how do YOU rig sluggos? (9 inch) - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BMEUPSCOTTY · 10-04-2005, 10:57 AM

I have seen a few articles and how-tos on rigging sluggos, and they all have their merits. Innovations like these are usually born of neccesity, which brings me to my question: what is it about just rigging with the included hook that caused people to look for something better? Do you get alot of short hits? I always chalked them up to small fish, and I don't need to catch them all, that's what storm shads are for

. I like the idea of wrapping the shank and glueing the bait to it, and I would like to play with the insert weights, but I have never had a problem fishing it as is. For the past week it's been all I can fish on my favorite stretch of beach due to the mung. It's practically weedless. Also, for a non-weighted soft bait it casts pretty well, even into the wind. I have been catching most fish lately right in close anyways. I understand fishing it on a jighead, to get it down in the ditch for instance, but that's not really my thing. I know what you're going to say, continue to do what works for you, which I will. I just wondered how some of you rigged yours and why

. Oh, and one other thing: does anyone have some black and some alewife or arkasas shiner I can have?

DRUMCORPFAN · 10-04-2005, 11:42 AM

i rigged mine just like the article in the fisherman, with two hooks strung with 80lb dacron with nail weights just to try it out. got a 37lber on the rear hook so i'm sold on the two hook setup

chief10 · 10-04-2005, 01:02 PM

what style/size rods are best to use with the rigged sluggo. any preferences?

DRUMCORPFAN · 10-04-2005, 01:14 PM

i use custom rods that i build on batson rainshadow blanks, 1087 1088 1089 got my big fish on rainshadow 1089 little tougher to throw sluggos as the rod is rated 1-4oz but the rod sure can stop a fish from running and i was able to cast just fine with that sluggo with some nail weights in both sides of the front and one in the tail.

chief10 · 10-04-2005, 01:22 PM

Thanks! not very familiar with those blanks. I would think you need a fast/stiffer tip to move the sluggo? I tried with an arra 1321 with a few I rigged. good action but tough to keep in contact with bait.

bart · 10-04-2005, 01:53 PM

i have been fishing the slug with a single hook with decent results on bigger fish but next year i'm gonna switch to the double hook rig. been missing way too many fish lately. used to think it was just small fish that i was missing but last night i had a 20 something hit right at my feet. i'm sure if i had the stinger hook that fish would've been landed.

BMEUPSCOTTY · 10-04-2005, 03:08 PM

Thanks guys. I'll probably end up trying using and liking the two hook rig and only resorting to the original hook in weedy situations. (like the last week and a half!)

The next question is does it change the action at all? It must not hurt it or guys wouldn't be doing it, but do you fish it differently? Does it act stiffer and lose it's "twitchyness" and act more like a tube bait or does it still dart side to side and then sit and quiver?

DRUMCORPFAN · 10-04-2005, 03:29 PM

do not fish it like you would a live eel, you know reeeelllll sllllloooooowww pick up the pace a bit and keep twitching every couple turns of the reel. it stays flexible when rigged up just like it does out of the pack.

Fish On · 10-04-2005, 05:22 PM

Listen to DCF, he knows his sluggos....

Christian · 10-04-2005, 11:21 PM

i just became a beleiver in sluggos last night.
around 30 keeper size fish.
i was just using a single 6/0 siwash with em, and they were destroying the sluggo. rigging some up tommorow morning to have for the night shift, lots of short strikes.

kippy · 10-05-2005, 08:23 AM

I agree with DCF on using the trailer hook. Take his advice, they work!

Clogston29 · 10-05-2005, 09:55 AM

I use a single Mustad 8/0 O'Shaunessy hook (sharperened often) with two 3/16 oz weights on each side of the hook and one in the tail and have missed very few fish so far. I wrap thread around the hook shank so that I can glue the sluggo to it. I think the O'shaunessy style is better than a siwash because it puts the point of the hook further back in the lure. I am going to rig up some double hook ones this winter and experiment to see if its worth the effort. These things really work great and the point about retrieving them relatively quickly is very important. I was fishing them too slow for a while and never had much luck. The first cast that I spead up the retrieve and held the rod parallel to the ground (to prevent the sluggo from rising up too much in the water column) I was rewarded with a 35 lb bass.

For the people who are already using the double hook rig, about how many fish do you catch on the average sluggo before its too torn up to use? I'm lucky to have a sluggo last 2 or 3 fish the way I rig them.

RIJIMMY · 10-05-2005, 10:06 AM

Clogston, that was my question too, I rigged some ala Steve Mc style. I caught one schoolie and it tore the front hook down which made it un-usable. I think thsi was becasue I did not use enough glue.
Intersted in others who have more experience.
Also, Leo, looks like you're still in the lead at MVD!

DRUMCORPFAN · 10-05-2005, 10:33 AM

ReelChitty · 10-05-2005, 12:25 PM

Does anyone mind telling me how they tie the dacron to the front hook. I can't figure out how to tie the overhand not. Or and anyone know where they have a picture demonstration of the note. Cause am completely stumped here.

DRUMCORPFAN · 10-05-2005, 01:02 PM

make like you tie you shoelaces execpt no bow, tie six or seven in a row but not on top of each other then superglue.

riverrat2 · 10-05-2005, 03:14 PM

I do it with a backwards snell and a little bit of fish glue. Works fine and I can do it quicker than that not everyone else does it with.

eelman · 10-05-2005, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReelChitty

Does anyone mind telling me how they tie the dacron to the front hook. I can't figure out how to tie the overhand not. Or and anyone know where they have a picture demonstration of the note. Cause am completely stumped here.

Read on the water august issue, its all there black and white.Everything sluggo you ever wanted to know along with photos

Chris in Mass · 10-05-2005, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReelChitty

Does anyone mind telling me how they tie the dacron to the front hook. I can't figure out how to tie the overhand not. Or and anyone know where they have a picture demonstration of the note. Cause am completely stumped here.

RC, I thought this was a help last time. Where is it going wrong for you:

...After you wrap the top hook with 4-5 half hitches, take the dacron strands, and as one unit, loosley tie and overhand knot (make single loop and thread the end through once). Keep the knot as close to the hook as possible, but keep it slightly loose. Then seperate the two strands above the knot and pull away from each other to snug the knot down against the hook (pull hard). Apply some superglue and cut away excess strands.

Here is a picture of the overhand knot before you snug it down - re-read above.

Chris

ReelChitty · 10-07-2005, 09:58 AM

Oh thanks I totally have it now. Just a warning to everyone else becareful around me becuase I am a complete moron. But thank you very much Chris that picture helped me figure it all out.

Mr. Sandman · 10-09-2005, 10:58 AM

Rig a lot of them because you will end up with a bunch that look like this. It tics you off after you spend a lot of time getting one just right, get one whack and reel in this minus a $1.00 gami live bait hook and a 1/2 of a $1.25 sluggo. Eels are actually cheaper.

The nice thing about these though is that you can just clip one on while you are plug fishing and they are lower maintenance then eels. Personally I think there is a bit too much hype about them but we might have to result to them next year as eels could to be not legal to possess.