Rigging Live Yabbies

[Dan A]

Was up North this week and pumped some live yabbies, I was rigging the hook through the tail, the yabbies seemed to be eaten up right away but, the hooks never seemed to set.

How do you rig live yabbies?

Dan

[Guest Target]

Dan

Size 4 long shank hook. Pass it right up the tail and exit BEFORE the body. If you pass the hook through the body you can kill the yabbie and it wont be as effective a bait. Then to keep the yabbie sitting on the hook properly, tie a half hitch in the line around the top of the tail. If you are missing hookups, the fish that are biting are too small and not worth catching anyway.

Some people recomend taking the nipper off first as it can scare the fish off the bite - as above, you are only scaring the smaller fish on - leave the nipper on. try also using a red tube above the hook AKA worm style. seems to help the attracion.

If you are ever worried about getting your fingers nipped by a large nipper, ask Tim about my special method of 'de-nipping' them

Adrian

[Trouble]

I usually put them on quite similar to how a prawn would be put on, start from the tail and usually bring the barb through the bottom of thehead(sounds cruel i know but very effective)9 times out of 10 fish will attack the head so i have been told and from previous experiences it seems close to the truth and yeah long shanks are the way to go..

Edited November 12, 2005 by Trouble

[Dan A]

Ok great,

That helps heaps, will give it a go next time.

Dan

[kevvie]

A technique i employ is similar to what has been discussed here, N0.4 mustad long baitholder series hooks thread the hook exactly like a prawn exiting through the head cause its the toughest part of the nipper.. I also use a keeper hook which slides up and down the trace and pin the tail so the the nipper doesnt come off the hook as well. I dont have a problem killing the nipper on the hook as dead frozen nippers work just as effective as live ones all day.

[Gibbofisho]

I was recently shown a very effective method of rigging these buggers, i used a long shank hook, not sure what size, but i would pass the hook through the underside of the tail on the last shell nuckle, out the back and then back in trough the back and out the underside a bit closer to its head but still in the tail. Now if your still with me, you can then pull the eyelet of the hook through the nipper tail and place the hook through the underside of the nippers cheast and out between its eyes, then turn it so the hook is resting neatly against the chest of the nipper, fish will take the nipper head first so you will have a much higher hook up rate, your nipper should now be streched out along the line and the hook and should look allot more lifelike. Only prblem i have found with this is that because the fish hit it so hard and whiting like to inhale their bait, tehy sometime take the hook right down their throat.