HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[cuda]

just wondering what everyones rig of choice is in the surf with live shimp (lemon rig)(popping corke)(rattle corke)or free line

[SurfRunner]

Rattle float! Easy to install on your line and it makes a lot of noise.

[Big John at work]

It would be best to freeline live shrimp in the surf if possible.

The depth would prevent using a lemon cork, unless you fish from a yak out around the thrid bar or off the jetties.

I would go with a popping cork or an Almeda Rattler if wading in the surf if you have to. Use black swivels and hooks with the Almeda, because they are less visible in the water. Most popping corks can be bought with a two or three foot long metal leader attached to it that is already black.

You can also fish bottom with live shrimp on a leader with sufficent distance between the tie off to the bait and the weight. Live shrimp directly on the bottom will be stolen quickly.

Good luck and tight lines.

[cjlandry]

Have any of you tried the rig with the small float that keeps the bait suspended off the bottom? The float isn't large enough to keep the weight off the bottom, but it is large enough to keep the bait off the bottom.
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Chad Landry

"Whiskey for my men, and beer for my horses"

[SurfRunner]

I haven't but I know they have been doing it for years on the east coast.

I have only recently been seeing them for sale in tackle stores.

[Coach]

Black Swivels & Hooks..... does this rely work? How about in the Laguna Madre??? I just use the florocarbon invisiable line.......
I have always tied my own leaders - are the ones at the store better?

[cjlandry]

I don't like the clip ons. For a test I tied one on a piece of 12# mono and the wire on the clip straightened before the line reached near it's capacity. So I'd avoid the ones at the store unless you plan to remove the clips and tie directly to them. Some of the tiny "key-rings" may work to replace the clips, but I'd just as soon make my own rigs.

[Gibson241]

I suggest black swivels in the surf when macks are present.

More than one time have I had those pyschotic fish hit my gold swivel and cut my line.

They very seldom hit the swivel when I use black.

[Big John at work]

Coach,

The point of black is that silver and brass swivels and snaps attract spainish mackeral which hit the swivel and cut your line as they are zooming by. Also the black is less likely to spook off fish than an objest in the water that is brightly colored. You want the fish to focus on the bait, not the leader.

I now tie my own leaders and they seem to be more affective than store bought. - Thanks to Flakman for the lessons!!!

The store bought ones work good too, but by tying you own, you have more control over bait placement, which is very important in the surf.

I really only fish lures in the Laguna, so I couldn't comment of whether black works better there or not.

Tight lines!

[GoinCoastal]

I use the tiny SPRO 50# test black swivels for everything, surf and bay. I use the double uni knots to tie fluorocarbon directly to my line and I use a swivel at the end of the fluorocarbon. That way I can reel my leader into my rod for better casts.

If I was going to use live shrimp in the surf, it would be under a cajun thunder weighted rattling cork. If i know the fish are there and the water is clear, I would freeline the shrimp. Personally, I think you would be better off using 1/2oz or 1oz DOA shrimp under the same condiions instead of live shrimp in the surf and the 1/4oz or 1/2 oz in the bay. They catch tons of fish and they don't get you hands all smelly. You won't catch a bunch of junk fish either or have to mess with bait stealers.

my .02
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GoinCoastal aka Cap'nSherbet

[Bluffer]

Like the "key ring" type, wont straighten or come out on you....Just a little more cost, but like everything else you get what you pay for!
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Fish hard, fish the Bluff. Surrounded by water!
-A quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem-