Liquid Addictions Live Bait Rigs

Part Three: Single Bait Rig

By: Steve Brantley

    During the winter most of you are forced to be shut up inside due to the weather. This is the perfect opportunity to get busy making up some rigs. Take cardboard box lid and sit down in front of the tv in your recliner with all your supplies and make your rigs. I'll try to make up around 100 rigs for fun fishing and 100 rigs for tournament fishing.

    The rig that you are about to read about I like to call a slider rig. This is a three treble hook rig that allows the middle hook to slide. The reason that I like this rig so much is because our most popular bait (Menhaden) varies in size depending on the time of year that you are fishing. The nose hook will always go in his nose. The middle hook will be placed in the tail for small bait or in the back for large bait. The last hook will either hang loose behind the bait when it's small or be placed in the tail for large baits.

    1.  I always use a coffee colored 48" wire leader in the 38 lb to 42 lb range. This size will work great for NC size Kings and Dolphin. At one end I will place a 50lb "Spro" swivel using a HAYWIRE TWIST to attach them together. I specify "Spro" because they are much smaller and stronger in size comparism to the competition. A 50lb "Spro" will go through the eyes on your rod also.

    2:  Using a short piece of wire about 10" long I attach an "Eagle Claw" or "VMC" 4x strong treble hook, size #4. Attach the hook using a HAYWIRE TWIST .  I have tried other name brands but these two have stood the test of large fish where other brands would straighten.

    3:  Pass the tag end of your wire through your second size #4 hook. This will be your slider hook. You will not tie it stationary.

    4:  Attach your third and final hook to the remaining end of your 10" piece of wire. With this hook you want to bring the wire up from behind the hook. Carry it over the hook and back around to the back of the hook again. You will make your HAYWIRE TWIST  at the rear of the hook. This keeps the rig rigid down the back of the bait. This way if one of the hooks should come out of place then the rig still has some integrity to keep it in place.

    5: Now it's time to finish up the rig. Attach the tag end of your 48" leader to the eye of your last hook that you put into place using a HAYWIRE TWIST . This step finishes up your rig.

    6: If you have done everything right then you should have a product that looks like this.

    I hope that this will help some of you save money and catch more fish. This is a very dependable rig that I use almost everytime that I go out.