New Tautog Rig for Bridge Pylon fishing, Nov 19,2022

[ComeOnFish]

I have been searching for the better rig for tautog, especially for the bridge pylon fishing. I think I came with a new rig for the Bridge Pylon fishing, especially CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA) - where I do the most of tautog fishing.

For CBBT, the weights of the sinkers or the jigs need be as heavy as 8 OZ. I needed the 6 - 8 OZ sinkers when the currents were very strong, high wave, windy and in a deep water (50' +) . The most of the anglers don't fish in this situation.

I want the sinker comes off when the leader breaks so that the fish can survive without a dangling sinker (or jig) in the mouth of the fish. I want to free the stuck hook when the hook is stuck in the barnacles on the bridge pylon - This contributes about 20-25 % of all stuck hooks.

Recommendation: Use cheap hooks for the new rig. The cheap hooks (generic or Eagle Claw) are sharp nowadays, come with larger eyes for easy rigging. I also hope they corrode faster than the expensive ones.

On the first day of testing, I found that the new rig is as good as any other rigs in catching. The test result was very positive. I will use the new rig because the catching ratio is the same as other rigs. I don't think there is any disadvantage on the new rigs.

On the day, I lost 2 rigs - one by a big tog, the other by a stuck hook in a crack. Successfully, fetched 2 stuck hooks on the pylons.

Here are the benefits of the new rig:

1. The sinker will slide off the leader, so the fish swims away with a hook and a short leader.
2. Easy adjust of the sinker weight - The hook and sinker are separated.
3. Improves the successful retrievals of stuck hooks by 20%. The rig can be freed when the hook is stuck in the barnacles on the bridge pylon
4. Less expensive and available in any where

Please try this rig.

Testing Log:

Thanks
Joe

[Redfish12]

Looks like that worked well!

[ComeOnFish]

Looks like that worked well!

I think catching ratio is the same as other rigs. But, about snagging barnacles, structures and weed was reduced by 50%, especially when I kept the point of the hooks facing down. It seemed that the sinker was protecting the hook point from underwater stuff. Unlike a jig, the point of the hook doesn't have to be always facing up to catch barnacles and weed.

I turned (positioned) the hooks so that the hook points could face up, side or down to see if the positions of the hooks would make differences in catching fish. I found that the positions of the hooks didn't matter in catching fish. But, snagging was definitely reduced when the hook points were facing down.

This weekend I will do more test especially for the colors of sinkers. Last time, I had two colors of sinkers, chartreuse and lead. There was no differences in catching fish. I will test with different colors. I think I may prove that colors don't matter in tautog fishing, The plain lead jig or sinker will be just fine.

I usually loose about 4 - 5 rigs in the same fishing spots, I lost only 2 (in cracks on the bottom), and freed 2 that were stuck on the barnacles on the pylons.

Joe

[Redfish12]

How heavy of a jig do you need to get down? I made a bunch of .75, 1, and 1.5oz recently and maybe 1.5 is enough to get down?

[ComeOnFish]

There is a difference between a spinning reel and a bait-casting reel.
A bait-casting reel requires more jig weight by 1 - 1.5 oz.

30# test braided as main line and Spinning reel:
1.5 oz works around the island where the current is calm. The water depth is 12 - 20'. One of my friends does well. But, he lives in VA beach and fish only in slack tide.
He can't do nothing when the current flows and in deeper water. He catches none in Dec-Apr when fish can be in deep water.

30# test braided as main line and Bait-Casting reel:
I think 3 OZ is minimum at CBBT.

I use 3 - 6 oz sinker most of the time. up to 10OZ when the current is bad.

You may use a hook and a bank sinker. a hook and a bank sinker is far better alternative for a jig. I always thought that the hook point of a jig should face down, not up for tautog. a hook and a bank sinker combo does that and I can change the sinker whenever.

I will post 2 videos. one for rigging, the other for test report.

Joe