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Three Basic
Bottom Rigs by George Poveromo
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How to build three proven
rigs for taking grouper, snapper and other bottom species.
Catching big bottom fish is an art
as much as it is a science. Consistent success demands
precise anchoring or drifting tactics, specialized rigs, a
strong back and plenty of elbow grease, not to mention a
little bit of luck. Should all of these elements fall into
place, you'll find yourself muscling big fish out of the
depths and into your cooler.
As simple as they might appear,
bottom rigs have a major influence on success, or lack
thereof. A lot of thought and fine-tuning should go into
making these rigs, based on the fish you're pursuing, how
finicky they are, and the type the structure you're
fishing. Stealth and strength remain the key elements.
Fluorocarbon provides a major
advantage. For many fishermen, the main selling point of
fluorocarbon is that the material is simply less visible
than traditional nylon monofilament. Fluorocarbon is also
much stiffer and more abrasion resistant than nylon mono
of the same breaking strength. Therefore, in murky water,
where leader visibility isn't a concern, fluorocarbon
still offers an advantage that justifies its expense.
When using heavy tackle, avoid
swivels and hooks that aren't strong enough for the task.
Over the years I have caught several large grouper with
old hooks and leaders dangling from their mouths. I've
seen leaders with broken barrel swivels, leaders that have
frayed apart, and small hooks and light leaders that
simply had no chance of beating a big bottom fish. If
you're hunting monsters, make sure your entire terminal
system can handle the strain.
As for swivels, I use a barrel
design that's rated for a minimum of 130-pound test or,
more commonly, No. 4 SPRO Power Swivels rated for
230-pound test. I like to use barrel swivels that far
exceed the strength of my terminal system, for two main
reasons: I don't want a failure, and I want a swivel that
can't jam inside my in-line egg sinker. If the swivel eye
will fit inside the egg sinker, I separate the two with a
smaller egg sinker, which acts as a spacer.
I also use the smallest, strongest
hooks that will get the job done, especially when fishing
for snapper. Again, with 30- to 50-pound-class tackle, you
don't want to risk straightening the hook. For groupers
and amberjack, I'll use a large, double-strength,
short-shank hook in a size ranging from 8/0 to 11/0, one
with a relatively wide gap if I'm dropping big live baits.
Keep in mind that I am often fishing with 50- and 80-pound
tackle with nearly locked-down drags, so the hook has to
be very strong.
Although there are numerous
variations when it comes to bottom rigs, outlined on the
following pages are three highly effective versions that
will fool more big snappers, groupers, amberjack and cobia
around reefs, wrecks and other structure. Leader strength,
swivel and hook size can be adjusted to match the size of
the fish you're pursuing, as well as the tackle you're
using.
Three-Way
Swivel Rig
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This is a
good rig to use with weights heavier
than 16 ounces and for fishing over
heavy structure. The main line is tied
to one eye of the swivel and a long
leader is tied to a second eye. The
weight, usually a bank sinker, is
connected to the third eye of the swivel
via several inches of lighter line. In
my case it's 20-pound test.
This rig
boasts many of the same advantages as
the in-line version when using a long
leader, plus the heavy sinker won't
chafe the fishing line. Furthermore,
should the rig snag on the bottom, it
can usually be freed by locking down the
drag and winding tight until the lighter
line holding the sinker parts.
Again,
when targeting snappers, such as muttons
and reds, go with 50-pound fluorocarbon.
For big grouper or amberjack, go with a
minimum of 80-pound fluorocarbon, and as
heavy as 100-pound test (for goliath
grouper, use 180- to 220-pound test).
Generally, groupers aren't as leader-shy
as snappers, plus they're more likely to
dive directly into structure and part
the leader. Heavier is definitely better
with grouper! Depending on your target
species, the three-way swivel should be
a minimum of 130-pound test.
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Knocker
Rig
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This is a
popular rig for smaller snappers such as
gray, red and yellowtail. The knocker
rig is a good choice when fishing
directly on top of reefs and close to
wrecks, where the odds are high of a
fish diving into the structure.
With this
rig, the fishing line is tied to a
barrel swivel. From there, a leader
measuring less than ten feet (five feet
is most common) is tied to the swivel's
opposite eye. Next, an egg sinker is
added to the leader, followed by the
hook.
When the
rig is cast out, the egg sinker will
slide toward the swivel, putting a
little distance between it and the hook.
However, the short leader provides
hardly any slack for a fish to dive back
into the structure before or at the
moment the hook is set. This is a rig
that requires quick reaction on the part
of the angler.
I usually
fish knocker rigs on a 20-pound spinning
outfit for mangrove (gray) snapper. I
double my main line with a Bimini twist,
then tie the double line to a No. 6,
80-pound-test SPRO Power Swivel. Then I
tie on six feet of 40- or 50-pound
fluorocarbon and a 5/0 to 8/0 circle
hook, based on the bait I'm using and
size of the fish.
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In-Line
Snapper Rig
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This rig
features a leader up to 25 feet long,
although 15 feet is more common. It is
an ideal rig to use when fish, primarily
snapper, are reluctant to strike. It's
also productive when fishing the bottom
well upcurrent of a wreck or reef.
The long
leader allows a live bait to swim
relatively unrestricted, or a dead one
to float more naturally in the current.
As the in-line egg sinker rests on
bottom, the bait flutters enticingly
above it some 15 to 25 feet back. Should
a suspicious fish peck at the bait, the
play in the long leader usually prevents
it from detecting any resistance. This
rig works with egg sinkers up to 16
ounces. For snapper, I use 50-pound
fluorocarbon and a 8/0 super-strong
hook.
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