Rigging for Spring Favorites in the Florida Keys

     As the waters of the Lower Keys start to warm and the high pressure in the Atlantic settles in, it brings with it the spring favorites.  For the offshore anglers this means Dolphin.  If you favor the inshore haunts spring means Tarpon.  This article will present some simple but hopefully use full hints on making basic rigs for each of these Keys spring favorites.

     One piece of equipment that has use in most types of spring fisheries that will be discussed is the outrigger.  While there are many ways to rig your riggers this method is probably the most simple to use and to rig.  Many rigging kits are available for your outriggers, most use heavy monofilament for the running line which can be difficult to set up because it requires crimping the running line at the release clips.  The monofilament rigger can also be hard to deploy with wet or bait slimed hands because of the slickness of the mono.  Finally mono riggers must normally be used in conjunction with a bungee cord to tension the rigging.  The bungee not only wears out quickly but also places the running line farther from your reach when deploying or retrieving. 

     The way to relieve all of these problems is to substitute the mono running line with one eighth inch solid core braded line.  The braid is easily made adjustable by using a common barrel swivel.  To construct this rig first run your eighth inch line through your rigger guides. It is recommended that you measure your line with the riggers both in their stored position and fully deployed so as to not cut your line short.  Give your self at least a foot extra to use for rigging.  Next using a uni knot, tie the top of your release clip to the line coming from the top of the rigger. (By the way, a small pulley on the tip of the outrigger can make as big difference in how easily your line runs.)  The line coming from the bottom of the rigger should run through a glass outrigger eye connected to your gunnel or another easily reached location. Next you run your line through one end of a #5 barrel swivel.  This is a tight fit and will take a little coaxing.  It is helpful to melt the end of the line with a lighter or torch and stretch it into a needle shape to help you start it through the eye.   You then run the end of the line through the bottom eye of your outrigger clip, and back through your swivels other eye.  Finish your line by tying an overhand knot or a stopper knot in the end of the line.  All line ends can be finished by melting them to keep them from fraying.  Your outrigger is now easily adjusted for deployment and storage by griping the swivel and holding it perpendicular to the running line and sliding your line through the end of the swivel.  When the swivel is released the line tension will pull the swivel parallel to the standing line locking it in place.  This makes your outrigger line easier to reach, grip and adjust.

     Weather trolling off shore or live baiting inshore it is a good idea to have a rod ready to cast to fish that may be spotted.  Tarpon often surface within casting range when they roll to gulp air. They can also be spotted swimming down a channel edge.  Dolphin, are often spotted working under birds or cruising around floating structure.  Frequently other fish will follow the hooked companion to the boat during the fight.   In any of these situations, it is important to be able to make long accurate casts.  A relatively new improvement in line technology, the “super braids” are allowing anglers a host of improvements with few of the pit falls of yesteryear.  Early “super braids” had several flaws not the least of which was the fact that it tended to cut through a variety of fishing rod guides. Other problems associated braids of yesteryear, included that in salt water some of the lines held salt inside the braided fibers and after several uses would tend to be cut from the inside, that and knots that often slipped under pressure and were difficult to tie.   Most importantly to the frugal angler, was that the price was out of touch with the reality of many anglers budgets.  While still more expensive than monofilament it is now much more reasonably priced.  Because of their resistance to both U.V. rays and there superior abrasion resistance they will outlast monofilament lines which help make up for the difference in price.  These new lines have attributes that make them superior in a variety of other ways as well.  The first and most notable difference is the fact that pound for pound the braids have a diameter of monofilament lines almost one quarter their size. This smaller diameter lines allow for greatly improved casting ability.  For example, PowerPro brand lines of 30 pound test are of equivalent diameter to 8 pound monofilament. Smaller diameter coupled with unsurpassed limpness allows for incredible casts even into the wind.  The new lines have overcome the problem of knot slippage and guide cutting by making them hold more of a round shape.  For most knot to knot or knot to swivel connections you use a uni knot with the adjustment that instead of making three or four passes through the loop you now make eight and the strength and anti slippage factors are improved.  The only other thing that you need to remember is that the stretch factor in the PowerPro and other spectra fiber based lines are reduced to near zero.  This zero line stretch allows you to feel the strike instantly.  This is important to remember when setting the hook, so as to not pull the hook out of a fishes’ mouth by striking early. 

     One thing that anglers will find in common with both inshore and offshore favorites is that leader makes a big difference in presentation.  The best choice for leader for either Dolphin or Tarpon is the Fluorocarbon leaders.  These are more abrasion resistant than their monofilament counterparts.  For Dolphin about three or four feet of fifty pound test will suffice, coupled to a live bait hook like a Mustad 9174 in either 4/0 or 5/0 sizes and you have the perfect rig for throwing to any dolphin you see.  Tarpon require a little more care in leader presentation.  First leaders should be as long as you can accurately throw because of their tendency to land on the leader during reentry after a jump.  They ‘r tails also have cut many leaders during the fight.  As far as leader test is concerned few people would say eighty pound is too heavy for full sized Tarpon.  Tarpon jaws are extremely rough and even with out protruding teeth can chafe through thinner leaders in short order.  If you are using circle hooks for tarpon it is recommended that they are allowed to swing free for a better hookup.  For this it is recommended that after pulling the loop closed, you should slide it down to within about an eighth of an inch of the hook and pull it tight by holding the knot and pulling up the line to tighten the knot in place.  It should hold its position with out sliding toward the hook until you come tight on a fish.

     To finish up this helpful hints section, we will end with something for those who do not want to sacrifice a chance at any toothy critters like Wahoo or Mackerel.  It only takes a few inches of wire at the end of a leader to save a cutoff.  Start by hay wiring a loop to one end of a piece of six inch #8 coffee colored stainless wire, and your hook to the other.  Flatten the loop end of the wire section of your leader.  The wire is connected to your monofilament leader by an Allbright special. This knot is made by passing the tag end of the mono leader through the loop in the wire, then wrapping down the loop about ten times then back up over the mono and back through the eye of the steel leader from the opposite side that you entered from and snugging it down evenly.  Take your time snugging the knot down evenly to avoid bunching or slipping. 

     These hints are just a few of the tricks that you plant in the memory banks to make your spring just a little more productive.    

Captain John Sahagian
FunYet Charters 

(305) 872-3407