How do you choose your rig?

[saltysurfman]

So how do you guys choose the tog rig you are using and why?

I usually fish a 1 hook rig with a #3 Mustad Virginia hook. I purchased a whole bunch of these a while back and I am pretty happy with them. I know these were used forever until the Gami and Owner hooks came out. Anyway, I snell the #3 hooks on about a 10" piece of 50# nylon with a perfection loop on the other end. This just gets attached loop to loop on a dropper off my topshot. I tend to adjust the height of the dropper throughout the day to see what is working better and if the height makes a difference. Sometimes I also just put the hook directly on the dropper if I am fishing a lot of current. Not sure how much of a difference the dropper makes over the 10" leader, but its just what I started doing and seems to work OK. I use these rigs on the beach a lot which is where I do the majority of my blackfishing, but I have used the same rigs on a boat with success.

I know there are a lot of variations on tog rigs and that each one has its moments at different times. So what are you using and under what conditions are they the most productive?

[jc30967]

I choose my rig based upon a few factors, such as the location and even type of piece being fished (ie., is it a real sticky wreck, or rocks, or a wreck like many in the Sound that is silted over and not sticky at all), what bait I am using ( for example, when fishing whole whiteleggers or greens, I prefer a snafu, all things being equal), and the size,or potential size, of the average fish being caught wherever it is I happen to be fishing. These factors go into my decision as to what type and size hook(s) to use, what lb. test leader and what type ( there are actually areas where blackfish can be a bit line shy sometimes, and often, using fluro can give you an advantage), and what kind of rig I will use. All this varies day to day, location to location, and even at different points in one day.

[saltysurfman]

Thanks JC. I guess what I was going for is what exact conditions dictate which rig. I am starting to get my gear ready and wanted to make a few more rigs to try out this season. I guess maybe it is a trial and error thing because the person using the rigs probably plays as much of a factor in their success as the conditions do.

[bingorb]

John:

I have a couple of different rigs I use. When I see you about the rod I will show them to you. Too much to write.

[saltysurfman]

Thanks Roger!

I was hoping this topic would spark some discussion on here as I know rigs are a big part of being a successful blackfisherman. I've always been a fan of KISS and that's what I tend to stay with but it's always good to have a few tricks up the sleeve for those tough days.

[fishwhistle]

A few factors come into play when i decide what rig to use. One is amount of current and the other is struture that i am fishing.
Let me say that the old 4inch dropper loop/hook a few inches above the sinker will work just about anywhere.

If i am fishing rocks with a lot of current (northfork) I have found that a 10-12inch hanging leader attached via dropper to dropper just above the sinker creates a better presentation given those conditions.

[fishwhistle]

If i am wreck fishing when current is not to strong, lets say 8oz or less. Then i prefer a stand off rig . using one 6-7 inch stiff leader with a 4/0 or 5/0 owwner ssw hook. about 4-6inches above the sinker

Last but not least since the tog tend to be staying shallow longer due to the amount of asian crabs on the rocks, i have found light jigs under an ounce on lt tackle and light line have worked with great results, not to mention how much fun it is to harvest big tog on freshwater tackle.
These are just my experiences and observations, i hope a few other toggers will share there experieces with us.