I am an avid artificial angler, but for stocked trout or catfish I will bring out the classic bobber and hook bait rig. I don’t seem to do nearly as well with bait though, maybe I don’t have the patience?
Anyways- I thought that I could add a second hook and catch more fish, but I caught nothing. How can I improve this setup? Or should I do a single hook or even a single bait type? I thought maybe it scares the pressured fish away seeing 2 types.
Click for full, but the rig is: A) Weighted bobber (weight for casting distance), B) OSP MMZ Chibi worm on an Owner #6 Mosquito Hook, C) Split shot (1 or 2), D) Powerbait Mangnum Floating Eggs on Owner #6 Mosquito Hook.
The Powerbait eggs float so I thought having them at the bottom and the worm and split shot in the middle would be a nice presentation at multiple levels of the water column. But so far it’s gotten nothing, even around people catching trout with bread. So I know they were biting.
—> Should I go to 1 hook? Or is 2 hooks using the same bait ok? Or are different baits fine and I just need to adjust the rig in some way?
This was for trout, but I was hoping I could also use it for crappie or upsize the bait for bass or even catfish. Thanks to anyone that helps!
(Last thing, about the trout- Powerbait eggs seem to catch me the most trout, but I caught my biggest rainbow (22”) on a worm. The idea was to appeal to both. All stocked rainbows in my area.)
Posted by NoctisOsiris
5 Comments
I use a hook and wait; if it doesn’t bite, I lower the depth or change the bait. You have to see what bites with different baits.
Looks severely overcomplicated. I almost entirely fly fish, but the few occasions I do trot bait (mainly for grayling) I use a stick float, bulk split shot around 12 inches from my hook to set it and a single hook. I’ll typically use a 6lb mainline and about 4lb fluro hooklength with around a size 10-12 wide gape barbless hook.
You might not be seeing bites properly because your bobber isn’t attached properly. Those types of bobbers have hooks on both ends that will hold it to the line, having the top hook hanging like that will cause the bobber to slide up and down the line.
It works in the ocean. You can google a hi-low rig if you are interested. That said it seems like it would be a lot of tackle for freshwater fish to ignore. Unless you are on a thick school of fish, I guess.
I’d go high low droppers rig if you’re dead set on two hooks. Small removable weight on the bottom, adjust as needed to hold in place. Bobber you can ditch if you want to, or keep to get the bait off the bottom… I’d not bother. If you want a bobber id go for one hook on a slip bobber small split shot and multiple poles if regulations allow for it.