot, rather than a hand line.

[zmk1962]

I have seen a landbased fisherman using 6hook sabiki rigs - he was fishing in the Sumida River Hakozaki Tokyo. However, he used a sabiki purpose build rod of about 12ft length - these rods have no guides - the are like a fibreglass tube and the sabiki jig slides inside. The line emerges from the tube near the baitcaster reel. He was casting a good distance with this set up. 

Since seeing that, I have gone the whole hog and invested in two sabiki bait rods. I tie a snap swivel at the bottom of the 6 hook sabiki rigs. The snap swivel clips onto a plastic ring - I then wind the whole 6hook jig into the rod (up to the plastic ring) for storage and transport. when fishing we attach a sinker to the snap swivel and drop over the side. It has solved my tangle issues.

Agree with the use of a heavy sinker !!!!

Cheers Zoran

[Green Hornet]

I've used them successfully off the rocks using 2 different methods and firstly as others have said, I cut them back to three hooks.

First and most successful way is to fish the rig under a bobby cork and fish amongst a berley trail. The slop and backwash in close is enough to get the jigs bobbing around. This is best for yakkas.

The second method. if I'm not burleying, is to tie a light 20-28g lure to the bottom, cast and slow to medium retrieve. Works well on slimies and surprisingly garfish as well.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Green Hornet

[antonywardle]

I've got a sabiki rod. works well

 

the other thing that works well, it to get one of the better quality rigs, or make your own

with heavier line. It really helps avoid the tangles. The cheap ones are basically a one use item

[blaxland]

Just to throw the red herring max 3 hooks any rig in NSW one reason I get the twin pack not sure if mustard or wilson . These are cheap but dont last more than one or two outings. My experience is outside the heads bait not needed on a sabiki inside bait is better. As for land based JamoDamo seems to have it sussed but few herring in sydney.

Edited August 10, 2020 by blaxland

[kingie chaser]

32 minutes ago, blaxland said:

Just to throw the red herring max 3 hooks any rig in NSW

???

Please share the regulation/rules on this because you are incorrect!

Edited August 10, 2020 by kingie chaser

[blaxland]

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-rules-and-regs/perm-prohib-saltwater

 

[kingie chaser]

What's it say next line down or the 3rd line?

Rod/ hand jigging line

1 rod or handline with up to 6 single hooks with lures attached #

Edited August 10, 2020 by kingie chaser

[blaxland]

I know but I also know a guy who was booked bt fisheries. So if you bait on is it a jigging line?

 

[kingie chaser]

1 minute ago, blaxland said:

I know but I also know a guy who was booked bt fisheries. So if you bait on is it a jigging line?

 

If I was booked on this then I wouldn't be paying fine & I would be seeing them in court 😉

[blaxland]

Fair enough but as most have said 6 is too many, I have had tangles and now use a 3 hook rig exclusively and do not have to argue the point.  I suppose when targeting herring they are not as frantic as slimey Mackerel around the Sydney artificial  a lot of boats use single hooks when the bite is hot.

 

[kingie chaser]

Just to add if you were fishing with a 6 x 6/0 hook paternoster rig then I would say busted.

But  Sabiki bait rig, I'd like to see them prosecute that as long as what your catching is legit

Edited August 10, 2020 by kingie chaser

[James Clain]

I get yakkas on sabikis landbased in sydney, all wharves seaside of gladesvile hold yakkas at night usually. Finding them during the day is hard but do-able if you put the time in and try search them out and use more considerable burley. Just put a bit of broken up bead or breadcrumbs in the water to raise the bait school and get them feeding them drop your sabiki right into the middle. 

Sabikis usually come rigged with 6 hooks I prefer to cut them in half and get 2 as 6 gets tangled really easily and does not really produce extra fish since you can drop quicker. havig only 3 means that you can bait the hooks as well since it is no longer considered a bait jig, the trick with baiting the hooks is to use tiny tiny bits of bait, on a size 10 hook a put a piece of bait smaller than the size of a quarter centimeter. usually a bit of squid or small peice of bread. I find with little bits of bait the jig gets smashed quicker but if you have a visible bait school down beneath the baiting is usually not necessary. 

Once you get the hang of it yakkas land based during early daylight hours before your kingy bite is really easy and will become automatic.  Start with following my advice and after 3 or 4 successful sessions you will also be an expert . Yakkas are a little harder in the winter though but the increased nighttime hours help when getting to the spot. 

Good spots for yakkas in the morning are pier8 and ives steps. Lavender bay has produced yakkas during midday for me but I have not tried for them there in a while. 

Slimey mac is the best fresh fish burley for yakkas, I find that really gets them going during the day and I have also noticed that slimey mac burley makes the kings come on really hard as well. I have had a big hookup within 20 seconds of a cubes slimey mac going in after the yakkas frenzied. 

[61 crusher]

If you make your own Sabiki rigs or want to get more than one or two uses out of them a good way to store tangle free is to get some 25mm+ conduit or PVC pipe (cut to suit) & slide sinker & rig down with a snap swivel at other end & put a cut in the end of the pipe & rest swivel end in cut

[Gengar]

Guys i really appreciate all the advice and tip. Guess all the brands of sabiki rigs are about the same? I will try the hayabusa one but cut it in half as 3 hooks will do. I will try a small piece of squid as some suggested and see how that goes. I also read about using a heavy sinker, how heavy should i go with 3 hooks? Will a size 1 star sinker be enough?

James, i am in the gladesville area. Usually i find some yakka but not always. During summet i try to get there early and use them for the kingies. I know squid are better but havent been very successful with squid jigs.

[Berleyguts]

8 hours ago, zmk1962 said:

I have seen a landbased fisherman using 6hook sabiki rigs - he was fishing in the Sumida River Hakozaki Tokyo. However, he used a sabiki purpose build rod of about 12ft length - these rods have no guides - the are like a fibreglass tube and the sabiki jig slides inside. The line emerges from the tube near the baitcaster reel. He was casting a good distance with this set up. 

Since seeing that, I have gone the whole hog and invested in two sabiki bait rods. I tie a snap swivel at the bottom of the 6 hook sabiki rigs. The snap swivel clips onto a plastic ring - I then wind the whole 6hook jig into the rod (up to the plastic ring) for storage and transport. when fishing we attach a sinker to the snap swivel and drop over the side. It has solved my tangle issues.

Agree with the use of a heavy sinker !!!!

Cheers Zoran

Interesting that you like to use a heavy sinker, Zoran. Is that in deep water or shallow also? I find when I’m catching bait at Port Stephens (Cabbage Tree Island, Mrs Murphy’s and other locations in 5 to 14 metres) depending on conditions - I get more slimies on an unweighted rig and tend to mostly only get yakkas when I use lead. Of course, I have only used very light sinkers - haven’t tried heavy sinkers. I want slimies, not yakkas. Thoughts?

[zmk1962]

Like others posted above I find a heavy sinker helps with reducing tangles in the sabiki jigs when you get 2-3 or more fish hooked up. If I’m not using sabiki jigs then I do as you describe - little if any weight. 
cheers Zoran 

[zmk1962]

12 hours ago, blaxland said:

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-rules-and-regs/perm-prohib-saltwater

 

@blaxland I’m 100% with @King chaser on his interpretation. When using the 6hook set up I do not put bait on any hooks - but I have found a dab of SP attractant on a few of the jigs improves the bite rate. 
cheers Zoran 

[kingie chaser]

1 hour ago, zmk1962 said:

I have found a dab of SP attractant on a few of the jigs improves the bite rate. 

Great idea