A different approach to baiting up with a prawn

[XD351]

G’day raiders ,

This video popped up in my YouTube notifications.

It sounds a little strange at first but when you think about it what the host is saying makes sense and his technique may just help you to catch more fish ! 
https://youtu.be/EJ3JN9MRGQA

[big Neil]

An interesting method that seems a little elaborate.

A long time ago I was fishing for Flathead at Greenwell Point and an old guy showed me a method of rigging prawns which certainly improved my catch rate at that location.

Simply threading the long shank hook from the head end of the body and exiting on the underside of the tail end made a huge difference. Maybe somebody who fishes for Flathead with prawns on a regular basis could pass a comment on how they rig prawns,,,

bn

[Rebel]

I used to use green prawns. 

I now use  Aussie cooked prawns with no shell & size 3 or 4 Sucide hooks.

Never have a problem.

Cheers.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Rebel

[noelm]

I use them the way he says is wrong, tail first on the hook, thread on until Prawn stays straight and natural, half hitch around tail to keep straight and fished with no sinker if possible,  Very simple, takes about a second to do and works a treat.

[Bryant fish]

I can understand why he says hook it from the front but it’s a bit complicated what he does

[XD351]

Yes a little complicated, BN has proved that there is always more than one way to skin a cat ! It was something I never really thought about until I watched the video as I was taught to start at the tail end and thread it on the hook so the hook point comes out where the legs are and tie a half hitch around the tail. BN , I’m going to try your way first the next time I go flathead fishing , I think PJ’s technique may be beneficial when using finesse techniques as one could use a small fine wire hook and the weight of that hook would make the prawn slowly sink tail down . One other thing I did think about is with PJ’s technique is with the hook and line running along the top of the prawn if the half hitch slips any tension on the line may tend to pull the tail up and keep it straight - just a theory at the moment but I will be looking at this next trip.

[Restyle]

id have to give this a go next time i use some green prawns. it might be abit challenging to do so with the smaller ones but it doesn't look too difficult to do and you'll probably get rather quick at doing it the more you do it. Might be the difference on a slow day.

[noelm]

A well presented, fresh/live Prawn will catch fish, hooked frontwards or backwards (in my opinion) an old black servo Prawn on a 6/0 hook and 25kg line is a different story.

[bessell1955]

Umm.. interesting to read all the different methods to attach a prawn to a hook.

[Fab1]

On 3/5/2023 at 12:35 PM, noelm said:

I use them the way he says is wrong, tail first on the hook, thread on until Prawn stays straight and natural, half hitch around tail to keep straight and fished with no sinker if possible,  Very simple, takes about a second to do and works a treat.

My prawns must be broken as I’ve tried rigging prawns with no sinker (I always rig dead prawns like you through tail out between legs & half hitch or peeled) but they just pretty much float regardless of how still the water is.

  So I always revert back to running sinker rig.

Maybe I should just blame that bloody @Yowieas everything I’m lacking as a angler is his fault.😂

[Yowie]

5 hours ago, Fab1 said:

My prawns must be broken as I’ve tried rigging prawns with no sinker (I always rig dead prawns like you through tail out between legs & half hitch or peeled) but they just pretty much float regardless of how still the water is.

  So I always revert back to running sinker rig.

Maybe I should just blame that bloody @Yowieas everything I’m lacking as a angler is his fault.😂

Fab, don't blame someone else for your ability as a fisho.  

For dead prawns, hook up the rear end, out near the head, head off for larger prawns, and a half hitch around the tail. (Fab, you are copying me) and a small running sinker.

Drift and bounce, or cast and bounce along the bottom.

As for live prawns (smaller ones) a hook through the second last section up from the tail.

[Fab1]

18 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Fab, don't blame someone else for your ability as a fisho.  

For dead prawns, hook up the rear end, out near the head, head off for larger prawns, and a half hitch around the tail. (Fab, you are copying me) and a small running sinker.

Drift and bounce, or cast and bounce along the bottom.

As for live prawns (smaller ones) a hook through the second last section up from the tail.

I’m an expert at rigging the baits I use.That part I know I’m good at.It’s finding the bloody fish I suck at really bad.I’ve rigged prawns like that(like you) my whole life.Never used live ones. I rig live yabbies the same way or pin them through the tail once when I can be bothered getting them the few times I’ve pulled my bait pump out.

  

[XD351]

Ok , gave this a go on Saturday . Not difficult but I found the half hitch either came loose or it ripped the head of the prawn off . I ended up putting the half hitch around the head and hook which seemed to keep it all together . The way BN does his is easier and I found I can feed the hook in the Botton of the head and out at the tail then put a half hitch around the hook and head and lock it so it holds the head in place - more experimentation needed !

Edited March 21, 2023 by XD351
Got a name wrong - sorry BN 😳

[Fab1]

36 minutes ago, XD351 said:

Ok , gave this a go on Saturday . Not difficult but I found the half hitch either came loose or it ripped the head of the prawn off . I ended up putting the half hitch around the head and hook which seemed to keep it all together . The way Yowie does his is easier and I found I can feed the hook in the Botton of the head and out at the tail then put a half hitch around the hook and head and lock it so it holds the head in place - more experimentation needed !

I just think Bugger it and toss bare hooks in for my usual results of Nada,Zilch,nothing to save time.

[XD351]

We all go through lean patches Fab 1 - some worse than others like the ones below .
I used to fish with my brother - very occasionally , I would be hooking fish left right and centre but he kept missing them and he once accused me of tying a rubber hook on his line - I said naaah I would do that to you , I  would cut the point of the hook off with side cutters though 😂😂 . The mate I usually fish with went through a rough spot with fishing many years ago , we were fishing for bream under the Hexham bridge using a running sinker rig baited with a live nipper and he couldn’t lose a bait . He was up the front of my boat tea bagging around the bridge pylon and having no luck , I lobbed up the front and dropped my bait in about a foot away from his and hauled out a good sized bream - he threw his rod down on the deck and took off down the back of the boat for a sulk all the while muttering something about God hating him. I did let him in on my secret though - before we left I used to pet his dog and I said it masks the smell on your hands , next trip  when arrived to pick him up I found him rolling around on the front lawn with his dog - poor dog didn’t know what was going on , all of a sudden it got all this affection 😂😂😂

Edited March 13, 2023 by XD351

[big Neil]

On 3/13/2023 at 6:01 PM, Fab1 said:

I just think Bugger it and toss bare hooks in for my usual results of Nada,Zilch,nothing to save time.

Hey Fab, hope you're keeping well. I don't know whether to take your posts seriously mate. If I were to take them at face value, you are content to go fishing in the hope that you don't catch anything. Now surely, that can't be the case! I would be very surprised if someone in the Sydney area went out 3 or 4 times and caught nothing. If that happened they need to go fishing with someone who can show them the path to success. I hope that's not you and you're only mucking around. Cheers mate, bn

[jenno64]

Interesting idea

bit fiddly if the fish are on but maybe worth a go when it is slow….bit like tying an FG knot😫

[AlbertW]

might try rigging it with a hidden weight jighead

[XD351]

1 hour ago, AlbertW said:

might try rigging it with a hidden weight jighead

Always worth a try! 
I did try rigging as shown in the video but found the half hitch either came loose or pulled the head of the prawn off . I then reverted to the method described by BigNiel and found it worked better but couldn’t measure any improvement in bites or hookups . The main reason I see for threading it on tail first is the tail is stronger so the half hitch does it’s job better .

[AlbertW]

On 3/5/2023 at 3:44 AM, big Neil said:

An interesting method that seems a little elaborate.

A long time ago I was fishing for Flathead at Greenwell Point and an old guy showed me a method of rigging prawns which certainly improved my catch rate at that location.

Simply threading the long shank hook from the head end of the body and exiting on the underside of the tail end made a huge difference. Maybe somebody who fishes for Flathead with prawns on a regular basis could pass a comment on how they rig prawns,,,

bn

I do the opposite with entering through the tail and exiting through the head and half hitch on the tail

[big Neil]

11 hours ago, AlbertW said:

I do the opposite with entering through the tail and exiting through the head and half hitch on the tail

As most people do Albert, and myself included. But I listened to this older local guy and my results improved greatly. Never be too closed to an idea that you would not consider it. Hope you're going well with your studies and finding plenty of time for fishing. Cheers buddy. bn