Newbie Questions

[MoHawkTshirt]

So I went fishing today and was trying the "pulley rig" and this dude came over and said my rig is ALL wrong!! He told me I cant tie my rig like that (Pulley Rig) instead told me to just use a paternoster. (Was the pulley rig a ''wrong'' rig ?)

Also I was fishing with some squid heads, got them in the water, felt the bite however no fish at all and all the tentacles were bitten off...I was probably using a 8/0 circle hook.
(probably crabs too... and is there any way to prevent crabs from stealing the bait)

If you fish closer to the end of the pier, will you catch bigger fishes?

:fishing: Thankyou ;)

[inshoreangler95]

whoa whoa stop right there, you were using an 8/0 circle hook????? I use 7/0 live bait hooks for everything from 2-3 foot sharks to grouper,cuda, you name it thats my favorite size!You might whanna step down a little smaller to like a 3/0 also remember that you CANNOT set the hook on circles, also good choice squid! but squid being such a good bait has one downfall since mostly everything will bite it it will get torn off your hook like nothing becouse of all the little baitfish, you might whanna get a sabiki and get a spot or something and use a chunk as bait, oh yea if the bite was very small and the bait was all gone it couldave been a flounder too their a pain since they have a very light bite and they love squid, anyway cant help you much on this one couse theres not many flounders down here and i dont know what type of rig that is so hope this helps luck man, anyway dont call it newbie question just ask, shyness here will not get you anywhere, plus these guys are all nice theyll understand.

[MoHawkTshirt]

I got the "Pulley Rig" from this site


http://www.geocities.com/tony2kuk/rigs.html

[MoHawkTshirt]

I got the "Pulley Rig" from this site


http://www.geocities.com/tony2kuk/rigs.html

[inshoreangler95]

well thats a fine rig i dont see nothing wrong with that, actually thats great for casting cause the biggest weight in the rig will always go first adding lots of distance! I guess someone with more experience will stick in after a while and theyll say whats right and wrong.

[eric]

ill teach you something about NY fishing. 2 words

fishfinder rig..

thats all you need for the waters we fish at xD

[MoHawkTshirt]

ohh, why is that?

[MoHawkTshirt]

Where do you fish at most ooeric and what gear(bait hooks etc) you use?

[inshoreangler95]

how much you wanna bet your gonna get like 5 pages of specs on all of his gear! Once you get hooked two rods just isnt enough and then you start looking at higher quality stuff and higher and higher and then its just an addiction and then youve officially become a tackle ho and then thats when you work your a$$ off just to be able to get some money in the bank and a new setup on the beach! Ooeric im not criticising im simply explaining him how it goes after a while, im not saying you are and if you were a tackle ho i would admire you couse thats one of the things im looking forward to once i get out of school and i get a degree and stuff. So just dont take the wrong way that was a good thing!

[SmoothLures]

First off, you can use whatever rig you want. Second, you'd probably be best off to listen to the locals.

Third unless you're targeting big species (red drum, black drum, sharks, cobia, ect) you don't need a 8/0 circle hook. And for the average red or black drum and 90% of other pier fish, a 3/0 under hook is best. Unless I'm targeting pompano I'm usually using a 1/0 long shank J hook. Ask the pier or locals what's biting and size your hooks to that. I don't know what kind of fish you get up there so I can't help much.

Deeper water(the end of the pier usually) doesn't always mean bigger fish but it can.

Next if you're fishing with a whole squid head and don't know what you're targeting you'd probably be better off with strips. 3-5" long, 1/2 or less wide tapering to a point is best. Pair that with a 2 hook bottom rig and #2 to 1/0 J hooks or 1 to 2/0 circle hooks and you will be much better off.

With circle hooks, make sure you size the hook to the species you want to target, and you don't set the hook with them. Let them hit, then turn the rod to the side and start reeling.

To set the hook with J hooks, wait til you see the hit then grab the rod and give him a good hookset up and back during the bite.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

[eric]

im local.
i fish the rockaway beachs. from riis to breezy point most of the time.

i mainly use fishfinder rigs all the time. on occasion if i want to try distance fishing, ill use a pulley rig, but thats rare.
and as inshore said, yes i can give you 5 pages of all my gear..

i have 3 different setups, each with its own purpose.
heaver, lite heaver, and plugging stick.

for most of the time a light heaver for the beaches here is fine. a good rod that can throw 3-6oz leads with bait.

i use conventional reels, which is another reason why i use a fishfinder rig, instead of the paternoster types. since the line is freerunning, i can use my reels line out alarm (clicker)

in general, a 6/0 circle hook can catch all the fish we have here. but i only target big fish so i use 9/0

[redneckranger]

been my experience a fishfinder is good for most situations very your hooks size to what your targeting

Fishfinder rig is so good i have use it bass fishing also with great success

[seajay]

Do not fish in N.Y. but like ooeric says a F/F Rig is the most versatile rig for soaking bait on the bottom. A Pin rig is used more as a live bait set-up for Kings and Cobia or what ever may strike on the surface using a Mud line. Also a Dropper rig will work for bottom soaking for Drum or Sharks Whiting or 'Flounder or what might be feeding in the sand.
As far as hook size or type a 1/0 to 3/0 will cover most of your needs,some prefer Circles over a J style. Just try both and whatever works for you. :fishing::beer:

[MoHawkTshirt]

What kinds of fish do we have here in NYC..
I heard ppl catching eel ?! out at coney island pier or even stingrays!


and I use a spinning reel, so does that mean paternoster types are better?

[incucrash]

So I went fishing today and was trying the "pulley rig" and this dude came over and said my rig is ALL wrong!! He told me I cant tie my rig like that (Pulley Rig) instead told me to just use a paternoster. (Was the pulley rig a ''wrong'' rig ?)

Also I was fishing with some squid heads, got them in the water, felt the bite however no fish at all and all the tentacles were bitten off...I was probably using a 8/0 circle hook.
(probably crabs too... and is there any way to prevent crabs from stealing the bait)

If you fish closer to the end of the pier, will you catch bigger fishes?

:fishing: Thankyou ;)


Let's start with the basics first...

What type of fish are you targeting??? 8/0 hook seems to me like you are trying to catch dinner for a week :rolleyes:

I like size 4 hooks for smaller species of fish like croaker, spot (not sure if you guys catch them up there) and i like 3/0 for circle hooks for bigger species, it'll catch most anything!

I don't like that rig simply because it's design is going to pull the weight towards you, then the fish... seems like a good few seconds for the fish to get off the hook, but i'd have to experiment with one to judge it, definitely use circle hooks, and let the fish hook itself with that rig,

Crabs will take squid, there isn't too much you can do to prevent this, throw crab nets over with chicken and hope they go for that =] , try different baits, and rigs.... eg: artificial, small pieces of squid that are close to the hook, I don't find that crabs mess with a Sabiki rig for example, I think Sabiki is useful anywhere in the world, you can tip the hooks with bait for added benefit, i like to use TINY pieces of squid, smaller then the size of a kernel of corn, or little narrow rectangle cuts for sabiki.....

I wished you were local to my area of Virginia so I could give you our techniques but honestly, talk to people on the pier, and by the way, if the pier is on a beach, being on the end will put you in deeper water but not guarantee bigger fish.. I've seen big fish hooked on the beach, and in the middle of the ocean, it all depends on your area.

Good luck, don't take someone else's advice, UNLESS that person is catching fish =]

**Doing some general research, it looks like you guys catch Fluke / Bluefish / Bass, guessing striped - So target them, Gotcha plugs work good here for Bluefish, or general cutbait, fluke rigs work for flukes with attached minnow, cutbait, or lead heads with grub tails, striped bass have always hit my 'bucktail' rig with attached pork rind or grub tail...


I'm not going to down your area but I don't know how many of them fish I'd eat in a month, lol =] look up safety concerns if you plan to consume.. and here is a site i found..

http://www.nycfishing.com/

[RuddeDogg]

whoa whoa stop right there, you were using an 8/0 circle hook????? I use 7/0 live bait hooks for everything from 2-3 foot sharks to grouper,cuda, you name it thats my favorite size!You might whanna step down a little smaller to like a 3/0 also remember that you CANNOT set the hook on circles, also good choice squid! but squid being such a good bait has one downfall since mostly everything will bite it it will get torn off your hook like nothing becouse of all the little baitfish, you might whanna get a sabiki and get a spot or something and use a chunk as bait, oh yea if the bite was very small and the bait was all gone it couldave been a flounder too their a pain since they have a very light bite and they love squid, anyway cant help you much on this one couse theres not many flounders down here and i dont know what type of rig that is so hope this helps luck man, anyway dont call it newbie question just ask, shyness here will not get you anywhere, plus these guys are all nice theyll understand.

yes you can set the hook on circles. I do it all the time. ya have to how to do it. I would step it down a little maybe to a 5/0 unless you are striper fishing then the 8/0 is just fine.

[MoHawkTshirt]

I lost 4 rigs today >>; however I did catch a monkfish =D !!

Is there anyway to prevent my rig from getting stuck

[SmoothLures]

It's probably the lead you're using. If the bottom is rocky you shouldn't use a pyramid sinker as they get wedged between rocks. Try a bank sinker. They hold pretty good for me, just make sure you're not rolling into other peoples line, if you are, go up an oz. or two.

[MoHawkTshirt]

I was using a 3oz bank

[MoHawkTshirt]

and how do people reel their rig in slow for flounders without getting stuck on rocks?!


I have this fear of getting my rig stuck everytime i cast out =D

[SmoothLures]

Maybe make some no snag sinkers, get some parachute cord, a box of buckshot or some lead shot, larger sized is best, fill the cord with the lead shot, melt the ends together over a candle, hook a snap swivel through the end and voila.

[eric]

where the heck were you fishing you get snagged?

[MoHawkTshirt]

This REALLY remote place at bay 44 near Coney Island..

[eric]

you mean the place behind the soccerfields next to home depot?

[MoHawkTshirt]

Along that shore. Its next to a boat dock with at a burn'd off pier

[MoHawkTshirt]

Does hiding the hook with the bait helps?

[inshoreangler95]

if its dead bait like bloodworms that are soft and the hookset will be the same yes definitelty the more natural looking the better, thats the key!

[sprtsracer]

If you are using circle hooks, you will get more hookups with the point exposed and the gap between the shank and bait as wide as possible...hence the reason for "wide gap" circles for larger baits.

[MoHawkTshirt]

When I hook squid with 1 inch tail , the tail part always gets bite off. Same with those small fishes which I hook through the head.