# Fish finder rig?



## Croaker D (Apr 18, 2010)

Guys after you cast a fish finder rig are you supposed to loosen your drag so they can run with it a little or are you fine with it being fairly tight?


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## therevolution (Oct 12, 2010)

I usually loosen my drag to the point that a fish could freely pull line. I do this because I like to set my rod down and smoke a cig or cast lures and I dont want to watch my rod go flying over the pier. I have had a few close calls where I thought my drag was loose and it wasnt, and had to grab the rod before it went bye bye. 

Now if I had rod holders I would keepy drag where I wanted it for fighting the whole time bu I usually just lean my pole against the rail.


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## Croaker D (Apr 18, 2010)

Now is that for the fish finder rig or it that just what you do regardles?


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## markedwards (Jan 29, 2001)

i use baitrunner reels and i always leave them in free spool. it only takes 1 rod getting drug into the water before you reevaluate that situation. fish finder rig or not.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

markedwards said:


> i use baitrunner reels and i always leave them in free spool. it only takes 1 rod getting drug into the water before you reevaluate that situation. fish finder rig or not.


i've been changing over to baitfeeders the last couple years and love them, more complicated inside but when you set the rear drag lighty and main drag at 8-10lbs works great. i use them on my kayak all the time and on P&S also.

for fishfinder rigs, set the drag light let it eat the bait and move off then whack them:fishing:


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

markedwards said:


> i use baitrunner reels and i always leave them in free spool. it only takes 1 rod getting drug into the water before you reevaluate that situation. fish finder rig or not.


very very true..


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## Fresh/Saltmaniac (Apr 17, 2010)

Croaker D said:


> Now is that for the fish finder rig or it that just what you do regardles?


For any rig, it relieves the stress on your rod. In my beginner days I hammered down the drag to the max. One day I went to the portapotty on the OC pier, when I came back a guy was fishting either a shark or a ray with my rod. The rod bent so much that I had to bend my guides back into their original position.


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## Grady-Black (Mar 25, 2007)

markedwards said:


> i use baitrunner reels and i always leave them in free spool. it only takes 1 rod getting drug into the water before you reevaluate that situation. fish finder rig or not.


Ditto!


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

I think it was Neil "NTKG" who said it's impossible for a fish to take your bait and not feel some type of tension. My understanding to that was that even with a FF rig which is "supposed" to allow the fish to take the bait without knowing it's attacked to you RIG it still will feel the tension. For some reason that statement stuck with me, and I think he's 100% correct. With that being said after you cast you should always adjust your drag regardless if it's a FF RIG, Double Dropper, Clip Down, etc.. I just see it as good practice, and will save you in the long run. I remember being at Romancoke in the summer and forgetting to set the drag after a cast. I went to work on another setup and watch a ray launch my entire setup like a rocket. If it wasn't for the teen with the snoopy rod next to me casting and hooking it by the handle my rod would have been gone. Once I got the rod back I fought the ray in and acutally got him over the rail. The fish was only about 10lbs not a huge fish by any standard... Lesson learned...


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## WDinarte (Oct 21, 2009)

*humm*

Never have any of this but I don't need to lost or run after my gear to learn:redface: my next fishing trip I will adjust my drag. :fishing:

***Imagine fishing sea gull pier or one of this 10-floors F.pier and you fishing gear been pull down, will be a total lost.

lesson learned = adjust you reels:fishing:


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## thaimonkee (Oct 2, 2010)

If you set the drag loose Then im guessing you all are using circle hooks? Cause how would you set the hook if the drag is loose?


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## therevolution (Oct 12, 2010)

thaimonkee said:


> If you set the drag loose Then im guessing you all are using circle hooks? Cause how would you set the hook if the drag is loose?


Simple. Grab the spool with your hand to stop the fish from pulling drag and giver her a yank. Then set your drag for the fight and reel her in. I have fished using standard j hooks only until this past fall when I picked up a pack of circle hooks, but have yet to catch anything with them, though I only used them once


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## thaimonkee (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks. I've caught all my fish last year on j hooks. Ever since i switched to circle hooks i havent caught anything.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

thats the nice thing about a baitfeeder, 1/2 turn of the handle and you are on your normal drag setting. usually with a CH when the drag comes tight the hook moves out and lands in the side of their mouth, no big LMB hook set just keep reeling.


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## captmikestarrett (Apr 28, 2004)

Those circle hooks need to be nice and open to work.
The bait should dangle from the hook. A simple load up of the rod and a couple cranks on the reel. Hooked...

I wish to add that there are two kinds of fish finders. 
Cheap ones and good ones. The cheap white or black plastic ones will cut in half on braided line.. 
The green or yellow ones are thick and hold up to braid real good. 

Just word of insight.

Capt Mike


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

captmikestarrett said:


> ..I wish to add that there are two kinds of fish finders.
> Cheap ones and good ones. The cheap white or black plastic ones will cut in half on braided line..
> The green or yellow ones are thick and hold up to braid real good.
> 
> ...


The only good fishfinder clip is a metal one. Even the "real good" plastic ones will break. Stan swears that there's rough edges on the inside of those thick blue plastic fishfinders that will fray your line. I've looked at them, and I agree. 

I swear by McMahon snap swivels for my fishfinders. In a pinch, I'll use a costlock. 

But never plastic.

When deadsticking, I use J hooks and a loose drag with the clicker on. Just my preference.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

captmikestarrett said:


> Those circle hooks need to be nice and open to work.
> The bait should dangle from the hook. A simple load up of the rod and a couple cranks on the reel. Hooked...
> 
> I wish to add that there are two kinds of fish finders.
> ...


i like the white/yellow top ones that go on the line without having to retie, just put on the line and turn 180* and its on or off. havent ripped one since using them


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## therevolution (Oct 12, 2010)

I thought the plastic fish finder clips were supposed to break, or come unclipped so if your weight gets hung up you don't lose the whole rig??


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## CJS (Oct 2, 2006)

Those white slides do break if they become snagged, but a hard cast can also break them sending your weight flying down the beach. 

The removable ones are nice for light casting or bottom fishing, but I don't think I trust them with 8 and bait.


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## WDinarte (Oct 21, 2009)

*Nice!!!*

Need to learn the C-Hook business, 99% of my catch it is catch-release.
Great Thread guys!!!!

I like fish finder rig and I used a lot, never have had problem with the slides.
You never know... probable first time will be this summer...
:fishing:


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

thaimonkee said:


> Thanks. I've caught all my fish last year on j hooks. Ever since i switched to circle hooks i havent caught anything.


You may be using the wrong size hook... Dont be fooled J hooks have there place in your tackle box also..


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## thaimonkee (Oct 2, 2010)

kmw21230 said:


> You may be using the wrong size hook... Dont be fooled J hooks have there place in your tackle box also..


Youre probably right. Im just using random size hooks. I will talk hooks with you whenever we link up.


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## twcrawford (Aug 27, 2009)

Yesterday, FishHunter told me about Kale Hooks. I'm going to order a few packs and see what works. I usually use Circles and J's.


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## scavengerj (Sep 10, 2007)

On my non-baiter runners I will just loosen the drag. But then again it is not very wise to be adjusting your drag during a fight with a fish. Once your drag is set you shouldn't have to be adjusting it, especially during a fight. 99% of the time I stick with my BRs.

And yes, those little white and yellow sliders can and do break. Fishingirlpa and I lost a few weights two years ago because of them breaking. Trust me, she isn't a power caster either. The greeen sliders do seem to hold up a little better, but as has been pointed out they can and do sometimes have rough edges inside. I have found that taking a piece of emory cloth and running it back and forth inside of them a few times seems to get rid of majority of any rough edges.

DMS #525
AMSA #1102
OBPA


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

the makers of the fast attach FF also make a FF that breaks away if it gets hung up, haven't see them around here but some del. tackle shops have them


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