Trying LB Live baiting

[TurtleTown]

Hi brains trust,

Iv'e never done live baiting so I've read a lot of posts and information on it and have come up with what i think is a reasonable rig covering most options and using what i have available plus buying a few little extras and wonder if i should change anything. The main intent of it is i fish shore based between spit bridge and Roseville bridge mostly and I often get a few Yakka 10-20cm around and thought id throw one out while i was using my small rod with bait or SP's, so i assume id be getting Flathead, tailor, Bonito, school jew, kings and possibly a shark (happy for sharks over 1m to bite my rig off and disappear) mainly in that area? but nothing huge.

So my current rod is a 6-10kg 10ft rod i use on the beach but i intend to get 7ft version at some point for this, 6000 eggbeater reel currently with straight 20lb mono (soon to be backed with 30lb braid leaving 50-100m of 20lb mono on the top). The rig would be a black 3way swivel with on a 60cm 10lb mono trace going to a sinker off one side and a 40cm fluorocarbon 15lb trace going to a 2/0  Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hook then linked to another hook with 7 strand black 20lb coated wire. I was going to pin the yakka through the nose or shoulder with the first hook  and above the lateral line in the tail with the last hook. The idea of having a lighter line to the sinker is so it can be sacrificial if it gets caught in rocks and the wire is to stop tailor as they would most prob bite the tail off first.

If you can make sense of that description does it sound ok? Any improvements without spending big money? Should i change the last hook through the tail to a normal Gamakatsu Octopus hook to improve hookups on tailor?

Thanks

 

[wazatherfisherman]

G'day Turtletown try this rig:- ball sinker on mainline,small bead(to stop sinker getting stuck on swivel) then swivel. Then 60cm(any longer you start losing casting distance) fluorocarbon leader in 25-30lb range then 2 snooded suicide(octopus) 4/0 or 5/0's. You might lose a few rigs to snags(if snaggy!)but it's quick,easy,uncomplicated and the predator can easily run off with your bait. Tailor will often bite your live-baits in half and miss the hook/s by millimetres, but persevere as some will swallow the lot. Don't use wire unless you are after Hairtail or XOS Tailor as you'll get far fewer enquiries. If you like you could substitute the snooded hooks for a set of either 2 or 3 ganged hooks roughly 4/0 "Mustad 8260 or 4200 patterns (depending on yellowtail size). This set-up has worked for me for many years live-baiting on the bottom in the harbour 

[TurtleTown]

8 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

G'day Turtletown try this rig:- ball sinker on mainline,small bead(to stop sinker getting stuck on swivel) then swivel. Then 60cm(any longer you start losing casting distance) fluorocarbon leader in 25-30lb range then 2 snooded suicide(octopus) 4/0 or 5/0's.

.....

If you like you could substitute the snooded hooks for a set of either 2 or 3 ganged hooks roughly 4/0 "Mustad 8260 or 4200 patterns (depending on yellowtail size). This set-up has worked for me for many years live-baiting on the bottom in the harbour 

Ok, thanks might try that as it’s simpler, never heard of ganged hooks on a live bait though, will stick with the snooded setup .

5/0 hook looks huge compared to what I’m used to using (6-1/0) lol thought I’d miss fish using that size but I’ll take your word for it and get some !

[blaxland]

You could also try a live bait under a bobby cork in that area, as it cools down john dory will be around. Taylor and Kings possible jews closer to the bottom.

 

[TurtleTown]

1 hour ago, blaxland said:

You could also try a live bait under a bobby cork in that area, as it cools down john dory will be around. Taylor and Kings possible jews closer to the bottom.

 

Didn’t think John Dory would be beyond the spit, would be an awesome catch if I did.

Would you set the float bait about 2m off the bottom or would you miss the kings and tailor down there as the deep water is pretty close to land 2m vertical drop from shore then getting to 10m+ Depth within casting distance I’d guess , or would it be better about 4m below the surface.

Not after anything specific really just want my best chance at a bend in the rod and some fun. 

[wazatherfisherman]

As Blaxland said bobby cork well worth trying also. Ganged hooks in live-bait are fine,been using them for many years. As it gets cooler John Dory also likely candidates and one of my mates has caught quite a few in Bantry Bay, so they certainly go upstream of The Spit. Tailor are also commonly caught fishing the bottom in deep water