How to Rig Flying Fish as Bait

When fished from a kite, flying fish is without doubt one of the only baits for yellowfin and bluefin tuna, significantly in Southern California and Baja. Securing the wings within the prolonged place is essential, as is ensuring the flyer sits flat on the water whereas suspended from a kite.

This rig, advisable by California-based Capt. Barry Brightenburg, produces Pacific bluefin tuna starting from 125 to 250 kilos.

Listed here are the instruments and steps for rigging this efficient offshore bait. (The sizes of the hooks varies, relying on the dimensions of the flying-fish bait, which vary from 10 to 14 inches in size.)

What You’ll Want:

Frozen or fresh-dead flying fish

12-inch bamboo BBQ skewers

Small zip-ties

Medium zip-ties

No. 64 black rubber band

10/0 to 12/0 big-game hooks akin to Mustad 7691 or Proprietor Jobu

4/0 to five/0 4X Gamakatsu treble hook

200- to 400-pound-test fluoroleader materials (relying on the dimensions and selectivity of the tuna)

Crimps, crimping press and chafing gear

Step 1

Crimp 6 ft of fluorocarbon chief to the primary hook, then crimp one finish of a 6- to 8-inch fluoro chief to the attention of the hook and the opposite finish to the treble hook. Crimp a loop with a thimble or different chafing gear within the different finish of the chief, to a snap to the primary line.

Step 2

Thaw the flying fish. Push a BBQ skewer by the upper-rear space of the gill plates. It ought to go above the backbone and lie stage and perpendicular to the physique of the bait.

Step 3

Prolong one wing at a time, pulling it gently ahead to the skewer. Pierce the membrane simply behind the primary backbone of the wing and safe the wing to the skewer with a small zip-tie. Clip the skewer ends off 3/8-inch outdoors the zip-ties.

Step 4

Slide a doubled a No. 64 black rubber band over the tail of the bait to ¼-inch behind the bottom of the wings. Be certain that the rubber band shouldn’t be twisted. Push the purpose of the primary hook by pores and skin and meat simply behind the pinnacle, in entrance of the rubber band, and produce it up and out behind the rubber band.

Step 5

Zip-tie the treble stinger hook to the bait simply in entrance of the tail and trim the zip-tie.

Step 6

To make sure that the physique of the flying fish lies straight, stiffen it by pushing a skewer by the mouth and down the size of the physique, parallel to the backbone. Trim extra skewer on the mouth.

Step 7

The completed bait ought to lie flat and stage on the ocean floor when suspended from a kite, making it a tempting goal for giant tuna.