# Spanish Mackerel Jigging Trees



## tlong2002 (Oct 20, 2010)

I'm hoping some of the old timers will chime in on this one. 
Last year I bought a spanish jigging rig that had mylar cord on the gold hook instead of a straw. It seemed to work pretty well, it had alot of flash, nevertheless the hooks that I caught most of the fish on was shreaded almost down to the bare hook. 

Here is my question. Did I just purchase a cheap one or do they normally come with some sort of clear protective tubing (a clear straw perhaps) that helps protect the mylar??

If I would have had some clear fingernail polish on the pier I would have even coated the good ones with that.

Any help would be appreciated and pictures would help even more.

Thanks,

Todd


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

Mustad sells some spanish rigs with the clear tubing over the mylar. 2 bucks at wally world.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

They're toothy fish and tend to shred it up. One rig doesn't last me very long anyway.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

SmoothLures said:


> They're toothy fish and tend to shred it up. One rig doesn't last me very long anyway.


Exactly, also I find it more cost effective to use got-cha plugs vs straw rigs under the following conditions:
IF they are not that many people around
IF I get a good casting spot


With light braid, I am hitting over 100 yards if distance with got-cha plugs.

When I do use straw rigs.....

With Spanish rigs, expect to go through 2-3 rigs a day. The mustard ones are pretty good but I like 6 hooks vs just 4. I prefer just straws and carry a bag of replacement straws and hooks. I use 30 pound test mono and dropper loops- the hook are looped and easy to change


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## tlong2002 (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice my friends. I'be been using a 1/0 hook on my straw rigs. Is that ok or do I need to at least go to a 2/0?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I use 3/0s. Nothing worse than losing a big Spanish.


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## SpringmaidKeith (Jun 30, 2013)

tlong, many homemade smack rigs I believe are 2/0 gold J hooks from what I've seen from the regular/local fishermen that make them themselves. Spanish are "sight" feeders & the gold flash attracts them as bait fish. Also learned awhile ago the straws(coffee straws) whistle through the water while jigging which attracks not only Smacks but other fish. I Haven't jigged for em , looks like too much work, but then again have never tasted them. Check the "stickey", might have the way to make them, I'm sure the www has info too. Usually 7 hooks. Learn the knots & spend the winter making them like my friends on the pier do. They are running now! Fish on!! Keith


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## tlong2002 (Oct 20, 2010)

SpringmaidKeith said:


> tlong, many homemade smack rigs I believe are 2/0 gold J hooks from what I've seen from the regular/local fishermen that make them themselves. Spanish are "sight" feeders & the gold flash attracts them as bait fish. Also learned awhile ago the straws(coffee straws) whistle through the water while jigging which attracks not only Smacks but other fish. I Haven't jigged for em , looks like too much work, but then again have never tasted them. Check the "stickey", might have the way to make them, I'm sure the www has info too. Usually 7 hooks. Learn the knots & spend the winter making them like my friends on the pier do. They are running now! Fish on!! Keith


Thanks guys. Well if their running now Keith I guess my wife and I will have to come down Friday and fish a day or two. How is the water now?


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

I make mine with the mylar tubing and a 2/0 gold hook but I coat mine in epoxy before using. They still get chewed some but will get bit off before they stop biting it from lack of flashiness. I usually put one or two above my gotcha or spoon (looks like a little fish chasing small fish). I would not recommend putting more that because once you have a fish on all the hooks are likely to fill up and I was not able to lift four fish up the pier with out breaking off the whole rig or loosing fish anyway.


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## Gary Carrier (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm just wondering from a freshwater trout fisherman's perspective, does it get tiresome jigging those trees up and down or do they make an automatic jigger? I've only seen fishermen doing it manually. Also, do you ever have more than one spanish hit at once. My biggest thrill while saltwater fishing was on the pier in Wilmington. I went with my son-in-law who had moved there. He gave me a little pinfish lure that was white with a red head. The first time I cast it out you would have thought the spanish was sitting here watching it for he took it on surface contact. I landed a 24" Spanish Mackerel that weighed 5 pounds. I've got a picture of the catch as my saltwater trophy! :beer:


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

Best system I've seen is to get an extra anchor pole and work it up and down by laying the butt on he rail and pushing it down


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

Lots of locals have a kind of a rod holding like device...
A PVC pipe cut in half attached to a skateboard wheel(anything with a ball bearing would work though) mounted on a clamp that gets clamped to the top railing.
Makes it very very easy to jig.

Me? I just do it the old fashioned way as I don't jig much.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

Gary Carrier said:


> I'm just wondering from a freshwater trout fisherman's perspective, does it get tiresome jigging those trees up and down or do they make an automatic jigger? I've only seen fishermen doing it manually. Also, do you ever have more than one spanish hit at once. My biggest thrill while saltwater fishing was on the pier in Wilmington. I went with my son-in-law who had moved there. He gave me a little pinfish lure that was white with a red head. The first time I cast it out you would have thought the spanish was sitting here watching it for he took it on surface contact. I landed a 24" Spanish Mackerel that weighed 5 pounds. I've got a picture of the catch as my saltwater trophy! :beer:


That was probably a got-cha plug- my fav lure for them


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Gary Carrier said:


> I'm just wondering from a freshwater trout fisherman's perspective, does it get tiresome jigging those trees up and down or do they make an automatic jigger? I've only seen fishermen doing it manually. Also, do you ever have more than one spanish hit at once. My biggest thrill while saltwater fishing was on the pier in Wilmington. I went with my son-in-law who had moved there. He gave me a little pinfish lure that was white with a red head. The first time I cast it out you would have thought the spanish was sitting here watching it for he took it on surface contact. I landed a 24" Spanish Mackerel that weighed 5 pounds. I've got a picture of the catch as my saltwater trophy! :beer:


No not at all. If you do get tired you're not doing it right. Yes I've caught 3 at once and seen 4. I'm sure there have been 5s and 6s. 

PS Look in the Fishing Bible here, I made a thread on how to tie your own...


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## Gary Carrier (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks much for the replies! Now I'm wondering if other techniques to catch Spanish are used besides the jigging trees and if there are other things used on the trees besides the gold hooks. What are the gold hooks supposed to simulate?


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

They flash and the spanish think there them little minners. Other good spabnish techniques is livelining, jackson rigging, and tossing stingsilvers and gotchas. If you ever see a tight ball of glass minnows or other bait put a gotcha or straw rig in the middle and jig up and down. Caught my first two spanish doing that. And dont use under 8lb mono! 6lb fireline works good to, i caught my first on 6lb mono and that was kind of hairy for me


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

The gold hooks are for flash, and the straws look like the line of anchovies or silversides. Next time you catch a Spanish and lay him on the pier, look closely and you'll often see them spit up some 2" silversides, the silver line is what you're imitating with the straws. If you've never seen a anchovy or silverside, google them and you'll find plenty of pics.


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## Gary Carrier (Oct 11, 2012)

Googled them! Now I know the deal! Thanks!


SmoothLures said:


> The gold hooks are for flash, and the straws look like the line of anchovies or silversides. Next time you catch a Spanish and lay him on the pier, look closely and you'll often see them spit up some 2" silversides, the silver line is what you're imitating with the straws. If you've never seen a anchovy or silverside, google them and you'll find plenty of pics.


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