# Rigging a Yo Zuri bonita



## RollTider

I have seen people that only rig these with wire and I have seen some people that use heavy mono, what do yall think is the best strategy?

I have a few that I was considering rigging with some 300lb mono but wanted to get some of your opinions first... I realize that I have a better chance of getting cut off using mono. Any suggestions?


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## lobsterman

I have had far too many wire failures and lost expensive lures due to kinks. Go mono and crimps.


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## sniperpeeps

I used to pull them with cable, then I went to single strand for a little better presentation. Up until recently I pulled them with mono and seemed to have way more strikes with mono and no cutoffs. Then I lost two Bonitas in about 10 min from being cutoff. Back to single strand for me, just have to always check the leader out after pulling it and fish strikes.


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## catdad100

*wire*

Ive been running a small one on single strand titanium and it held up real well although its pricey and its pretty hard to find much bigger than 70# of that type.


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## Pinfish Killer

I have often wondered the same thing. I run CD 25 & 30s off of single strand, 300lb mono, and titanium wire. I am a big fan of the titanium but I am still wary of tying knots with it. I just worry about pulling expensive lures (Yo Zuri bonitas) with heavy mono. I tend to get more hits with the heavy mono compared to the single strand wire but I usually have to replace the mono leader after a few hits (sometimes one strike). I agree that if I could find some heavier titanium wire and could maybe crimp it, that would be my go to leader choice for pulling plugs.


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## Chris V

I usually pull mine on #9-10 single strand wire. Have never lost one due to a kink. You do however have to re-rig more often. I don't mind though because of the ease of rigging with single strand. It is stealthy too and your plugs will run better.

I don't mind light cable either and prefer seven strand over 49 strand cable. 170lb seven strand is a good choice.

49 strand cable handles nice too, but I usually have just as much kinking with it as I do the seven strand so I would rather have the thicker individual strands in the seven strand and the slightly cheaper cost.

I have lost plugs to cutoffs on 400lb mono and honestly do not feel like I get more bites. The average Yo Zuri Bonito costs over 50.00........no mono for me


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## sniperpeeps

Chris V said:


> The average Yo Zuri Bonito costs over 50.00........no mono for me


Yep that is what ended my mono experiment, $100 of lures gone in ten minutes.


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## Ron19

I read somewhere about rigging with a short piece of wire then to mono to prevent cutoffs. I knew I should have saved the article.


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## lobsterman

sniperpeeps said:


> Yep that is what ended my mono experiment, $100 of lures gone in ten minutes.


You will have the exact same problem with wire too. It kinks and breaks all the time. Just the action of the lure can cause a big enough kink for the wire to break. So my theory is if you are going to lose a few you might as well do it with the best chance for strikes, and that is by far mono. With Wahoo as fast as they are and as sharp as their teeth are there is no 
100 % cure and still get a ton of bites.


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## Ocean Master

I use 300 lb. furocarbon and McMahaon snaps when Wahoo fishing. I haven't lost one yet and they always run true.


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## Scruggspc

I've caught a few wahoo in my life and not one of them on a wire/cable leader including high speeding. I've had more cut the ballyhoo in half or destroy the ass end of a yozuri then cut 200-400# mono that I pull in all my rigs. Not to say it doesn't happen because it does just never experienced it.


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## Yellow fever 23

I tend to favor the mono, but I do inspect my leaders after each hook up or knock down, never had one bitten off but I have had to rerigg a few times after a fish has been landed.


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## Chris V

Scruggspc said:


> I've caught a few wahoo in my life and not one of them on a wire/cable leader including high speeding. I've had more cut the ballyhoo in half or destroy the ass end of a yozuri then cut 200-400# mono that I pull in all my rigs. Not to say it doesn't happen because it does just never experienced it.


This makes me want to add one thing; all of my skirted lures and surface baits are rigged on mono including my high speed rigs. Surface baits are almost always short hit by wahoo and I've never felt the need for wire on them.

I used to pull all my plugs on mono until I lost several. All it takes is losing a few and you get to thinking about losing more. Then the wire comes out! I have never felt Ive lost any amount of strikes with the single strand wire and still catch plenty of wahoo. I don't have all the kink problems that some are referring to. Every now and then, sure, but have always rerigged after a kink forms.

It's really going to boil down to personal preference in the end, because I truly do not think there's a right or wrong answer.


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## Fish Eye

I rig all my shaky baits on single strand and have never had an issue.


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## Kenton

Would it stand to reason that you would get less kinks if you used a shorter run of single strand?


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## Chris V

Yes, a short, heavier single strand will kink less but make sure you have a section of heavy mono above to prevent break offs from tails and such


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## Kenton

Thanks, we have been rigging with cable. I'll give the single strand a try next time.


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## Chris V

Kenton said:


> Thanks, we have been rigging with cable. I'll give the single strand a try next time.


As long as the cable has been working for you, there's no _need_ to change, but you may find that the plugs pull better on the SS or hookup rate goes up/down.


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## Kenton

Ya we havent had a strike on the bonita yet this year.


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## Captain Woody Woods

We use maybe 36 inches of 104# wire on our bonitas. Lose maybe one bait a year to hooters hitting the swivel. I have never, ever heard of losing a fish to a kink in the wire. If it kinks, tie on a new leader. Wire is cheap; losing a fish is not.


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## Mullethead

I am convinced that the lure action is better with single strand wire - its thinner and allows the Bonita to move 'free -er' 

However this same movement fatigues the wire - and a tiny bit of corrsion can really weaken single strand wire 

I put on fresh wire when trolling for the day when fishing out of the home port 

I have pull Bonitas behind sailboats on 3-5 day across gulf with sucess .... but learned that after dozens of hours the wire breaks ! So its heavy mono on cross gulf deliveries


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## matttheboatman

Yep, single strand "piano wire" for me too. I keep it on the lighter side - maybe 60# - 90# with carefully tied haywire twists. I usually go 6' on the copper colored leader with a small double loop at the Bonita to a small black swivel on the top. Avoid anything shinny as it encourages bite offs from a second fish attact while fighting the first fish. I feel wire allows the plug to swim better / deeper.


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