Live Lining Bunker..

[SaltLife1980]

Just wanted to know where everyone hooks their bunker for live lining.. Through the nose, Under the top fin, or in the belly.. I have had luck using these methods.. But just wanted to know if there is a different spot people use to hook them..

I have noticed when hooking them through the belly area they seem to swim right to the bottom and stay very active as well..

I do like using the nose as well.. And under the top fin works fine but if you go to far down from the fin they seem to die real quick..

Any info would be great on other spots to place the hook..

Thanks

[JOHN D]

behind the dosal fin. Or wherever i snagged it:D

[SaltLife1980]

behind the dosal fin. Or wherever i snagged it:D


Yea where ever we snag it we usually dont change the placement but I will be cast netting them as we leave the dock as usually.. Throw them into the live well and head out.

[Ismellfishy]

I bridle mine no matter where I want the hook:D . hook never rehooks the bait, bait stays lively, holds great, and will rip through the bunker. I vow to never miss one from a turned hook.

[SaltLife1980]

I bridle mine no matter where I want the hook:D . hook never rehooks the bait, bait stays lively, holds great, and will rip through the bunker. I vow to never miss one from a turned hook.


Very good point!!

[beerbelly]

under neath, they swim down where the fish r

[SaltLife1980]

under neath, they swim down where the fish r


That is one of the way the really enjoy using just for that reason alone.. swims right down close to the bottom..

[Gerry Zagorski]

I bridle mine no matter where I want the hook:D . hook never rehooks the bait, bait stays lively, holds great, and will rip through the bunker. I vow to never miss one from a turned hook.

I usally hook mine right ahead of the top dorsal fin or through the nose. The dorsal hook does rehook itself alot. The nose hook although less prone to re hooking, does not stay in the bunker as well.

Interested in learning more about how you bridle the bunker smellfishy??

[Ismellfishy]

Its actually very simple. I just use some old power pro and tie about a 5" loop using an overhand not with the double line and burn the tag end down to the knot. the braid flairs when burned and the knot wont slip. simply loop the power pro on the base of the hook and wrap a few half hitches, passing the eye of the hook, I use 10/0 gami octopus or circle hook, through the loop of the half hitch and the bridle is set. take a rigging needle and thread the bridle loop through wherever you would like to hook the bunker, I usually go top of back behind dorsal or through nostrils. run the hook point through the loop that was pulled through the fish. I then twist the hook and the bridle until you can just barely pass the hook back through the loop created where the bridle passes through the fish and you're all set. ideally the hook should sit fairly close to the fish.

After watching so many offshore shows where this is used for tuna and marlin, and I had missed a few fish because of a turned hook, I looked for a new technique. So far has worked 100%. when that 50+ eats my bunker, I want to KNOW my hook will hit its mark.

[SaltLife1980]

I like the sounds of that.. I am going to give it a try

[Gerry Zagorski]

Thanks.. Makes sense that your hook up ratio would be much better using the bridle set up... Found this on You Tube where they use a rubber band to do the same... Pretty slick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu0-PPYhP-w


Its actually very simple. I just use some old power pro and tie about a 5" loop using an overhand not with the double line and burn the tag end down to the knot. the braid flairs when burned and the knot wont slip. simply loop the power pro on the base of the hook and wrap a few half hitches, passing the eye of the hook, I use 10/0 gami octopus or circle hook, through the loop of the half hitch and the bridle is set. take a rigging needle and thread the bridle loop through wherever you would like to hook the bunker, I usually go top of back behind dorsal or through nostrils. run the hook point through the loop that was pulled through the fish. I then twist the hook and the bridle until you can just barely pass the hook back through the loop created where the bridle passes through the fish and you're all set. ideally the hook should sit fairly close to the fish.

After watching so many offshore shows where this is used for tuna and marlin, and I had missed a few fish because of a turned hook, I looked for a new technique. So far has worked 100%. when that 50+ eats my bunker, I want to KNOW my hook will hit its mark.

[chrislars]

I hook mine behind the dorsel, half way to the tail. Just have to be careful not to hit the spinal cord which paralyzes them or kills them quick. They can still swim but they look wounded. This way a lot of the hook is exposed when the bass hit. Like mentioned above though, snag and drop also. :D

[Ol Pedro]

I started to use the stinger rig last year that I used for Herring . I snell a large Octupus hook leaving a long tag end and attach another hook . Nose hook and hook the stinger lightly close to the tail . leave a little slack in the stinger so the bait can swim . You can use a large j hook on a dropper for the top connection also. It looks a little funky but worked for us .

[Capt Sal]

Quick Rig.Pliers and small metal clip takes three seconds and you have a bridle.They come in different sizes,the smaller ones are good for peanuts or snappers.Nothing worst than a turned hook.A treble works but not for release.Double treble, one thru the snot locker and one behind the dorsal is deadly!

[Capt Sal]

http://www.quickrig.com/pages.php?pageid=16 Watch the video and the rest is self explanatory.

[SaltLife1980]

That video is great!!!



Thanks about for all the replays!

[JayO]

http://www.quickrig.com/pages.php?pageid=16 Watch the video and the rest is self explanatory.

Capt Sal,

Thanks! Those look great...

Do you need the special pliers or would any large enough pair work? They look like normal split ring pliers...

[SaltLife1980]

Thanks everyone.. Im going to give it a shot this season.. try something different..

[Capt Sal]

Capt Sal,

Thanks! Those look great...

Do you need the special pliers or would any large enough pair work? They look like normal split ring pliers...
It is possible to use a plit ring pliers.What ever you use the clips make a great bridle.They sell a wieghted clip for live linining peanut bunker.I don't know if he will be at the show.When i bridle a bunker my favorite is a 12-0 charlie brown circle hook.

[Ismellfishy]

It was one winter day and I was sitting around wondering what I could possibly do so I made up a bunch with what I had "in stock":D. I made up a bunch on 40# fluoro with perfection loop at the top so if one bridle got messed up I could easily slip on another to my mainline via loop to loop connection. all this talk is making me cazy, almost as crazy as that WOOOOSSHHH sound!! ahhh the sound of spraying bunker. I am about ready to go fishing at the supermarket lobster tank

[Reel Class]

you hook the bunker in the spot where you (the angler) want the most control

under neath = swimming down

nose = full control of the bait and they stay UP

behind dorsal = free swimming

Bass don't always feed down in the water column - sometimes you want those baits right up on the top or just under the surface so hooking in the nose or behind the dorsal will get more bites.

Fin-clipping keeps em' down too :)

Sometimes the livies just get no bites, ya gotta send a head, a dead bait, or a chunk down - that's still part of the "livelining" game as is true snag & drop fishing which worked better than anything last season especially later.

We don't use anything smaller than a 9/0 anymore - and no circles!

[Gerry Zagorski]

you hook the bunker in the spot where you (the angler) want the most control

under neath = swimming down

nose = full control of the bait and they stay UP

behind dorsal = free swimming

Bass don't always feed down in the water column - sometimes you want those baits right up on the top or just under the surface so hooking in the nose or behind the dorsal will get more bites.

Fin-clipping keeps em' down too :)

Sometimes the livies just get no bites, ya gotta send a head, a dead bait, or a chunk down - that's still part of the "livelining" game as is true snag & drop fishing which worked better than anything last season especially later.

We don't use anything smaller than a 9/0 anymore - and no circles!\


I'm with you on the circle hooks.. Way too many lost fish using them. I also don't like to use braid either.... I think the stretch of mono actuals helps you get a better hook set, especially with an aggressive hookset like I have.

Man you have to love when you can see your Bunker swimming on the surface and then all of a sudden.....WHAM!!! Can't come soon enough.

[Capt Sal]

\


I'm with you on the circle hooks.. Way too many lost fish using them. I also don't like to use braid either.... I think the stretch of mono actuals helps you get a better hook set, especially with an aggressive hookset like I have.

Man you have to love when you can see your Bunker swimming on the surface and then all of a sudden.....WHAM!!! Can't come soon enough.
Jerry, I do agree with with you to certain extent.In the wrong hands circle hooks are frustrating with lost fish!When you have a charter and nobody ever fished with a circle hook it is enough to pull your hair out.If you use a large circle properly it can be almost a 100% hook up.The first instinct is to set the hook.Trebles and large j hooks are used first.Once a limit is in the box it is not ethical to gut hook large bass.Circle hooks then become the proper thing to do imho.Mono is all you need for live lining and it is forgiving!
I say do what ever works the best for you but we all should treat our released bass with kid gloves.

[SaltLife1980]

Lots of great info..


thanks guys!

[Reel Class]

Trebles are not forgiving - we fish em' when we have to and when we have what the crew has what they want. After that point, we switch to the big J hooks.

Sal in regards to braid if you set the drag correctly where it's not LOCKED DOWN we really have few problems. I still love fishing mono, but all of our reels are spooled with braid so we stick with it and make it work.

[Gerry Zagorski]

All good points....

Sal - I hear you on setting the hook but old habits die hard, especially when see your bait getting whacked up on top and you loose your composure :D

Allen - Good point on loosening up the drag some when using braid. Going to give that a shot this year. I usually have all my rods set up with braid and it's a PITA switching them over to mono.

[Capt Sal]

All good points....

Sal - I hear you on setting the hook but old habits die hard, especially when see your bait getting whacked up on top and you loose your composure :D

Allen - Good point on loosening up the drag some when using braid. Going to give that a shot this year. I usually have all my rods set up with braid and it's a PITA switching them over to mono.
Want a good laugh.Start out in the morning and the charter says''Hey cap there are only six of us why do you have so many rods''.By the end of the day half are birds nested so bad we undo them at the dock.Striking without engaging the reel,reeling against the drag etc.SNAP POW_what the hell was that??Did you tighten the drag?Yea because the "string kept going out'' lol .Lot of fun to watch the fire drill.Got a good feeling this year is going to be real good.

[Blind Squirrel]

Trebles are not forgiving - we fish em' when we have to and when we have what the crew has what they want. After that point, we switch to the big J hooks.

Sal in regards to braid if you set the drag correctly where it's not LOCKED DOWN we really have few problems. I still love fishing mono, but all of our reels are spooled with braid so we stick with it and make it work.
Am I missing something here? I fish trebles with live bunker when I want to catch stripers. A bronze 8/0 or even 9/0 treble through the nostrils of Mr. Bunker may not look all that great to you or me, but stripers ain't tuna, and they really don't care what the meal's wearing for jewelry. Saves a lot of cussin' when you're reeling in slack line after a runoff too. ;)

[Reel Class]

Maybe I didn't make my point clear. You my friend did in a much more eloquent and direct manner when you used the word "catch" :)

[Reel Class]

...and when I mentioned unforgiving I was referring to releasing deep-hooked fish with trebles stuck in their gullet!

[Captain Rich]

[QUOTE=Gerry Zagorski]\


I'm with you on the circle hooks..

Gami Octopus, no circles

[SaltLife1980]

Thanks everyone.. Great info and will be putting it to use very soon...

Cant wait!!!!