# Fishfinder Rigs - How to Tie & and 101



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Hey guys, might be a touch late for this year but check it out and let me know what you think. This is part one of several rigs I'll be doing, feel free to link to it when that old question comes up. 

I'll add pictures tomorrow.

http://www.examiner.com/fishing-in-charleston-sc/fishfinder-rigs-an-depth-look-at-an-excellent-rig


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Have some pics if you need.. Nice article... Where's the cannonball??


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Good article. Thansk for sharing.


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

RuddeDogg said:


> Thansk for sharing.


Hey Dogg, it's a little early for tipping one back ain't it?


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## 757 Fire (Jan 22, 2010)

Looked like a good article but WAY to many pop ups on that site, i spent more time clicking x's then reading.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

lil red jeep said:


> Hey Dogg, it's a little early for tipping one back ain't it?


It's NEVER too early.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

757 Fire said:


> Looked like a good article but WAY to many pop ups on that site, i spent more time clicking x's then reading.


Really? I have FF and nothing pops up for me. I'll send them an email about it. 



Drumdum said:


> Have some pics if you need.. Nice article... Where's the cannonball??


Pics are always welcome! Send me a PM with them and a name for credit. I'll get to the cannonball later.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Pics added.


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## skunk king (Mar 25, 2008)

you got 2 beads on the leader


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

skunk king said:


> you got 2 beads on the leader


Everyone likes beads.


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## skunk king (Mar 25, 2008)

SmoothLures said:


> Everyone likes beads.


Everyone likes a bead at least. Not everyone likes 2 of them 

I'm being a little snarky from the one vs. two bead debate a couple weeks ago. A lot of people only have one between the slider and knot connecting to the main line to prevent the slider from moving up the main line. The second bead behind the main line doesn't do anything. I actually like it without the bead so that I can sit the sinker on top of my knot which helps keep it in place during flight, reducing helicopters and the other distance killing stuff that can happen throwing bait. But to each his own, point is the number of beads is still something we argue over


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## 757 Fire (Jan 22, 2010)

skunk king said:


> The second bead behind the main line doesn't do anything.
> 
> 
> > That bead is there to stop your weight from sliding up above your shock knot and tangling with everyone else. That bead is important the other is just for looks.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

SmoothLures said:


> Really? I have FF and nothing pops up for me. I'll send them an email about it.
> 
> 
> 
> Pics are always welcome! Send me a PM with them and a name for credit. I'll get to the cannonball later.


 Here's your cannonball rig to get to later.. Much simpler rig than most,but effective..













757 Fire said:


> skunk king said:
> 
> 
> > The second bead behind the main line doesn't do anything.
> ...


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## crigg1 (Oct 22, 2010)

When or why would you use a FF over a cannonball or vice-versa?


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## Soapboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Happy Holidays,

Unless I am in a crowd, I don't use beads at all. When I am in a crowd I use one bead, above the slider. IMHO a bead between the slider and the hook does not protect the line, in fact, I think it does just the opposite, by forcing the swivel to ride in the exact same place on the leader constantly. It may not be much but I also think that with bait in the water, a bead between the hook and the slider could get sand inside it and cause abrasion. Without that bead, the slider swivel can move around some and will be resting on the terminal knot and or the hook swivel during the cast and most of the time in the water. 

As a side note, it has been mentioned that in the case of a break off while hooked up, a bead between the slider swivel and the shock knot would force the fish to drag the sinker around. Personally, I don't think its a big deal. I have always been under the impression that the hooks we use pretty much rust to nothing in a few days anyway. So if it doesn't fall out, which a circle does quite easily, then it should rust enough to fall out within a day or two. I did catch a 43" drum on the Avon pier once that had an entire shock leader running through him, in his mouth and out his rear. No hooks and no swivels, we trimmed the line off him as best we could and put him back. If we had tried to pull the line out, it would have killed him. I also caught a large drum on Ocracoke last fall and he had a small egg sinker(1oz?) hanging out of the corner of his jaw. Again, no hook and no swivels, the leader was caught in the hinge of his jaw. we got it off of him, he had been carrying it around long enough for a barnacle to grow on the sinker. 
I would be interested in hearing other drum fishermans thoughts and experiences on this.

As for when and why on cannonball rigs, I have used them. It was explained to me that they are basically for when conditions are really rough at the point. IE; lots of people and or lots of toothys and bluefish. I have a question about the cannonball rig also. Would it do any good to put a bead on your shock leader, between the cannonball swivel and your shock knot? I would think that that bead could still help protect your standing line. 

My .02

Thanks


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Soapboy said:


> Happy Holidays,
> 
> Unless I am in a crowd, I don't use beads at all. When I am in a crowd I use one bead, above the slider. IMHO a bead between the slider and the hook does not protect the line, in fact, I think it does just the opposite, by forcing the swivel to ride in the exact same place on the leader constantly. It may not be much but I also think that with bait in the water, a bead between the hook and the slider could get sand inside it and cause abrasion. Without that bead, the slider swivel can move around some and will be resting on the terminal knot and or the hook swivel during the cast and most of the time in the water.
> 
> ...


 Yes a cannonball rig is to get a bait out in a "tight package" allowing the sinker and bait to travel with less resistance,therefore longer cast.. 

As far as a bead that will "help" protect your line,imho,it is STILL just a myth... If the sand that gets trapped in the bead doesn't abraid it,the edges of the plastic on the bead do... Not only that,it will cause a kink in the shock right next to the knot eventually causing a weaker area close to the knot....

Have caught plenty of drum with hooks still in them.. Caught a few off Avon and other piers down south with the hook and leader still attached.. Snagged into a double bottomrig with a drum that someone broke off that was on there as well.. Also,back in the "floatrig days" (floatrig was for kingmackeral and livebaiting) saw a drum that was broken off with a double bottomrig and the hook had caught in the running line.. Float just sat there,the guy reeled in his sinker and had a nice drum still hooked on that double bottomrig...


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## DennyR (Aug 24, 2008)

*Confused*

Can someone straighten me out on the difference between a fishfinder, a cannonball and a Carolina rig? When would one be more appropriate than another? Thanks.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks DD, got the pic saved!



DennyR said:


> Can someone straighten me out on the difference between a fishfinder, a cannonball and a Carolina rig? When would one be more appropriate than another? Thanks.


A Fishfinder and Carolina rig are very similar. Except the Carolina uses an egg sinker threaded onto the line, which lets it roll around on the bottom in the current, and the fish finder threads a snap swivel onto the line which will hold a pyramid or other sinker, which keeps your bait in place. That's about it. A cannonball rig as you can see above lets the sinker slide down to right on top of the hook which maximizes casting distance. 

I have to agree, beads are overrated and unnecessary unless the hole on the bead is big enough to go over the knot, therefor protecting it.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

No bead needed for the cannonball but you definitely need one for a regular FFrig.


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

On the cannonball above it doesn't matter if you use a bead or not , the hook is snelled and knot is protected by being below hook eye . 
For those worried about bead damage to exposed hook knots there are rubber beads , I get them from both Stamina and Netcraft and English sites also sell them ,some UK sites call them shocker beads . 
On rigs I use I can twist the rubber bead so the hole goes over the knot . I think if offers protection , I can do same with crimps too .


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Team Catfish makes sinker bumpers. They're rubber beads like you said.


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## Big EL (Apr 8, 2002)

Drumdum said:


> Here's your cannonball rig to get to later.. Much simpler rig than most,but effective..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

10/0 Gammi J.......


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

AbuMike said:


> 10/0 Gammi J.......


 Years back we used mustad 9/0 j's with good success,but had to sharpen often,and tips would sometimes break off.. The gamis stay needle sharp and do the job well.. Owners would hurt my pocketbook a little more...


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