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After discovering that 300+ pound Warsaw grouper caught this week breaking the state record, I decided to make some heavier bottom rigs. I used 400 LB mono leader with stainless thimbles at the line end. I use glow thimbles and glow tubing at the hook connection. I buy the leader material in 5 pound rolls.
For grouper fishing I use a mustad 18/0 circle hook. I like to pre-rig with egg sinkers in the middle of the rig. I feel that I have better control of the fish with the weight at the middle. I've also found that amberjacks get tired of shaking their head with 2 pounds above them.
At the bottom is the 18/0 hook with the glow thimble and glow tubing connected with an aluminum sleeve crimped. I go up about 2 feet and crimp another aluminum sleeve to act as a weight stop. I slide on the egg sinkers (24 to 54 ounces) and then crimp on another sleeve above the weights. Above this I leave about 2 feet before crimping on a stainless steel thimble for the swivel connection. I don't like using a glow thimble at the swivel end.
If the current is very strong, I use cut off sash weights. I cut them at random lengths and then weigh them. I paint them white and use a marks a lot to write down the weight. I cut them because 5 to 10 pounds is sometimes too heavy. The goal is to reach the bottom with the minimum weight. It gets tiresome cranking 5-10 pounds from 400 feet. On the top end, I use a stainless steel thimble and go down about 20 inches and form a drop loop and attach a 15/0 mustad circle hook. I leave about 2-3 feet of loose line for tying on the sash weight (or weights) on the bottom.
I don't like the 3 way connectors. They always get weak after a couple of trips. They always break at the connectors anyway. I've found that after the rigs hits the bottom about 5 to 8 cranks on the reel works best. Usually the bottom 5 feet in the GOM is murky. Sometimes the fish are in the dirty water and sometimes just above it.
For snapper fishing I like to use multi hook setups. If the snapper are present, I just leave the first one on and wait for another bite. I use steel cable and mono rigs. I like the 10/0 mustad for snapper fishing. Here are some PICS of the rigs I like and have worked very well for me over the years. That is a quarter in the pictures to give you an idea of hook size.
For grouper fishing I use a mustad 18/0 circle hook. I like to pre-rig with egg sinkers in the middle of the rig. I feel that I have better control of the fish with the weight at the middle. I've also found that amberjacks get tired of shaking their head with 2 pounds above them.
At the bottom is the 18/0 hook with the glow thimble and glow tubing connected with an aluminum sleeve crimped. I go up about 2 feet and crimp another aluminum sleeve to act as a weight stop. I slide on the egg sinkers (24 to 54 ounces) and then crimp on another sleeve above the weights. Above this I leave about 2 feet before crimping on a stainless steel thimble for the swivel connection. I don't like using a glow thimble at the swivel end.
If the current is very strong, I use cut off sash weights. I cut them at random lengths and then weigh them. I paint them white and use a marks a lot to write down the weight. I cut them because 5 to 10 pounds is sometimes too heavy. The goal is to reach the bottom with the minimum weight. It gets tiresome cranking 5-10 pounds from 400 feet. On the top end, I use a stainless steel thimble and go down about 20 inches and form a drop loop and attach a 15/0 mustad circle hook. I leave about 2-3 feet of loose line for tying on the sash weight (or weights) on the bottom.
I don't like the 3 way connectors. They always get weak after a couple of trips. They always break at the connectors anyway. I've found that after the rigs hits the bottom about 5 to 8 cranks on the reel works best. Usually the bottom 5 feet in the GOM is murky. Sometimes the fish are in the dirty water and sometimes just above it.
For snapper fishing I like to use multi hook setups. If the snapper are present, I just leave the first one on and wait for another bite. I use steel cable and mono rigs. I like the 10/0 mustad for snapper fishing. Here are some PICS of the rigs I like and have worked very well for me over the years. That is a quarter in the pictures to give you an idea of hook size.
