Game Fish and Marlin: How to make a Stiff rig for Kona’s

[Capt. Hook]

   

 The single hook stiff rig is  the solution to the many missed strikes by Billfish and Big Game; the rig will  increase your hook up rate from 1 out of 3, to 9 out of 10. It needs to be  fished in a similar way to a circle hook with a light drag setting when  trolling, and allowing the fish to run for at least 10 seconds before tightening  the drag to set the hook, no striking is required. This single hook rig swims  true and will allow the best possible action on your lure.

1. Materials:
- 2.4 mm stainless steel  welding rod
- 6.4mm & 9.5mm  Electrical Heat Shrink (I prefer black, but any colour will work)
- Copper crimps to suit the  2.4mm rod (5 crimps required)
- Stainless Steel Hook (I  have used a Mustad 10/0 hook for the tutorial)

2. Cut a length of rod about  2.25 times the length required for the completed rig. The length required will  be calculated as follows: Length of Kona skirt from bottom of Kona head, minus  half the hook shank length, minus leader loop and crimp. Make a 180 degree bend  in the wire using round nose pliers.

3. Kink the bend out on both  sides using the round nose pliers, and then insert your hook.

[Capt. Hook]

    4. Squeeze this bend around  the hook eye to form a tight loop bringing both sides of the rod parallel to  each other.

5.  Use a small file; roughen up the smooth rod  surface in the area where you will put your crimps.

6. Pull your first crimp  tight and crimp it in place.

[Capt. Hook]

    7. Put your second crimp,  your rod should now have a tight loop around the hook eye.

8.  Cut the tag end to where the centre of your  rig should be and slip on 3 crimps over both the rod and the tag end.

9.  Make a 180 degree bend at your required  length.

[Capt. Hook]

    10.  Cut the tag end to length, leaving a 2mm gap  from the opposite tag end.

11. Roughen up the area where  your crimps will go with a small file.

12. Squeeze the loop together  and push the double crimps up and crimp.

[Capt. Hook]

    13. Making sure all is  straight and aligned, crimp over the join by the tag ends and only crimp on the  outsides of the crimp.

14. Cut a length of 6.4mm  heat shrink to cover from the hook to the loop.

15. Use a hot air blower and apply  heat until the shrink wrap is nice and tight. You can use a lighter, but I  prefer the blower.

[Capt. Hook]

    16. Cut a length of 9.5mm  heat shrink that covers from the crimps to over the hook shank, apply heat with  a hot air blower until the heat shrink is nice and tight.

17. Cut a second piece of  9.5mm heat shrink and cover the previous 9.5mm heat shrink, apply heat with a  hot air blower until this is nice and tight. This second piece is to stiffen up  the connection between the rod and the hook.

18. Put a small piece of  6.4mm heat shrink to neaten up over the hook shank.

[Capt. Hook]

    19. The completed rig will  look like this.

I used the same method to  make a smaller rig with a 6/0 hook and I used a 1.6mm stainless steel welding  rod on the smaller rig and used only 3 crimps as there was no space for double  crimping.

[charlesdup]

Hi
 
I have tried the stiff rigs and to honest I could not see a increase in hook up rate from the chain gangs to single hook stiff rigs, to be honest I have actually had better success with the chain gangs.
 
Has the hook up ratio of 9 out of 10 been confirmed?
 
Second problem with the suggested method of a low drag setting is that you are limited to a slow trolling speed, thus influencing a lot af the kona's action and lesser strikes. I suppose if you look at lesser strikes to be incorporated into the hook up ratio then the statement of 9 out of ten hook ups might make a bit more sense but is still a bit far fetched.
 
Just a few pieces of food for thought...
 
Regards
Charles

[Capt. Hook]

Hi
 
I have tried the stiff rigs and to honest I could not see a increase in hook up rate from the chain gangs to single hook stiff rigs, to be honest I have actually had better success with the chain gangs.
 
Has the hook up ratio of 9 out of 10 been confirmed?
 
Second problem with the suggested method of a low drag setting is that you are limited to a slow trolling speed, thus influencing a lot af the kona's action and lesser strikes. I suppose if you look at lesser strikes to be incorporated into the hook up ratio then the statement of 9 out of ten hook ups might make a bit more sense but is still a bit far fetched.
 
Just a few pieces of food for thought...
 
Regards
Charles

I also like chain gangs very much
Trolling speed is not reduced in any way, I troll up to 12knts no problem.
The funny thing with rigs is that just like your lures you need to have confidence in them to be succesful.

[charlesdup]

jip Mike. am sure we all have our preferences hahah.. you going to the Columbia next year?

[Capt. Hook]

jip Mike. am sure we all have our preferences hahah.. you going to the Columbia next year?

Yes we will be there with my new boat.

[charlesdup]

Great stuff.. see you there

[shagnrelease]

Epic fails with this rig here at the Billfish 15000 way to many missed hook sets reported by many boats, even seasoned salts were switching to better tried and tested hooksets ie the chains!!

[John F]

Maybe it was related to the size of the bills?! Seems like for smaller fish stiff rigs will not work so well??

[charlesdup]

Thanks for feedback Greg
 
That is exactly why I stick to the chain gangs.. Just ask Carolien and rest of the guys from AFSN, they fished the Billfish this year with only stiff rigs and could not manage a single hook up... Even their Skip got frustrated, so many strikes but nothing to show for it all..