Went out and fished the 20 fathom line. Caught and released a Dusky. Hit a double mackerel filet on a double hook rig with no skirt. 60' down.

Just wondering if there are any tricks or tips to getting the hooks into a whole mackerel? I had a heck of a time making the baits "look right"with single and double hook rigs especially with the squid skirts on them. The skirts never sat right on the mouth of the fish. If the rigs didn't have hooks on them I'm guessing I could run the wire right up and through the mouth. But if the hooks and swivels are on what's the trick. The double hook rigs end up with a big wire running down the side of the bait.....think that's ok? Filets are no problem. Whole fish ???

Cap, try one of our shark rigs, The hooks are offset 90degrees from each other so you can put one hook through the top of the macs head and the other through its back. Works great with a live bluefish as well.

 

The way I rig my whole mackeral baits is to run the wire through the anal cavity of the bait and through the mouth, then haywire twist the wire to the swivel. This way the hook sits correctly in the fish, facing out. When you have connected the wire to the swivel, use some 30 lb. monel wire to wire the mouth of the mackeral (or other bait) shut. You can use a skirt over top of the bait if you want.

Don't use offset hooks on this bait - when rigged correctly with a straight hook, the bait will "Swim" through the drift and also when you retrieve it to check it. You can add action to the bait by filleting it up from the tail on both side to about where the hook is - this will give it some more wiggle and help it swim better.

 

We use offset hooks and never have any problems with the way our baits lay. Meaning they dont spin..
In addition, the offset hooks will greatly increase you hook up rate.. thats for sure.

 

So the hooke will be exiting through the sides of the fish instead of the bottom? Or one through the bottom and the other through the top?

BTW really nice gear. I checked out your site. Impressive. Now I know what the fuss is about.

 

We never use or have used two hook rigs. If your fishing mackeral baits you don't need to run the hook to the end of the bait. Simply hook the mackeral through the lips and skirt him. I am serious here, your going to be cutting many fish loose, why waste two hooks and why leave a fish with two hooks?

if you must:

Run your wire down the mackerals throat through about the anal cavity.
pull enough wire through so that you can make a haywire twist.
With twist and hook laying straight, pull hook back into the mackeral. if your mackeral is soft or mushy get extra bite by placing hok through bottom portion of tail.
Allow skirt to freely move down against bait.
You are done. Don't worry about a slight twist. I have had mako's rocket out of the water after what they though was the elusive hurt spinner mackeral!

 

So the hooke will be exiting through the sides of the fish instead of the bottom? Or one through the bottom and the other through the top?

BTW really nice gear. I checked out your site. Impressive. Now I know what the fuss is about.

Thanks Cap.
All the advice your getting here on the barn is great advice.
But I have learned though the years to try and make things a simple as possible.

Yes, I put one hook through the top of the macs head, This leaves the other hook lying on the macks back. I see where the hook will lay once its through, hold that spot with my finger, then put the hook trough. It takes 10 seconds to rig the bait.

When the skirt is over the mac, you dont see the hooks or the cable.

I use to use a single straight hook before I started this company. After loosing more fish then I caught, I started making my own shark rigs and hooked 95% of the fish that bite..Thats how OCT was born and my Shark rigs have not changed.

 

Thanks alot guys. All this info is great. I appreciate you guys sharing your experience.

 

A single hook in a mackeral works just fine. I feed a long homemade rigging needle through the anal hole and out the mouth then pull the leader through leaving 3/4 of the bend of the hook exposed. Then I use a piece of #14 bare copper wire to rig it to the leader. Feed it through the upper and lower jaw and bend it over than wrap the other end of the copper wire around the leader. This keeps the hook from tearing into the bait. I also rig fillets with the hook near the bottom and the leader wired to the top.

Diver-Down