The infamous Dog Run rig.

[Patrick]

Ha, I found my pic of it. This was in the Fishing Book by Outdoor Life. Written by Bates.

[JohnR]

I haven't read that book but don't believe everything you read...

[Patrick]

I don't see what is SO bad about that rig. It works!

[JohnR]

Just picture fishing with that rig;

OK, casting just a sinker, you get a sweet 100 yd cast out into some rock pile, then you let your herring run about as it wants, and IF it doesn't wrap around and knot you halfway down your line and you get a hit by a nice bass, your troubles have just started. For starters, you can't put any leverage on a fish that's hit your live bucky 100 feet from shore when your line is another 100 feet past. The fish is pulling line both from you (but you can't apply even enough pressure for a hook set) and the line to the sinker. Now the sinker, getting carried all over the place as your fish, that you cannot apply any pressure to or set up on, has plenty of obstacles and structure to get caught up on...

Would you like me to continue with the holes in that plan?? That's what I came up with in the entire 20 seconds I decided to dedicate to that absurd method of fishing. I wonder what I can think of if I put a couple minutes into it...

It MIGHT work if you're just fishing 30 feet of line but then you should really be fishing normally. AND, if this were such a great method, why don't people use it?

[Jenn]

Hey....I am always open to new things but I just dont see how this could possibly be efffective or logical...
This may be a dumb question but.....how would you properly set a hook and keep tension if the bait were to be, lets say, half way down?????

[Patrick]

That could possibly happen but once a fish eats, you'll see she will move on. Either to get back to shelter and probably to ambush the next fish that comes by. So if the fish is pulling line, he's most probably down by the end with the swivel.

[JohnR]

Never swam a live bucky before, did ya... It would b( I can't believe I'm going along with this)....

Let's not bring this method up in the future please...

[Saltheart]

I guess this would be about my 27th choice in ways to liveline a fish.

[Gus]

What are the top three ways to live line a fish??

I feel like a sponge, but unfortunately at this stage of my fishing career I don't have much to offer......yet!!

[JohnR]

1. In the water...
2. Attached to a hook...
3. Just kidding....

Gus - it depends alot on where you are fishing from, what you are using (herring, macks,...), what environamnet (fishing from boat, bridge/pier, shore, canal...)... Where area do you live and fish, No Shore, So Shore????

One important rule for mackeral - keeping the fish alive is extremely hard and it is necessary to clean/replace the water they are in frequently. Small amounts of blood from one fish will quickly kill of the others... (Keep water cool)

One important rule for herring - Keep cooler water circulating in a round tank. Herring will die off quickly if water is too warm (even if temp is greatly different from where they were taken from), poor air circulation, like a weak pump or clogged from scales...

Really, if fishing mackeral, run a 6/0 or 7/0 bait hook just behind the dorsal fin and gently lob-cast fish out there. Too much pressure will break off the fish... Macks scream along faster than herring so always keep eye contact with how the line is entering the water take out excessive slack but otherwise let them roam free to attract the bass...

Same thing with herring but you can also run the hook through just nehind the nostrils when lining them... When the bass hits, let them run a bit, take in the slack and set the hook...

[Gus]

John,

I live in Ashland MA, I often launch my 19.5' boat mostly in Warwick, RI or sometimes the Boston Harbor or Falmouth. I just started fishing last year and have caught the fishin' bug in a big way. I'm learning with each chat, each article and now hopefully at a class I just signed up for. Thanks for all the tips.....I still have many questions......This site has been a great help.

Thanks,
Gus

[JohnR]

Glad to help you out Gus and I know others hear feel the same way but that is really what these sites are all about... Try to hit some of the SB Tourney Meets this year...