Eyedog
07-06-2000, 08:11 PM
I am tying my own rigs for the first time this year. would greatly appreciate your advice, especialy on line type and # test.
............Thanks, Eyedog
When live bait rigging -
In general go with the lightest line that you feel comfortable with. i.e. this lighter ine will allow better action for your live bait. The flip side of too light line is the possibility to lose a big one.
Again - for live bait rigs - many folks for the last year or so, have been going with florocarbon lines because of their clarity - and the perfectly natural bait presentation.
The average is 6 lb. may go to 4 lb if you have a good drag - not likely to run into 10 lb fish and are looking for numbers.
For all around fish - the 8 lb test will catch nearly any size walleye - as long as a person is reasonable in how they bring it in and have a good drag on their reel.
Typically the live bait rig is simply a plain hook - very deadly an awful lot of the time.
Or, perhaps the addition of a colored bead or two. Often a single chartruse, or red, or glow in the dark bead makes the difference. Sometimes the simple addition of this bead turns off the fish as well. Try it both ways to see what works.
Then there are folks that will try combinations of colors to insure that they have the right color for all water condition.
If you are going to tie spinner rigs -- many folks continue to use the florocarbon -- actually not a bad choice because it tends to be a stiffer line - holds up well to the abrasion of the spinner etc. The typical spinner rig is tied with 8,10,12, or 14 lb test line. Again - use the lb test line that makes sense. If you are only using a couple of beads, small spinners, small hooks, for crawler rigs, and aren;t expecting huge fish - then the 8 or 10 lb test make sense.
If you are going with larger spinners, and or fishing the big lakes where the big fish roam, then the heavier line makes sense.
If you aren't goiing with florocarbon - lines like Berkley LX or tournament in either clear, or green are good choices as is Magnathin or any of the other - "limp" lines that allow good bait action.
With the spinners - the tougher lines, like Berkley XT, Silver Thread, Excaliber, Stren Tough line all make sense.
Use the old adage to "match the hatch". Use the line size and flexability, and clarity to match the expected conditions. Tie up a few variations - line colors, limpness, numbers and colors of beads, and spinner combinations and try them all and find what works best for you.
Often unexpected combinations like purple, and orange together - turn on fish.
In the last couple of years -- hot pink -- in both beads and spinner blades has been an exceptional color for some of the clearer - MN lakes that have a lot of Blood Worms on the bottom of the mid lake flats.
So, try what the other folks are using and if it doesn't work -- try a few odd ball combinations --
you might make a new discovery that is absolutely unbeatable for catching fish.
Enjoy the pleasure of creating your own rigs.
Take Care
REW
p.s.
If you go the slip bobber route -- because you are typically bobbered up off the bottom and don't have to worry about the abrasion of rocks, and becuuse you want the maximum in bait action --6 lb test is considered normal and 4 lb test is fairly ordinary to be used. Again, with a good slip bobber rig - you are typically using 7 to 8 foot rods that are fairly soft -- and have a lot of forgivness when you are bringing in the fish.
Remember that a lot of fish are lost at the boat - due to break offs or throwing the hook. Most of these break offs could have been avoided by the use of a lighter action rod, a longer rod, lighter drag, or the use of common sense, in giving the "fish its head" at the boat. i.e. - when the fish wants to make a run - drop the rod tip - point the tip of the rod at the fish, and let him take line. Remember, with the rod tip up, there is an awful lot of friction on the guides that can cause heat to build very quickly and actually melt the line - or the increased friction -cause the line tension to go up and exceed the breaking strength of the line.
Conversely, by dropping the rod tip - the frictin goes down, the ine doesn't break and the fish is in the boat.
Take care
REW