building live bait rigs - whats your favorite?

[beer batter]

Time to sit down and build a couple dozen or so rigs. Got bit off or broke on snags too many times over the past couple weeks, need to restock my inventory.

Looking for some types of rigs you guys have the most luck on for eyes for this time of year and the coming months. Specifically snell length, bead colors, number of beads, single or double hooks, colored hooks, etc...

My personal best is a simple floating rig with about a 5-6 foot snell, a #8 red hook, a red stationary bead near the hook followed by a single yellow sliding bead and a single sliding yellow/red float. The float bounces the yellow bead off the red one and seems to bring the fish in to the bait (leech) more than others.

Another good one this past weekend was an all yellow rig with only a 3 ft. snell. Single yellow Colorado blade, 2 sliding yellow beads, a single stationary yellow bead near the hooks, follow by two #6 hooks for a crawler rig. My son was using this over the weekend catching fish while nobody else was getting a bite.

Look forward to hearing from others so I can get a full arsenol of rigs built up.

[This message has been edited by beer batter (edited 07-08-2004).]

[huskiesplayer15]

Not to critize, but you use a number four hook for leeches? I think thats big personally, I use a four for shiners, chubs, a six four leeches and 8 for crawlers. for spinners silver has worked on cloudy days for me, hammered brass on sunny days, green has worked has the newe northland metallic colors in purple.
I also like using a longer snell too, especially in lakes where the weight will stir up silt and debris.
Best Fishes
Chris

[Rino]

As long as your on fish I don't think it matters much. My biggest problem with rigs is keeping them from twisting up everything especially with the longer snells I use a crane or barrel swivel inline before my weight but I still have problems with twisting any tips on eliminating the twist I really hate re-rigging at night.

[fishnutbob]

Just returned Wed. from Mille Lacs, My snells are 8 to 10 ft long, and I use a number eight red Gamagatsu hook with no bead. I like the small hook with a jumbo leech because the leech swims the hook off the bottom, I released a 29 inch walleye a 24 and a 20, using this set up, the only thing with the small hook they eat it fast and are gut hooked so I cut all the lines and leave two inches out of mouth, setting the hook sooner would help.

[huskiesplayer15]

as long as your using a swivel be it an ant, barrel, something with a bearing, there isnt much you can do, what has worked best for me is using a baitcaster with a spinner rig, just because when you reel up the line comes in straight on the spool, versus a spinning rod where it wrap around the spool. Kind of hard to explain. does that make sense?
Best Fishes
Chris

[Willy]

Something that helps a little to prevent your rigs from spinning too much is to put a bead in between your sinker and your swivel. I have always done this and it seems to help some.

[rms]

Another thing that might help reduce twist is to hook your night crawler or leech as close to the head (or sucker) as possible. If too much of the bait drags against the water it will cause excessive spinning.

[bigbucks]

I pretty much use a #6 hook for everything. I used to use 8's for crawlers, but don't like switching & I seem to hook more of the bites on 6's anyway. I don't use redtails much, if I did they'd probably be better with a #4, 6's are not problem for shiners though. I switch around with every color of hook under the rainbow, if they're biting it doesn't seem to matter much, but I've used a lot of white hooks this year. I went several times this year where I'd catch a walleye on one color hook & have to cut it & I'd put a different color on & catch the next one with three of us in the boat, they were more interested in the bait than anything. I usually use a glo bead, or sometimes yellow, but when I don't I still catch fish, if they're biting. I start out with a 6' or better leder & usually tie a new one if it gets down to 3' or less from putting on new hooks after northern bite offs or cutting it on gut hooked fish, retying for scars, etc. I also run a bead between my swivel & the sinker.

As far as twisting, just don't use leeches, if you need to use leeches those buggers are going to twist it eventually, don't have any trouble with crawlers, but you gotta fish what the fish want. It seems like some lakes you have to fish leeches or minnows to haven't a chance agains the panfish, some you have to fish crawlers to have a chance against the northerns, although they still eat crawlers, but only about half as much as they eat leeches & minnows.

[slick814]

I like about a 3 or 4 foot snell, hammered nickel or copper, or painted chartreuse or blaze orange colorado blades.
For a stinger or second hook on worm rigs, I like a red Gamakatsu octopus hook. Seems like I catch more on the second hook that way. Just make sure the snell is tied tight on that one, or it'll be bye bye fishy...
As far as using leeches, they'll twist it up eventually, but a good barrel swivel lessens that by a lot.

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Fishin' is life
The rest is just details

[tulikow]

I use about 2.5 to 4 feet of 8 pound Stren. I tie on a small swivel then add a Northland floater (usually green or orange) a small bead then a #6 Gamakatsu hook. If the water isnt vey clear I will sometimes slide a soft glowing bead onto the hook.