Trolling skipping dead baits for billfish has a long tradition. This has turned into an art and science of its own due to the intricacies of rigging and sewing the bait properly. Several baits can be used, with the most common being halfbeaks, mullets and mackerels (although any other slender fish one can find will do!).
Now, it is my perception that trolling skipping dead baits has been dying slowly as the preferred method for billfishing, at least in our region. The messy, time consuming, rigging process and the fact that the baits must be trolled relatively slow, I believe, have contributed to the rise of either plastic lures, which can be trolled pretty fast, or live baits (which are very effective... when you can get them!).
Now, I really like konas and the rest of it, but I also try my best to "re-invent the wheel" with cheap, easy and DIY solutions.
Here's a method I have come up with for using dead baits, and trolling them fast to target billfish.
A few reasons/situations where using the method below can be a viable option:
- No live bait around;
- You want to add variety to your typical 100% plastic spread;
- You want to go a bit faster than just 2-3 knots you go with live baits;
- Very easy and quick to rig, and the bait will not come off in choppy seas;
- You can rig a bunch of them the day before and use them as pitch baits, as well;
- It will only take 15 sec to rig on board;
- You can troll much faster (5-6 knots), in our choppy seas and the bait will hold for at least 30 min!
- It works pretty much with any slender bait [bonitos, barracuda, mullet, halfbeak, "carapau" (=horse mackerel), etc.];
- After the first hit, the bait will not fall apart in pieces, thus prompting the billfish to eat the "whole package"!
To good to be true?
Here's what you need:
- Regular catalina rig (match the hook size to you bait!);
- Both "J" or circle hooks can be used (when in doubt, go circle!);
- 1 x latex colorless condom (go cheap here);
- Bait clip (I build my own, but any of those commercially available will do - again, match it to your bait size);
- Small cable tie;
- Super glue;
Once the cable tie has locked the bait clip to the hook, put some drops of superglue just to hold it there while trolling (don't worry, as soon as a marlin hits
the bait it will become loose!).
The pics below are self explanatory!
[The mullet I used for illustration purposes is a bit small for the hook. You can actually see the condom a bit loose!).This method can also be used with live baits (without the condom). Just stick the bait clip through the upper jaw and you're in business!
Once rigged, I would suggest running 2 of these on the riggers. It can also be used in the shotgun position, just after the propwash.
Match it with two large, dark colored, smoking konas in the corners, and I'm sure you'll be stretched!
