The wheels are turning and I'm still trying to cut a deal on supplies, but I need some feedback on bait sizes/colors. I know a lot of guys will want the big sluggo, but what about the smaller sizes or one of my design in 7 inch or the 4 inch. My design would mean getting some molds made or buying :( (not cheep) some liquid RTV plastic. I'm sure I could buy multiple molds from Lurecraft but it would be nice to know what sizes people would be interested in. I think it's a no brainer the 9" sluggo is wanted, so I will order multiple molds when I get the 5 gallon plastic and FUME MASK :(. Actually looking at a 6-8 inch round fume hood fan and set it up right in my cellar under a large 1-2 fan fume hood. Anyone want to trade plastic for sheet metal or know anyone that might be interested. I'd pay for the fans, but it would be nice to have the hood built correctly.

If specific mold numbers from lurecraft are available, that works too. Let me know by email or pm, thanks.

Like you said GS, 9 inch sluggos are a given.

Got FLUKE baits? :D

Ya, 9" sluggos and those fluke baits, the 7" ones you made. And how about the hook setup for those?I'm lazy.

How about a 5" white fork tailed bait. From my own experince with plastics white works great in the spring. Also very dark green is good.

GS,

How about a mold thatlooks something like this...with that screw lock thing on the eye.

9 INCH

9" and 6" sluggs light and dark colored. Some of those baits you use also. As far as the hood goes I don't know anyone off hand but they are always in the want ad under store and restaraunt. Just an idea.

Tattoo,
You ever turn that big hook upside down sticking out the bottom on the big slug????
MZ

Just put it there for the picture, I know it goes the other way.

Just checking!

GS a 7"
Fluke type bait with a larger body. Perfect for my jigs!

Originally posted by Tattoo
Just put it there for the picture, I know it goes the other way.

Are you sure:), this is my rigginghttp://www.rgsiroisco.com/striperbaits1.jpg and all flat sides on baits IMHO should be on top. Why, because the bait glides better, the flat side offers somewhat better snag resistance and because I say so :).

GS,
Better hook up ratio with hook out the bottom, but you are correct about the snag resistance.
Do your hook have a pin holding it onto the bait in front?????
MZ

OK, I change my mind, I'll rig it the other way. Only because GS said so!

If you rig it Texexposed you hook it like GS's pic. That is they way Lunker City recomends it.

Like all sizes, 4 colors I prefer white, green, and yellow in that order.

Ice

It's a screw lock I'm making myself out of 175# single strand SevenStrand wire and as to hook up ratio, ask anyone that's been out with me....don't miss many rigged this way. BUT, I've got the appropriate rod, reel and 30/6 spiderwire, the later of which I deem key to success rate with any plastic baits.

Here's a pic of the hooks and screwlock.http://www.rgsiroisco.com/striperbaits.jpg

Originally posted by Canalratt1
GS a 7"
Fluke type bait with a larger body. Perfect for my jigs!

Do you have the lurecraft catalog? If you do, any mold number close to what you'd want?

GS,
Do you have the same hook up ratio rigged your way with the 9" as well????

I've rigged them Texposed with the Lunker City hook and had a hard time hooking up much at all. My buddy showed me how he rigs them with a 9/0 O'shaugnessey out the bottom and I hooked up more, but I'm still looking to get a better hook up ratio than that even.
MZ

Marc I have a sluggo rigged up with the texposer hook, but I put the eye of a smaller trebble hook up the shaft so it has 2 hooks exposed near the head of the bait. After I slid it up I crimped down so now the eye of the trebble cant come off the barb of the texposer hook if I should hook up. Have not given it a shot yet but it still looks good in the water. I think I might have a better shot hooking , but I think that if I was using fireline I would have hooked up a little better. Way to much stretch, doing the mono. I had more hook ups this year using them with the hook totally exposed with 9/0 O'shaugnessey. Still no big fish, but next year I plan on fishing the CT River with them for the herring run.
We have to get up there in the late spring for some hogs!

JohnS

JohnS - that's my thinking EXACTLY on where and when to use GS's plasticraft for huge, CT River in the Spring http://128.241.205.103/vbulletin/images/smilies/biglaugh.gif

Mark, I've got almost no experience with the big sluggo and my bait of choice is the 7 inch split tail. Now if I were surf fishing all the time, I'd probably throw it more for both distance and a good eel imitation. I'd still rig it that way, because I'd have no reason to think it wouldn't. I'm also using Owner hooks, which are sharp puppies and the braid is a must.

G/S, I don;t care what style you make up. Just make mine all bright yellow// Thanks

clamdigger,
I have the first prototype "clammer-pop" turned and drilled. It's hard maple a little under 3/4" dia and about 2 1/2" long. I'll paint it and wire it, what color do you want? You'll just need to get the right sized hooks, all I have is 3/0 trebels right now.....

ED, Black with a white belly // thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so black, white, yellow and green. Wish I had a lurecraft color chart to post, because there are all shades of colors. I think I will go with larger pints, some red for my primary colors and can use my trusty color wheel for specials. Man you think my fumes were bad, damn near fell over walking into Advanced Adhesives in Seabrook NH today. Picked up a GE video on mold making and catalog, but they didn't have any high temp RTV in stock. It's going to get pricing making molds out of that stuff, so I might keep my own design to the resin molds and buy lurecraft sluggo and finish fish knockoffs to keep the cost down. If any of you guys have the lurecraft catalog and can suggest the better molds for finish fish copies, let me know.

I also run my 9/0 out of the bottom and have had some good success. The hook ups are quick, and you have to be paying attention.

I like the way Gs rigs and have tried it in a round about way, with out the cork screw.

Is it online? http://lurecraft.com ??

Ya, that's the site John.

GS I ordered the catalog there are lots of molds and will have to go through it. I'm also looking for 6" shads but can get bulk for fairly cheap dough.

I have always rigged rubber out the top. Usually I use a weigted head and cut back the rubber a little to make it fit on the head so the rubber and lead match up and then a little dab of super glue to keep it on better. Fishing the ditch, the method GS shows would be a little light (for most applications) and I'm not an expert on boats and stuff....

IMO, rigging out the top is like fishing a live eel (through the mouth out the eye), fishing a bucktail, fishing an eel skin jig and most other methods other than plugs which would not swim if the hooks were out the back, actually it would probably swim but it would just flip to the "right way". Also, rigging out the bottom will tend to snag more in rocky places. My hookups with single hook jigs of all sorts out the top is pretty high in conjunction with Cortland Spectron. I like it on top :)

East Tide

East Tide, you might be interested to know that wrapping the hook shank as I do with 1/16 diameter solder, and with 5/0 and 7/0 hooks on the 7" split-tail and 10" sluggo respectively, resulted in weights on a post office scale of 1-1/2 and 2-1/4 oz. I get some strange looks from my local postal employees, but they are used to me bringing in strange things to get weighed.http://www.rgsiroisco.com/striperbaits1.jpg

I'd agree that the sluggo at 2-1/4 isn't going to be dredging the bottom, but I'd bet there are times you don't need to :). I'm still working on mold material, space to spread out in my cellar, proper exhaust hood etc, but will get back to anyone that's interested after the holidays. I figure by then I will be ready to roll with some stuff anyway.

Wow Gs i never would have thought they would weigh that much. Just out of curiosity, other than your personal preference what do you see as being the benefit to using that rig rather than one with a weighted head and solid shank? I guess IMO I would think the solid shank, ease of rigging (w/o having to wire hooks) and greater amount of size options would be my reason to use a bullet head or something... I really am not being critical I think your articles are outstanding on your site, I'm just curious. And besides, I'm jealous that your still catching fish and I am 18 hours from home!!!!

Cheers,

East Tide

I have had best luck with the 9" sluggos using the lunker city lead heads, the saltwater kind. Couple of years ago on the cape I caught quite a few fish on 1/2 or 3/4 oz, better hook up ratio then just floating it out there with a single hook. I have tried the hook that the sluggo comes with and rigged it texas style but never hooked up. Also got the chance to drift a local reef and I was doing just as well as the eel slingers, while fishing 3/4 oz. sluggo.

JohnS

The key difference IMHO is that my presentation is more horizontal because the weight is spread out over the length of the bait. Watch a dying baitfish and they don't just drop straight down to the bottom, my presentation is more natural. I take people out in my boat fishing leadheads all the time and they can't touch me. Unless they are pollack fishing :) (FW). Even fishing my baits, my rods, but with lead heads, there is a big difference in the reaction of the fish to the two presentations. I'd think that from the surf, this would be a big plus, because you don't need to get down deep and the added benefit of it almost being snag free would make it a natural. Oh yeah, add the benefit of the screwlock and the ability to land 6-12 fish maybe more before re-rigging.

That screwlock looks like a really nice idea for that texas rigged type of fishing no doubt! Don't know how you bend em up like that but on that set up the plastic won't fall down from what I can tell. I have used something similar while doing the freshwater thingy.

That was a problem with the Lunker City hooks for the 9" slugs,
rig it like normal and it would fall down unless you glued it, they could take a page from your book and put a screw lock on there and that would sovle that problem of keeping it straight on the hook.

JohnS

Gs Thats an interesting thought on the presentation although if you watch an eel swim with a hook in the face they tend to go almost straight down for cover. I am impressed with the durability of your rig though. I bet in many circumstances the reason you outfish others by so much is YOU, not the rigging. I can recall countless times that either I outfish someone who is fishing right next to me with the exact same setup, and vice versa although I rather not admit it :) I hope you take it as a compliment to your skills not my lack of faith in your rig!!!

Cheers Mate
East Tide

Ok this is interesting! John one way to keep the sluggo from slideing is to "peg it". You can use a toothpick going through the plastic into the eye of the hook and trimming the ends. The hooks they give you with the sluggos are low in hook-up percentages, GS rigs will work better. Rigging with the hook exposed and super glueing it using thread near the eye of the hooks works well, Specialist showed me that trick. Although lots of regulars at the Ditch may use jigs from 3 to 5 oz. my best producer was a 2 oz. bullet with a 7" Fin-s-fish! Another regular does good with a 1.5 oz. eel-skin jig! You can use lighter jigs but it will limit you somewhat. The trick is to find the areas to fish them. Also when the tide slows lots of guys leave??? This is still a good time but you have to change your pattern and we even go to an un-weighted sluggo or a lighter jig with maybe a shad. GS you rigs will work there and you don't have to work them as hard that 7 knot current does alot of the work for you!

Bob, I;ve been watching all the post ,you have started on this form of fishing and havn;t posted because its your game. But in general I feel most of the Questions have been good and answers informative. the thing i;ve noticed is the majority of guys are not and don;t fish the way you do, so their thinking of hook setup up ,leadhead, presentation, are not the same as yours, as you saw I fish somewhat [close] to your way and proably have a closer feel than most. I saw John R tonight for a few minutes and we discussed a custom rod for this kind of fishing [I really need two] AND yellow plastics and if things continue to go OK I hope to be even more competive next year, later master////////////////;)

I think GS's method would work most effectively in a window of about two and a half hours. One hour either side of slack. A gliding bait in slow water would be very appealing and with lighter tackle you'd be able to turn a decent fish without him getting sideways in strong current. ...mrpogie

THat is when I use my sluggos weightless in the Canal. GS' method would work well then also.

If fish aren't active and in the upper 10-15 foot of the water column, which means basically on or near the top of most ledges I fish, then I will change my presentation. I'll then use what C-Rat will relate to in his freshwater fishing, it's called dead-sticking. I've used it successfully to nail bass in 20-30 feet of water, however it's not going to work in the canal, because that current will have the bait 100 yards away before it sinks. But in a drifting or slowing moving (trolling motor) boat, the 1-1/4 oz bait will eventually get to the bottom. Then, thanks to it's snagless design, I basically let the drift present the bait, with an occassional wrist/rod snap to pop it up off the bottom to get some attention. You surf casters could use a similar approach, using the natural currents set up in the surf to basically feed the baits to the waiting bass, with an occassional snap to give it some life. Braid is still the key, because the bait isn't going to sink on a taunt line and slack with mono means trouble, but not with braid.

Like the Clamster said, a lot of you may not be getting the concept of what GS does, besides, it's something to see. The Thames is not the ideal place to use/see his presentation but you'll get an inkling into it...

Clammer!! Two Rods??? OK, ok, ok ... 2 of the same or one a little lighter & one heavier? We can also move to slightly different blanks for $$ and cents... We'll tawk...

Ok John ----Thanks!!!!!!!!!!