[hartattack]

5. TACKEL AND RIGS
Fiddler fishing... Lami MB963M and cut tip slightly.
Spring fishing... Lami MB1143F cut back to 11 tip and slightly off
the bottom to suit the fishermen due to its length.

Other options were the Mikes Special (inshore fiddler and great
skimmer rod) and MB 1083M for early spring fishing down south off of
Long Branch or in the channels.

Fall fishing...mid depths, MB1143F with 11 tip or cut to 12 tip, or
Shakespeare GBU 84 series.

Winter fishing...MB1143F cut to 13 tip. Fenwick 1206 (especially
when you knew their was a chance for cod) and MB1083M were also
used.

Reels, newell 220, 4 to 1 and 3.6 ratios for shallow water.
Newell 229 as your all around tog reel.
Fall fishing, newell 322.
For fishing the deeper if using mono, the newell 332 and 338 were used,
but the newell 322 with 50lb spectra is all you need. Other then a
sidewinder, the newell was by far the best tog reel around.

50lb power pro spectra,
4/0-5/0 gamakatsu octopus hook,
either a 50lb or 60lb shock leader of 3 foot of trilene, ande or
silver thread mono for abrasion resistance, especially when fishing
reefs.

Uni to Uni or Albright knot for connections.
Tie hooks with both dupont stiff and softer perlon leader material depending on how the fish are biting, or make the traditional Montauk rig, where you make a Dropper loop cut one side of the loop and attach hook.

Usually longer leaders when looking for bigger fish, but watch the current and shorten the leader when necessary if the rig keeps getting tangled on the line.

Snafu with big crabs, but trim baits if the bite is picky....other then snafu rigs, use just one hook. Again cut crab legs if you are fishing areas with loads of current to prevent the bait from spinning.

If using mono instead of spectra, their are only 3 lines to use: jinkai, momoi and silver thread.

Use softer rods when using spectra, and don't stick like you are setting the hook into a tuna.

Flat sinkers to prevent your rig from rolling around, but when fishing inshore, a bank sinker works fine when fishing on rocks. Double up the loop on the bottom and put the sinker through this loop.

Best all around blackfish rig...MB1143F with 11 tip, with newell 220
3.6 and 50 lb power pro. Tip size will vary with weight of lead you need
I like ot carry 2 or 3 rods to adapt to this. I like to use the odd tip sizes from 11 ,13, and 15 for the true heavy sinker use. The use of braids has left my heaver tipped rods at home these days and using braid is the way to go for today?s togger.

Their are a number or rigs to consider...if you are fishing for big fish, then go to the Montauk rig, which is a big dropper loop that is cut at one end near the main line...the length of your leader now can range anywhere from 12 - 16 inches...I knew one fellow who fished this rig, as long as 18 inches, and caught many mule blackfish while fishing up north. When you have a picky bite, the blackfish, especially the bigger fish tend to not want to feel any tension on the line, thus the longer leader. Their are times though when you should go to a shorter leader when you get out to the deep water and have trouble hooking fish. You have to see what works best that day.

Your other option is to get straight lengths of DuPont leader material 40-50#, and cut them down to the size you like, preferably 16 inches for a single hook rig. This seems to be the best all around rig...one hook, one bait. If you are using a snafu' rig, fishing a large crab, cut the dupont leader material longer, so that you can tie hooks on both ends of the SINGLE PIECE...then make a dropper loop in the middle. I and other guys in our crew, always bring out 3 rigs, one or two rigged with a single hook on dupont leader material, and one with the Montauk rig....depending on what pieces we were fishing, is the setup we would grab. If you get onto real nasty reef bottom, you best bet is to get the rig with the dupont material due to having better abrasion resistance when compared to the regular mono rig. But if I am fishing rocky area like Southwest Ledge, or off Mass, in the Nomans area or Buzzards Bay, I go to the Montauk rig on 50lb jinkai or momoi line. I shy away from fishing two hooks since they increase the likely hood of getting hung on the piece, especially once you hooked a fish. 40 to 60 lb. Ande works just as well and I have been using this for years. Knots to know taught in the seminar will be, improved clinch, uni, uni to uni, droppers, sturgeons, snell, and palomer.