Mikes Circle hook Couta trace

[Capt. Hook]

Use a short piece of no.10 steel wire and attach to the circle hool in a stiff rig with the wire coming out on the hook side, and make a loop on the other end.

This gets inserted through the anal cavity of the bait including the shank of the hook and pushed through to the mouth. The loop must be inside the baits mouth and this would be the determining length of this part according to your bait.

With No.5-7 wire about 600mm long attached a swivel on one end and a snap swivel on the other. The snap swivel will clip onto the loop on the hook wire in the baits mouth.

Then tie about 500mm of copper wire to the loop on the snap swivel and slide a barrel sinker onto this. Weight according to depth and speed required. Squid or duster is optional.

The sinker then fits under the chin and the copper wire then gets tied through the eyes of the baits and wound back towards the mouth of the bait securing the sinker and tightly closing the mouth of the bait.

This can then be trolled as it is or attached to a down rigger.

It is a well balanced bait and will even work at speed without twisting.

Because it is a circle hook reel drag must be set as low as possible according to speed trolled.

When you get a strike allow the fish to run a bit and then slowley tighten the drag and lift the rod to set the hook. DO NOT STRIKE.
.

For Wahoo use as is just troll faster, for Tuna, Dorado & Saily's use without the steel trace and use 100lb mono instead and also troll faster.

[John F]

Thanks for sharing FA...

Wonder how would the hook up rate compare to the regular couta trace (using trebles or J hooks)...

[Capt. Hook]

Thanks for sharing FA...

Wonder how would the hook up rate compare to the regular couta trace (using trebles or J hooks)...

I have tested this on Dorado & Tuna and it works like a bomb, also works for Daga trolled on downriggers. The problem with trebles is that they always cause you bait to spin especially when pulling fast. This can be trolled at 12km/hr no problem even on down riggers.

I have used this succesfully with a single J for both snoek & couta.

The key here is to troll faster and leave your drag looser

[Capt. Hook]

I prefer to use small bonnies or mackerel.

Here is a frot sard for illustration.

[John F]

Tanx!

[benniejordaan]

I prefer to use small bonnies or mackerel.

Here is a frot sard for illustration.

Is that dinner? 

[MikeF]

Mike I dont understand the sinker part. What happens with all the excess copper wire?
Please show a pic with the duster out the way. Even in blue movies the chicks always makes sure her hair is not blocking the view man 

[Capt. Hook]

You trim off the excess copper wire.

This sard was not lekker, bonnies and mackerel are much better but this will give you a good idea.

I will post a pic of the next one I rig on the water

[Capt. Hook]

OK, the sardine was a lousy illustration. Found a nice Sarda Sarda.

1. Shows the length of wire
2. Shows insertion
3. Shows the loop in the baits mouth

[Capt. Hook]

4. Shows the bait ready to be attached
5. Clip is attached to the loop
6. Copper wire taken through a hole in the baits head

[Capt. Hook]

7. Copper wire pulled through and sinker positioned
8. Copper wire binding the sinker and the baits mouth closed
9. Bait ready

[Capt. Hook]

Ready to roll.

[MikeF]

On a bigger bait like a bonnie would you still just have the one hook through the anus?

[John F]

Great tutorial FA! Cred to you...

[Capt. Hook]

On a bigger bait like a bonnie would you still just have the one hook through the anus?

Yes, but as the bait gets bigger so does the hook.

Here I used an 8/0, on a 2-3kg bonnie I would go as far as a 16/0

[benniejordaan]

Have you used this trace to catch couta or is it a prototype?

[Capt. Hook]

Have you used this trace to catch couta or is it a prototype?

In short Bennie - No.
I have used it like this with a single J-Hook and it worked well with a weight on elastic.
The other day I tested it with Circles as illustrated and it worked well on 4 Dollies and a YFT.

Now I will use it on a down rigger for Couta.
The reason for putting the hook at the back is because )You well know) Couta are tail snappers.

It is intended for larger Couta and to be trolled faster than a standard Couta Trace.

It swims awesome, especially if you break the baits back.

[benniejordaan]

Cool, good luck getting that crock! Always nice to experiment - I love it!

[Capt. Hook]

Cool, good luck getting that crock! Always nice to experiment - I love it!

I am gatvol of getting more sharks than couta and so want to pick up the speed several knots. The intened speed for this rig is 6-8 knots on the down riggers. It pulls well at that speed on the tests I have already done and the hook ups are solid.

[benniejordaan]

I've been trying to get my hands on some of these. Saw Shaggy had a few. They are brilliant. Rig up in seconds.