Thread: Big bait rig??

If I wanted to fish with a live blue gill or shell cracker how would I go about rigging it? When the bait dies how do I rig it then. Will a basic carolina rig with a 1 or 2 oz wieght work? What are your favorite rigs? I mostly will be anchoring on a point and casting to deep and shallow water while having a couple of down rods at the boat.

I have heard to cut the tail fins so the fish don't swim and get hung up and look injured. But I don't know. Also do you hook the bait up by the head or tail?


Thanks for the help FA.

yes your basic carolina rig with work, i personally like using a 3 way. on weight will depend if your fishing in current and no current. when im fishing with live bait i like using a shorter leader for they dont swim around to much but everybody has there on opinion on that are you fishing for blues or flatheads??

forgot to add another one of my favorite rigs is fishing under a float it can be very productive !!

At Toledo Bend we cut one of the side fins so that they swim in a circle when excited or at least that is the concept. Used to catch strippers near the dam.

Originally Posted by Fishstick

yes your basic carolina rig with work, i personally like using a 3 way. on weight will depend if your fishing in current and no current. when im fishing with live bait i like using a shorter leader for they dont swim around to much but everybody has there on opinion on that

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are you fishing for blues or flatheads?? 


I'm fishing for either one, just trying to get one over 20lbs. I want to try and catch a big one and they say bream will do it. Problem is just about every live bream I put on gets hung up. I could cast into a mud flat with no structure and still get hung up. The problem I'm having with the bigger cut bait is after about 5 min. the turtles have it gone. Gonna keep trying though.