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almost time..

26K views 135 replies 29 participants last post by  llpof 
#1 ·
As it is about time to start seeing numbers of skams off the piers..i have a simple question.. what size hook do you use,and do you use an egg loop to keep the shrimp on the hook..(tried casting one,it went further than the sinker)??
 
#2 · (Edited)
what type pf rig you using? is it the slip sinker rig with a pyramid sinker or storm sinker? if not that rig try it. could try it in a white spawn sac if need be i tie mine up with ting thread size 6/0 white, chartruse green , orange red etc...in the white or clear nylon net bags it makes it look more natural. shrimp is like tossing a minnow the back lash/ recoil will throw it off the hook from casting 3-4 or more once weights with those soft peeled pink shrimp. any ways wish you luck.

btw a size 6 octopuss hook for steel and a size 2-4 for salmon.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I have never had a shrimp thrown off the hook when casting. Of course I am really not casting that much when using shrimp for bait. I usually use them on a bobber sliding rig and slide them down the main line. I will do the casting using live or dead alewives though. I usually use a 1.5 oz. sinker when using a bottom rig for ale's. No need to use anything heavier.

Here is a crude illustration of the bobber sliding rig. It is used to keep your bobber from "wandering" when the piers are crowded. And as we all know... there are those that still let them "wander" regardless of how crowded it gets out there. :mad:



In box 2 all you have is on the main line you put a small bead. This is so that when the snap swivel of the sliding bobber rig slides down the main line it will rest against the bead. After the small bead... you can tie either either directly to your pyramid sinker or to a snap swivel which has your pyramid sinker attached to it. It is personal preference and I have done both.

In box 1 you have your sliding bobber rig. Usually anywhere from 3 to 6 or 7 feet long. It depends on how deep of water you are fishing and also depends on deep the fish seem to be running that day. We will go from the botton up. Obviously on the bottom you will tie on the hook of your choice on which your shrimp will reside. About a foot or so up from the hook is a splitshot. This is not necessary... but does get your bait down better. And yes... I have had days where sometimes I will get more bites without using the splitshot. There are also times that I will use a 6 to 7 foot leader and tie one hook on the bottom... attach the spitshot... and then tie in a 2nd hook on a dropper loop maybe halfway up from the first hook. It gets a 2nd hook in the water and covers more of the water column and there are days when they are feeding near the surface... and days when they are feeding deeper. The top of the sliding rig is tied to a snap swivel. And I clip on a weighted bobber to the bottom eye of the snap swivel. Here is the bobber that I use (although this can vary widely)...



I will buy the largest size bobber that is available which is about 3-4 inches and they can be found at Wally World or a number of other places.

The size of the hook I use depends on the size of the shrimp I am using. Usually with size 36-40 count (this is measured by the average number of shrimp it takes to make a pound) shrimp I will use a size 4 hook. Anything smaller... then I will go to a size 6 hook. And remember... the same size hook can vary depending on the brand.

The process is to put your shrimp on your sliding rig and then cast out your main line with pyramid sinker as far as you dare. Then with the snap swivel on the top of the sliding rig... snap it to your main line then let it slide down the main line until the bobber hits the water. When it hits the water I will let out a little more slack until the bobber just sits upright in the water. To get the rig out away from the pier some... I will hold the rod tip high as to allow the rig to slide down the main line further. But... there are days when the skams will be feeding in close to the pier and you don't want it sliding out too far. There have been numerous times I been down away from my rods talking to someone and we will see fish cruising in close along the pier... and the next thing you know you look for your bobbers out in the water and one of them will be missing!!! :yikes: And then it GAME ON!!

So... this is the sliding bobber rig. Yes... there are other ways... but this is somewhat of a tutorial on this rig. And yes... it does work!! :D

(By the way... this is NOT from this year!!)

This one went 15.00 lbs. exactly!!

Since there aren't any whitefish around this time of year.. might as well fish for these darn things!! :lol:

 
#5 ·
wow..thanks don..that post answered my question,and just about any question that could come up..the pic.shows better what the slide rig is,and i had it wrong..just one question,what type/size of snap do you use to connect your float rig to the main line and do you have any issues with the main line breaking from the pressure of the snap on the bead by the sinker??
 
#7 ·
great info donp i will have to try it i have versions of the rig dancing in my head like suger plums lol's .

any ways i was thinking this rig with a storm or pyramid sinker with shrimp parts tied up in spawn bags. i always add styro foam to it so it is boyant any ways great idea donp. every one is differnt, i will have to try some thing different. iuse 8-9 foot leaders btw 2-4 on salmon. steel i like 6-8 don't undeer estimate the 2-4 hook if using that big of a piece the key is eye sight of that fish and trying to hide the hook... any ways see rig

 
#8 ·
lostontheice said:
what type/size of snap do you use to connect your float rig to the main line
I use welded split ring snap swivels which are basically the same style I use for trolling. These may be more expensive than what you really need... but these fish can be awfully hard on the equipment. You can probably get away with something like the following though....

Crane swivel with interlocking snap



or

Coast Lock snap swivel



As far as size goes... you don't want anything too small as it will not be heavy enough... or anything too big as it will then be somewhat bulky. You want the opening of the snap small enough so that it will catch on the bead which is on your main line just above your pyramid sinker.

lostontheice said:
do you have any issues with the main line breaking from the pressure of the snap on the bead by the sinker??
Just to let you know... I am knocking on wood here as I say this :lol: ... I have never had the main line break from the pressure of the snap on the bead. :eek:

By the way... just a llittle to add... when you do get a bite on this rig... normally your bobber will be underwater and you will have to reel like h*ll so that your sliding rig will slide down the main line until it rests against the bead on the end of the main line. Yes it does allow the fish to eat your shrimp somewhat before you can set the hook (which alot of time is not necessary) or put pressure on it... but I actually think this helps somewhat as it lets them eat it. And I would say that 75 percent of the time... the shrimp is down in it belly and is hooked deep and the only way you are going to lose that fish is if the line breaks!!

Like the title of the thread says.... It's almost time!!!
 
#12 · (Edited)
I'm new to pier fishing, but this rig seems self explanatory and extremely functional. Thanks for the detailed post/diagram. I understand the point of the bead (to stop the float and allow you to reel in the fish), however, I'm confused as to how the bead is connected to the main line. Do you just tie it to the main line several feet up from the sinker depending on the depth of the water? Or just let it rest on the sinker and reel like heck to reach the bead once a fish takes it?
 
#15 ·
Put the line through the bead and then over the bead and back through pull both ends and the bead is tight. When want to change depths, loosen the loop around the bead and adjust.

Lets go, hurry up, there's fish to be had!
I wouldnt do that, Skams will stress any weak points in your line. Just let the bead slide up and down the line like how its supposed to :bonk:
 
#18 ·
hairyjoe123 said:
Put the line through the bead and then over the bead and back through pull both ends and the bead is tight.
This will most certainly weaken your main line. There is no need to wrap your main line around the bead and back thru it to basically fix it on the line. Just thread the main line thru the bead and let the bead slide freely up and down the main line.
 
#19 · (Edited)
This will most certainly weaken your main line. There is no need to wrap your main line around the bead and back thru it to basically fix it on the line. Just thread the main line thru the bead and let the bead slide freely up and down the main line.

thumbs up x2 every time you slide the bead with out losening it up it streches and thins the mono out basically curly -ques it. that or it will dig in it has sharp edges the beads do, and most likely will snap the line from pressure of a steel head. any ways best of luck.
 
#20 ·
I can see the idea of not wanting to fix the bead to the main line, especially since the edges of the bead hole could be sharp, I never thought about that. I guess I'll just have to reel like heck once the float goes under so the swivel can slide down to the bead and sinker.

When everyone speaks of using shrimp as skam bait, is this regular, everyday shrimp that we would eat? Or am I misunderstanding?
 
#22 ·
Maybe its just me but id say 98% of the time you will not see the bobber go down, unless you sit there and stare at them for hours on end. I don't see a need to reel like heck, let the fish take the bait and when the slider hits the end your rod will double over and that is your cue. Make sure you have a loose drag or a bait runner!!
 
#23 ·
Maybe its just me but id say 98% of the time you will not see the bobber go down, unless you sit there and stare at them for hours on end. I don't see a need to reel like heck, let the fish take the bait and when the slider hits the end your rod will double over and that is your cue. Make sure you have a loose drag or a bait runner!!
Agree, if you reel like heck and whip the hook set your will break a fish off. Been there done that. I just tighten it up and keep pressure. I get really bored, lots of time and see my float go down, but other times you see the fish out doing flips before you ever see a rod tip move. :lol:. Wehuntwefish, read my other thread for bait.
 
#24 ·
Thinking of giving this a try this year. Have fished piers for a long time, but usually just cast spoons, or use the bottom sliding rigs. Do you guys have any trouble with the sinker hanging up on rocks/snags on bottom over there on the westside? In other words, I've fished places where I would use like a short section(2-3") 4lb. test just from the sinker up to the snap so if it were to hang up I could break it off and save the rest of rig and fish if one is on? This is on a bottom rig where pyramid slides on line attached to snap swivel.
 
#25 ·
Thinking of giving this a try this year. Have fished piers for a long time, but usually just cast spoons, or use the bottom sliding rigs. Do you guys have any trouble with the sinker hanging up on rocks/snags on bottom over there on the westside? In other words, I've fished places where I would use like a short section(2-3") 4lb. test just from the sinker up to the snap so if it were to hang up I could break it off and save the rest of rig and fish if one is on? This is on a bottom rig where pyramid slides on line attached to snap swivel.

i have used it on the east side like that were it is rockybottoms. but not the west side of the state as much it is mostly sandy bottoms on the west side for the most part. unless you get in to the dreged river channel like in ludington were those car ferries are. they got to drege the channel and it digs up rocks drift wood etc.... and they turn in to snags. any ways best of luck.
 
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