# Circle Hook Ballyhoo Rig



## Cast-N-Call (Apr 21, 2009)

Thought I would take the lead from Woody and try to share some more info. 

When rigging hoo's for circle hooks I learned from some buddies that spent some time in Costa Rica and the typical rig there is to use a piece of rigging floss double it over and insert both tag ends through an egg sinker. You then slid the egg sinker almost to the loop end and make a loop and place this behind the hoo's gills so that the loop lassos the hoo with the sinker just under the eyes. You then bring both tag ends and tie them on top of the mouth and run one tag end through on eye and the other through the other eye. Take a couple wraps through the eyes and then tie tight. Break the bill off short and you have a hoo with a X above his mouth. You can pre rig all you want and have them ready without leaders already attached to take up space. Simply slide the hook through the X and it is ready to swim. 

What is your rig?


----------



## AboutTime236 (Jul 13, 2009)

That is exactly how I fished when my wife and went to coasta rica. I tried that same technique during the limited tournament this year and had a bunch of short hits with the ballyhooo cut in half. I have and idea of taking stainless steal wire and threading it through the ballyhoo and crimp it to the hook eye. to alleviate that problem of course using a circle hook on the back side.


----------



## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

Woody's post got me thinking about getting a rigging thread going. Everyone could do little videos of rigging. I'm betting that folks would be interested in everything from circle hook ballyhoo, to shrimp under a poppin cork to bridled bonita. Thanks for the circle hook rig sounds good.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Thats a good rig catlin.......for a pitch bait. If you troll it that way for a while the pull on the floss slides the floss over the mouth enough to where it starts taking in water which makes the bait flip flop or spin and ultimately washing out. Thats how we've always rigged them pitch baits but don't troll them like that. For trolling with a circle I almost always rig them split bill style with the hook anchored about half inch inside the body. You can't pull them more than about 6 knots or so like this but anytime I use a circle hook 'hoo its for tuna, sails and whites and we aren't pulling faster than that anyway.


----------



## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

I'm all for Circle Hooks. HOWEVER, I've only used them on boats that can run 4 Teaser Lines. I cannot do that, I think naked 'Hoo will really limit your shots in the NGOM. Anyone have ideasas tohow to use a skirt and circle hook. I've seen a pitch bait that has a 1" piece of straw in front of the circle, then the skirt. The crew says it works, but it's pitch bait, not trolled for a long period of time PLUS it is tossed to a Angry Billfish that just had the teaser pulled from it. Short question, any rigging ideas w/ skirts and circles?


----------



## BlueH20Fisher (Mar 20, 2008)

A guy I know says they rig skirted hoos just like always. You just gotta go up several sizes to get a big enough gap. It must work cuz he's won half a million dollars in the last two years. The "X on the head" works well also, but I like using 30# monel and putting a small haywire loop on one end then rig it up split bill style with the loop just in front of the broken bill. Prerig several and slide hook through loop, and give one twist to tighten loop so barb won't pull through.


----------



## Cast-N-Call (Apr 21, 2009)

I love getting conversation started. Circle hook lure rigs to follow. Thanks to all of ya'll for your input.



Chris,kiss my ass. Next time we go out after you give me the bath, this is how we are going to rig all our baits and you will see that they stand up to GOM trolling. Brineing is key.



Fair weather and Tight lines.


----------

