# Long Pier Rods?



## StillSearchin (Apr 9, 2007)

I was down at Springmaid pier last spring and noticed a bunch of people "pumping" real long rods (approx 12-15 ft). Had never seen people fishing in that manner on the many piers I've visited. Just wondering what the deal is with that. Is that system used anywhere else? What's the history behind the method. Is there any advantage over conventional methods?
All I saw them catch was small Spanish Makeral on that particular day.


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## fish4kings2 (Jan 25, 2007)

*jigging*

what you saw was people jigging,they tie 6 to 8 gold hook on a leader and use coffee stirs


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

i have even seen ppl use 12 hooks and catch more than 3 fish at a time. very effective for guarding ur fishing spot and catching plently of spanish mackerel and bluefish when they are schooling


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

They're after the Spaniards, they key in on the fast movement and you can limit out in an hour when they're thick. There's these things on them (the float is just to keep it wrapped neat).
http://smoothlures.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=32


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

Hey outfishin, I've never used more than 8 hooks on one of those. If you go 12, I wonder how close together you'd have to tie the hooks together? Reason I ask is too much spacing might about put some of those hooks out of the water, depending on the tide and how far our you're able to get. We've jigged up Spanish from just a little past half way out on Springmaid before. I'm just curious what you think. I use dropper loops on mine, and I'm going to piddle with it (now that you said that). Ha Ha

PS, smooth, thanks for the URL. I'll check your stuff out.


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## StillSearchin (Apr 9, 2007)

thanks for the feedback


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## KenT (Oct 6, 2008)

Hey guys,

Do you usually jig the straw rig next to the pier or would you cast out and jig it all the way back? (I guess it depends on where the fish is...but I was wondering if you can even cast it on the pier when the rig is 8-9 feet long.)

Thanks!


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

KenT said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Do you usually jig the straw rig next to the pier or would you cast out and jig it all the way back? (I guess it depends on where the fish is...but I was wondering if you can even cast it on the pier when the rig is 8-9 feet long.)
> 
> Thanks!


If you see something busting a school within tossing distance, you can toss it and work it back and sometimes hook up. But about all you can do is toss it and work it back. Speed is the key. Most people jig it straight up and down, and it works fine. If you need distance I'd go with a Gotcha.


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## KenT (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks SmoothLures!


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

No problem. It's a blast when they're schooling. You can catch 2-3 a time, easy.


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## FishRung (Nov 26, 2002)

In the UK we use a similar technique to catch mackerel (Boston Mackerel) in the English Channel during the spring and summer. Instead of tubes we use feathers - see http://www.seafishingsupplies.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=196. Eight hooks to a trace and a fish on each hook is not unusual. Getting 'em up the pier is a challenge though. A rig like this is used with a rod and reel that will cast 300' and is powerful enough to winch eight fish back in.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Neat. I may try a few of those.


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

When I was younger, I used to jig up Spanish on bright chartreuse crappie jigs tied to dropper loops, so I'd say the jigs on that page he posted would work. I think when the Spanish are "in town" they'll hit about anything. Truth be known, it probably matters more to us (the fisherman) than it does to the fish. 

KenT, I just saw your question. About the only place I've seen folks cast those tree rigs on a regular basis on the GS is the MB State Park Pier. There's a cadre of oldtimers down there that has done that for years, but their hooks are only about 4-6 inches apart on the rigs, thereby eliminating the need to cast a 8-9 foot rig, I guess????


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

these guys tie the hooks to their leader using overhand loops, while everyone else uses hooks attached to dropper loops. they will catch just as many fish. however, using dropper loops will enable u to catch mroe baitfish than tying hooks directly to the leaders. tying hooks to the leader keeps the hooks from tangling as easily. at mb state park pier it is usually not as crowded so casting away from the pier is very commom. theres one guy who always jigs for spanish or cast got-cha plugs usign a fairly light rod. he does very well even when spanish are not around. i have seen him catch a huge 5 pound or better pompano on the bottom jig.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I use double overhand knots (aka surgeons loop). Don't trust the dropper loop (personal preference) and the surgeons knot is really fast to tie. That's a huge pomp. I think I'm gonna give the MBSP Pier a good try this coming season, especially if I'm living down there going to school. Which I plan on.


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## KenT (Oct 6, 2008)

BubbaHoTep said:


> KenT, I just saw your question. About the only place I've seen folks cast those tree rigs on a regular basis on the GS is the MB State Park Pier. There's a cadre of oldtimers down there that has done that for years, but their hooks are only about 4-6 inches apart on the rigs, thereby eliminating the need to cast a 8-9 foot rig, I guess????


Thanks for the reply! Yeah, spacing out each dropper loop a little shorter would eliminate the 8-9 foot rig problem. a 4-5 foot rig is very cast friendly...even from a pier.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

one thing, 10 of 9 foot rods work best imo. any logner will be heavy and any shorter will be somewhat hard to lift up the fish. u can also use 6'6 to 7 foot rods using just 4 hook rigs


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

bluefish1928 said:


> one thing, 10 of 9 foot rods work best imo. any logner will be heavy and any shorter will be somewhat hard to lift up the fish. u can also use 6'6 to 7 foot rods using just 4 hook rigs


Yes. I agree. If I'm jigging, I like a 10'.

Normally, I will tie dropper loops and then just tie palomar knots for the gold hooks. That's the way I first learned to do it, and I can put together one of those rigs pretty quickly. However, I know people who thread the gold hooks onto the line first and THEN tie the dropper loops. If you have straws on the hooks, the latter method will prevent the straws from creeping up the line as they tend to do. Until I found this board, I'd never heard of folks using coffee stirrers, and I think it was blue or maybe Smooth who turned me on to that idea. 

The whole "tree rig" thing has always fascinated me, because there are SO MANY VARIATIONS of it. I haven't spent much time jigging them in the past fifteen years or so, but we used to have a blast, and when the fish weren't biting, I was the kid on the pier running around asking everybody questions about their rigs (the little pain in the a$$ ha ha). Now I'm just the big pain in the a$$!


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