Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

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deepblack
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Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by deepblack »

Hi All,
In response to numerous queries about a Garfish Rig for Billfish that would also score Mackerel I decided to put up the following tutorial. There’s nothing new about this rig, it’s just another take on it. I was recently shown this variation by John McConkey aboard MAXIMUS and I’m not ashamed to say I know a good rig when I see it and have since adopted it. This rig is good in any position but I primarily use it on the downrigger to prevent false releases from short strikes and to prevent towing around half a bait after a Mack attack.

The Twin Hook Garfish Rig

Materials:
1m 100lb leader
2 x Aluminium Crimps to suit (1.0mm)
135lb 49 Strand Wire
2 x Brass Crimps to suit (size 4)
Long Open Eye Bait Needle (May Be made using 1.5mm SS Tig Wire or similar if not able to source)
2 x Hooks to suit - Must be Non Offset (In this case Gamakatsu SL12s’ one in 8/0 and one in 6/0)
Crimping pliers for Aluminium Crimps
Crimping pliers for Brass Crimps
Light Rigging floss – waxed & unscented dental floss is identical and easy to acquire
Size 3 Bean Sinker
Materials.JPG
1.Prep the Bait.JPG
1. To prep the bait start by running your thumb down its’ belly to get rid of anything in the gut and flexing the bait side to side to break the rigor. Doing both these things will make it more supple and therefore it will swim better in the water. Trim the bill off Square approximately 5mm from the top lip using a sharp knife and remove the eyes by poking them through with a suitably sized piece of dowel or the blunt end of a thick pen.
2.Construct the Stinger.JPG
2. Construct the Stinger hook using the 135lb 49 Strand wire and Brass crimps in conjunction with the 6/0 size hook, ensure the integrity of the rig by using the correct crimping tool and crimp size. The length of the wire should have the hook coming out of the Gars’ waste vent and the front loop level with the eye socket, make things easier for yourself by ensuring you have a large front loop as you will be threading your leader through the loop later.
3.Thread the Needle .JPG
3. Thread the bait needle through the Garfish starting from the waste vent and exiting out of the eye socket just to one side of the base of the backbone, take your time and “feel” your way up the middle of the stomach with the point of the needle. Make sure the needle opening is just open enough to accept the wire loop of the stinger rig to avoid hangups and attach the loop of the stinger.
4.Pull the Stinger Through.JPG
4. Pull the stinger through the body of the bait taking care to not tear it with the needle eye or crimps, a little bit of force will be required to pull the needle eye and loop into the eye socket. Detach the needle from the stinger.
5.Add the Front hook.JPG
5. Add the front hook, in this case an 8/0 Gamakatsu SL12. Start by figuring out the placement with the eye of the hook in the middle of the eye socket, gauge where the bend of the hook will exit the body of the Garfish and make a 10mm incision in the belly so the hook will come out of the middle of the cut. Next, thread the eye of the hook up through the slit in the belly into the eye socket. Once again this may take some force to achieve.
6.Create a hole for the leader.JPG

6. Create a hole for the leader to be threaded through by taking the bait needle and punching it down through the centre of the skull in line with the centre of the eye sockets, this will work for up to 100lb leader, but you may need to use something with a larger diameter if you wish to use heavier leader. At this point it helps with aligning the hook eye and stinger loop if you run the needle through them.
7.Thread the leader.JPG
7. Thread a crimp onto the leader line and then thread it through the hole ensuring that it passes through both the hook eye and the stinger loop. I repeat, make sure it passes through both the hook eye and the stinger loop!!
8.Crimp the leader.JPG
8. Take the leader tag end and pass it back through the crimp and snug the crimp tight to the nose of the bait, you will notice at this point that the line will want to centre on a groove in the centre of the nose. Keeping the crimp snugged up to the nose of the Garfish take your crimping pliers and crimp the sleeve. To finish off take the other sleeve and crimp a loop in the other end of your leader. At this point your Bait is ready to go if you wish to use it as a skip bait. Another variation of this that can be deadly is to add an Octopus Skirt or lure over the front of the Gar prior to installing the final front crimp.
9. Make it Swim!.JPG

9. To turn the Bait into a swimmer take a 30cm length of rigging floss and fold it in half to form a loop and thread the size 3 bean sinker onto it. Pass the loop over the bait’s head and flare out the bait’s gills. Pass the floss loop behind both gill plates.
10. Ready to go.JPG
10. Slide the weight/tube up the floss until it starts to tighten the lasso around the bait’s head. Pull it down tight, and then tuck the sinker/tube up into the bait’s throat, making sure to keep the lead in the centre. Bring the two tag ends up and over the mouth of the garfish and tie off using a reef knot, lock it off with an extra overhand knot and trim the tag ends. The beauty about adding the sinker with the floss is that it can be added at any time so you can do up your baits as skippers and then make them swim at a moments’ notice.

So there you have it, a Rig for both Billfish and Mackerel. My preference will always be for circles for Billfish but this is certainly a good way to hedge your bets if there is some good bycatch getting around.
Cheers,
John.
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Last edited by deepblack on Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.


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AM
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by AM »

Lot of effort the DB and easy to follow thanks. Do you ever tow those gar upside down.
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by cuddlescooper »

Nice and simple rig there mate. Good info for us that know fark all about it. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Cheers.
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by ken_dog »

How do you find this rig affects the fish DB?
Do you adjust your drop back timing on the billies?
I'm very keen on releasing fish in the best shape possible
and wonder whether the double rig ends up causing anymore damage?
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by deepblack »

AM wrote:Lot of effort the DB and easy to follow thanks. Do you ever tow those gar upside down.
No worries, no I don't tow them upside down mainly because of the hook positioning.
ken_dog wrote:How do you find this rig affects the fish DB? Haven't damaged any yet, doesn't mean it won't though.
Do you adjust your drop back timing on the billies? Yes, use a very short dropback to prevent gut hooking OR fish the rig at strike like you would a lure. Keep in mind with this rig you may only get one shot if they feel a hook.
I'm very keen on releasing fish in the best shape possible
and wonder whether the double rig ends up causing anymore damage? So am I, I can't say it (the Rig) won't, as mentioned this is not my preferred rig for Bills but it is useful to know if they are scarce and you want to convert some Mackerel, if you raise a fish onto a bait this way there is no rule against switching it to a circle hook rigged bait either, In fact I would recommend this. If you are really concerned about it you could drop the front hook out of the picture too.
As a side note to this I have been experimenting with a double Circle rig as well but so far the results are inconclusive as to whether or not it is any good.
Cheers, :drinking1:
John.
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by ken_dog »

Yeah, some of the smaller finicky fish we've had give a little tale tap before fading
away this year may well have been converted with a hook placed more rearward.

Not really keen on converting the mackies though...PESTS!!! Ha ha
Cheers for the "how to".
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by deepblack »

ken_dog wrote:Not really keen on converting the mackies though...PESTS!!! Ha ha
Cheers for the "how to".
No problems, ordinarily I would agree with you on the Mackerel but I am starting to get tired of coming home and saying "I had a freaking awesome day fishing but I don't have anything for tea...."
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by jeffish »

Always good info from you John ,,And nothing wrong with a Mackie to top up the ice box :mrgreen:
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by Agent86 »

Top rig John

Have used one similar for years catching macks, using all wire though, and threading the bean sinker onto the wire after you have put the wire through the hook eye and the tag end of the trailing hook. Then crimping or twisting the wire up tight to keep the sinker just under the jaw. Have usually used that with a skirt over it.

Great idea to use the floss and add the sinker after if needed

Better go and catch some more gar :-)

Cheers

86
If there is water and it holds fish, then it is fun trying to fool them into eating what you offer!!

Especially when you can see them!
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by deepblack »

No worries Smarty,
I have used the version with the in built sinker as well mate but I found that this version has a more stable tow point and of course, the advantage of being able to use it as a skip rig also. I'm really hoping the Twin Circle rig works out but I need to get it onto a hot Mackie bite to figure that out. I'm confident that it will work consistently for Marlin/Sails but might as well use a single if it doesn't work for Macks as well.
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by Agent86 »

Cheers, will definitely give it a go and see how it works :-)
If there is water and it holds fish, then it is fun trying to fool them into eating what you offer!!

Especially when you can see them!
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by Bellfish »

cheers mate have been looking for instructions on how to do this for ages you a bl..dy champion :mrgreen: :cheers:
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Re: Twin Hook Garfish Skip/Swim Rig

Post by DEEPRIVER »

Thats a great tutorial deepblack.

Barney.
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