Rigging Question

[gfm]

<P>OK - got an awesome book on how to rig the various offshore lures etc that have been discussed.&nbsp; Question: do you have the bimini twist at the end of line and then attach the leader to to bimini twist; do you use a swivel to attach the two?</P><P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">I can't wait to actually try this **** so I can see it in action and I am sure it will all make sense. Meanwhile I want to get a jump start practicing now.</FONT></P>

[franks]

You can do it either way. The traditional way would be to tie a bimini with about 15 feet of doubled line, use an offshore swivel knot to tie the swivel to the bimini, and then rig your lures with about a 20 foot leader, which attaches to the swivel.

The other option is to use a wind-on. On my boat we've been fishing with dead baits for most of the past year, and all we use is windo-ons. We tie a bimini with about 3 feet of doubled line. We use an Albright knot to tie on a 15 foot wind-on leader that has a swivel crimped to its other end. Then we use a short (< 5 ft.) leader to the bait. Advantages of the wind-on are many. Leaders on the bait rigs are short enough that we can store a bunch of them uncoiled in the bait freezer. That saves us time when we have to change baits (which happens often). The short bimini & albright are easy to tie if we have to re-rig out on the water (we pre-make a bunch of wind-on leaders with swivels crimped on). Lastly, you can wind the bait right up to the boat, which can make it easier to wire a fish.

[backman]

<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>On josko's boat we used about an 6-10' bimini (6 for me, 10 for josko who's better) offshore swivel knotted to a swivel w/ clip.&nbsp; The lure leader system was about 8' long w/ a loop crimped in the end and attached to the clip.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Frank - what do the 20' long leaders buy you?&nbsp; Thats a lot of line to leader in, and have lying around the cockpit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>The 8' leaders were nice in that when you reeled the line to the swivel you had just the right amount of leader to take the step or two back necessary to bring the fish right to the mate.&nbsp; I found it really easy to leader a fish (too easy a couple times..) by grabbing the line, taking one wrap w/ my left hand and either having an easy gaff shot w/ my right or grab the line just above the lure and hoist.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>It was also possible - but not advisable - I got the heck whacked out of me - to tail a tuna quite easily with those short leaders.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>The other caveat in all this is to keep your foot out of any leader loops your drop on the deck by your feet.</FONT></P>

[josko]

FWIW, I tie all my double lines at 15' This way you get a couple of turns on the reel whenever the fish is boatside and have ample time to push the drag to 'full' for landing. Leaders are 8' so you can get the fish head out of the water boatside with the rod high.

[franks]

It's a wind-on, so you don't have to worry about it lying around the cockpit and getting tangled in your feet. You use a long leader for the all the same reasons you'd use a long double, but I think it's a better system than a long double for several reasons - the short double is easy to tie if you need to re-rig on the fly, a single strand of heavy mono has better abrasion resistance than a double of lighter line (I think), and if you have a tough fish you can grab the leader (which presumably leads to a caught fish) when it's farther from the boat.

In release tournaments, you fish as long a leader as the rules allow, because a leader touch counts as a release.

You mentioned taking one wrap with your left hand when wiring a fish. I've been trying to force myself to always take two wraps so it becomes a habit. You can get away with a single wrap on a small fish, but it can be dangerous as they get bigger. I barehanded the leader on a sailfish a few weeks ago (stupid) and only took one wrap (even stupider). I ended up with a mono-burn striped across my hand for about a week.

[Slamdance]

Frank; I feel your pain. I'd be willing to relieve your terrible suffering for you by taking your place for a few weeks while you reccuperate. :-);

Steve

[franks]

It's already healed, but thanks for the thought. I sure do appreciate your generous offer.

[Slamdance]

Yup, that's me; "Mr. Generosity." Just remember the offer still stands should you suffer any more injuries at the hands of those pesky billfish.

[backman]

<P><FONT color=black face=Verdana,Geneva size=2>Frank:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>A&nbsp;more serious note on the subject of one vs. two wraps.&nbsp; Granted it doesn't matter on a 30 or 40# tuna, but I was under the impression that you never wanted multiple wraps on your hand in case a large fish surged at boatside and took you overboard with it.&nbsp; I was under the impression this was how a couple mates had been killed over the past few years; their hands locked into line when a marlin surged on them and took them over and down.</FONT></P>
<P>Whats your wisdom here - your clearly more focused on the larger and more powerful end of the blue water spectrum than most of us - I know about having&nbsp; knife accessible; what other things should I be aware of when wiring a large fish?</P>
<P>Also - 2nd question - when your releasing all those sails - whats the best way? Cut the line at the hook; go for the hook w/ pliers, or (ugh)..try and pop the line by pulling hard at boatside?</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>L.</P>

[franks]

I have to admit, I'm no expert on wiring big fish. I've wired a few sailfish, but never a blue marlin or a giant bluefin.

If you ever get a chance to learn from an experienced wireperson, take it. I've had some good teachers.

Everything I've heard about safety on the wire is consistent - take two wraps, no more & no less. The risk with one wrap is that it will slip a little, tighten down, and crush your hand. If you take two wraps the right way, they don't slip and all you have to do is open your hand and they come off.

We have a bunch of cutters on board called "Sportsman's Release Tool." It's basically a plastic handle with a razor blade imbedded in it. I try to keep one on my belt all the time when I'm in the cockpit. I usually have a knife, and pair of pliers with cutters on my belt as well. I figure I'll be able to get at one of 'em if there's trouble.

Always wear glasses when you're wiring a fish. The swivel makes a nasty projectile if the leader breaks under tension. I haven't gotten hit on the face yet, but every other impact site was pretty painful.

Otherwise, try to get a good stable stance, preferably with your knees braced, and take short pulls instead of reaching way out.

When we're releasing a sail, we try to cut the leader right near the hook. In practice we probably cut it about a foot away from the fish's mouth. Maybe a third of the fish surge at boatside and break off. If the fish is in bad shape we try to grab its bill and revive it, but that's rarely necessary, unless the fish got tail wrapped.

[SteveK]

Interesting thread! We are generally going after the schoolies too, and we generally tie direct to the clone, green machine or whatever. We usually are fishing with 50# test. So the question is: why bother with a leader at all? A leader may or may not scare off a charging tuna,but is there other practical reasons? We didn't seem to have any other problems with lines twisting or anything that was evident...?