Killer Tangle Free Cod Rig

[Leif]

No tangle Cod Rig.

I was never an advocate of "Bells and Whistles" When it came to rigs. Especially Cod.
I always used a 2 hook "High Low" rig tied on 60-80lb leader. The 6-10 in snelled 7/0 bait holders were looped through small dropper loops and that was it. If it was a sticky wreck one high hook did the trick. Often those rigs would get stuck and twist/tangle up. Here is a rig I have used with much sucess in New England New York an New Jersey.

Tip. Since there are not tons of Cod around I use the "Last one down is a rotten egg method". Meaning I am ready with bait on to hit the bottom as soon as possible after anchoring. When that Cod sees those grubs and clam on your hook first....you got him! "You snooze you lose"

The Cod are coming back. Hit the Gambler, Jamaica, Jamaica II, Voyager, Golden Eagle or other Sponsor fishing for them. I have caught Cod on most of these boats. If you can't get out now, the Spring should be good too.

This rig works great when there is a current. It does not tangle and it catches Cod.

You can also remove the botom hook and replace it with a smaller hook on a snelled leader for ling.
DISCLAIMER...
CONDITIONS VARY SO NOTHING WORKS PERFECT ALL THE TIME AND I KNOW EVERY COD FISHERMAN HAS THERE FAVORITE RIG.

Materials

7 ft 80-100lb clear Leader
3 230lb Spro swivels
2 8/0 Mustad/Eagle Claw O'Shauhnessy
2 6-8 in Pink Grubs

First open eye of 8/0 hooks and attach swivel, close eye using pliers. The swivels allow the hooks and bait to rotate so the rig will not trist on itself.

Sharpen these hooks!!! I use a dremel to do this because it is fast. Whatever you use make sure the hooks are sharp.

1 Tie a Perfection loop in one end for the sinker
2 Tie a 6in dropper loop 6-8in up from the loop
3 Tie in another Dropper loop 3ft above the first.
4 Attach one Swivel with clinch Knot 6-10 in above last loop
5 Loop hooks on and thread on pink grubs.

Leif

[Nukeman]

Thanks Leif
Tying some as soon as I get off the board.:D :D

[Tin Squid]

There is another advantage to the rig you are depicting. When the bergalls have stolen all of your bait and you are reeling in to stick your hands in the clam bucket for the 4000th time, do not be surprised if a pollock jumps on one of those grubs. In other words, to those who try this rig, do not be sleeping while reeling this rig in and vary the speed of the retrieve as you may end up with a "bonus pollock"

Nice rig Leif!

[Leif]

Thanks for mentioning that one Tin Squid (Pollock are Prince's but Cod is King)and good luck with the rig making Nukeman.

Leif

[Leif]

Forgot to mention. Tropics on the board makes a great rig so if you are not too good at rig making you might check with him. He has helped me out in the past. Traps1(Sam has the sinkers) No better deal! Also "Harlee Rod" has all the materials at really good prices. (Especially the swivels and leader) Good luck....

Leif

[wilboy]

nice rig but why the swivel on the hook and how do u put it on :confused:

[tropics]

Thanks Leif The help you provide to all its a pleasure to give you some:)

Richie

[Leif]

nice rig but why the swivel on the hook and how do u put it on :confused:
wilboy,
Thanks for the question and interest. The swivel allows the baited hook to rotate if needed in the current. In doing this the rig will not twist up. When a fish is hooked it helps as well for the same reason.

To add a swivel to the hook:
I use a pair of pliers or Vise Grips to clamp on the eye of the hook and bend it open.(pushing on the hook) Same method to bend it back after the swivel is in place.

This does not work with the Hardened Gamakatsu type hooks. The metal is too hard and the eye will snap.(Unless you heat the eye with a torch, but this is another story.)

Hope this helps,

Leif

[wilboy]

thanks leif that sould help nicly rigs do tend too tang when the line spins

[Codguy]

Very nice rig Leif. Never thought of adding that extra swivel. I was just curious, I have rarely used the cod grubs here in NJ, mostly up North. Do you think they work as good down here? I seem to have better success with a small bright pink or glow barefoot squid down here, and score better with grubs up there.

[Leif]

Very nice rig Leif. Never thought of adding that extra swivel. I was just curious, I have rarely used the cod grubs here in NJ, mostly up North. Do you think they work as good down here? I seem to have better success with a small bright pink or glow barefoot squid down here, and score better with grubs up there.
Hey Codguy,
I have caught Cod using both the grubs and squid up North and in New Jersey. I have caught more Cod overall up North on these type of rigs.

One observation I have in NJ is that over the past few years it seems that the shorter dropper(6in or so) with some type of attractor, whether it be a pink grub, squid skirt or squid in white, pink or glow is more effective than a "traditional" NJ rig.

I would say it is hard to tell which is better because there is just not a volume of fish in this area. Cod as you know are generally not to shy when it comes to eating. It seems like if you are the one with something substantial and enticing on the hook before and after the bergals get to it you may be at an advantage. I hope I get the opportunity to gather further data to give a better answer.

Leif

[Codguy]

I will be doing more NJ research next week. I will go 1 and 1. 1 squid, 1 grub. Like you said, great opportunity for research

[Leif]

Good luck Codguy. I plan on fishing the Gambler 20-40 mile trip on Sunday if they go.

Leif

[Life's A Beach]

Leif

do you use si-wash hooks when using the swivel? That's what I use for stingers on bucktails for fluke; cheaper than the pre-made "assist hooks".

[Leif]

Leif

do you use si-wash hooks when using the swivel? That's what I use for stingers on bucktails for fluke; cheaper than the pre-made "assist hooks".
Haven't used si-wash for anything other than Jigs with the swivel. Good idea for the bucktail stinger hooks. I don't like the way those pre-made assist hooks work with the bucktails and they are expensive. Good idea.

Thanks, Leif

[SNAPS]

Nice post.

I use the similar rig, smaller dimensions for surf fishing clam for stripers, for the sinker I add a swivel and duolock snap tied on the on the bottom with a clinch knot, w/ swivel top and bottom the entire rig spins in the surf.
Nice rig-very good idea using the swivels on the hooks, have to try that.
thank you

[Life's A Beach]

yo

HRU rulez; welcome

[Chris G]

leif, nice rig. you ever have those gama' siwash hooks open up on you? i've seen a few come loose when jigging cod. not all the way but... definitely enough to make me nervous. wonder if VMC makes open eye hooks?

don't forget slug-o's as a teaser too. fished with them up in boston & the cod went bananas for them.

[MVP]

I have used that same rig with swivel attached to hook for close to 20 years now. Learned it from one of the cod sharpies on Helen H on one of my first cod tris. Nice pics of rig. Up in Hyannis cod seem to like the Pink. If you fish out of Walshes they seem to like blue teasers. That is why it is always good to be prepared for whatever they like on a given day.

MVP

[jmurr711]

just curious as far as the teasers is there any special type you'ld reccomend. i was fishing gup! 5 inchers offsshore last week and culd not keep the pitbulls off of them.

[Leif]

It seems Cod, in general like pink or red teasers.
Like MVP said, it seems like certain colors work better in different areas at different times. I always liked the pink grubs and pink skirts for the Cod but have seen them caught on white green , purple and of course no teaser at all. Be prepared.. The Tsunami squids work well too. I never used Gulp for Cod yet. Whatever you do....DO NOT USE ORANGE.

Leif

[Life's A Beach]

and pray tell us why not orange?

[Leif]

Orange=Absolute Shark/Doggie magnet.

Leif

[Capt. Debbie]

No tangle Cod Rig.

I was never an advocate of "Bells and Whistles" When it came to rigs. Especially Cod.
I always used a 2 hook "High Low" rig tied on 60-80lb leader. The 6-10 in snelled 7/0 bait holders were looped through small dropper loops and that was it. If it was a sticky wreck one high hook did the trick. Often those rigs would get stuck and twist/tangle up. Here is a rig I have used with much sucess in New England New York an New Jersey.

Tip. Since there are not tons of Cod around I use the "Last one down is a rotten egg method". Meaning I am ready with bait on to hit the bottom as soon as possible after anchoring. When that Cod sees those grubs and clam on your hook first....you got him! "You snooze you lose"

The Cod are coming back. Hit the Gambler, Jamaica, Jamaica II, Voyager, Golden Eagle or other Sponsor fishing for them. I have caught Cod on most of these boats. If you can't get out now, the Spring should be good too.

This rig works great when there is a current. It does not tangle and it catches Cod.

You can also remove the botom hook and replace it with a smaller hook on a snelled leader for ling.
DISCLAIMER...
CONDITIONS VARY SO NOTHING WORKS PERFECT ALL THE TIME AND I KNOW EVERY COD FISHERMAN HAS THERE FAVORITE RIG.

Materials

7 ft 80-100lb clear Leader
3 230lb Spro swivels
2 8/0 Mustad/Eagle Claw O'Shauhnessy
2 6-8 in Pink Grubs

First open eye of 8/0 hooks and attach swivel, close eye using pliers. The swivels allow the hooks and bait to rotate so the rig will not trist on itself.

Sharpen these hooks!!! I use a dremel to do this because it is fast. Whatever you use make sure the hooks are sharp.

1 Tie a Perfection loop in one end for the sinker
2 Tie a 6in dropper loop 6-8in up from the loop
3 Tie in another Dropper loop 3ft above the first.
4 Attach one Swivel with clinch Knot 6-10 in above last loop
5 Loop hooks on and thread on pink grubs.

Leif
Capt.
Funny I never thought of putting grubs on salt water stuff. And I can't think of a good reason (except for bluefish) not to dress with one.

Great tip, cod fish or not. THANKS!

Capt. Frank

[MVP]

Type of teasers used will depend on what they are feeding on.
If fish feeding on sand eels Fly type teasers, tubes and grub type mimick sand eel.
Squid type teasers if feeding on squid.
Plastics shad type of grub type for shad.
As you always hear try to match the hatch. Also the fluttering effect of different type of teasers will entice fish to strike.


MVP

[Leif]

Cod flies work to as a general imitator.

Leif

[jjdbike]

just curious as far as the teasers is there any special type you'ld reccomend. i was fishing gup! 5 inchers offsshore last week and culd not keep the pitbulls off of them.
Great thread, nice rig pic & good Q jmurr711.
I would like to know what grubs & squids you guys are using. I always wanted to try Gulp on that type set-up, both gulp squid & gulp twist-tail grubs. What did you mean by "pitbulls"... dogfish?
Thanks.
JD

[jjdbike]

OK here's a question.
I've used this set up w/ siwash open-eye piched on to a swivel. Not the perfect hook design for the application.
What might be great would be an open eye or ringed (non-forged) bait holder. The longer, but not too shank would be good for both grubs & squid. The baitholder slices will help hold grub on. Open eye or non-forged ringed so a swivel can be pinched on.
What do you think.... any suggestions?
JD

[Leif]

OK here's a question.
I've used this set up w/ siwash open-eye piched on to a swivel. Not the perfect hook design for the application.
What might be great would be an open eye or ringed (non-forged) bait holder. The longer, but not too shank would be good for both grubs & squid. The baitholder slices will help hold grub on. Open eye or non-forged ringed so a swivel can be pinched on.
What do you think.... any suggestions?
JD
I use the O'Shaughnessy Eagle Claw 254 hook because the eye of the hook can be opened and swivel attached easily. It is a strong hook with a good shank for the grub. If you use the saltwater grubs they appear to be harder and really stick to the hook. They rarely slip.

The siwash open eye hooks are easy to work with but for this application I feel the hook is too heavy, too wide of a gap and too short of a shank.

I like the idea you had of the bait holder(non-forged) with an open eye or ringed eye. I haven't seen these available though. I have tried heating the eye of these forged hooks with a torch. It works but it is a lot of work and sometimes the eye still breaks and is probably weaker if it doesn't.

Trying different things and improving on ideas is always good. Thanks for the comments, ideas and interest. I am always open to learn and consider all options when it comes to fishing.

Leif