Thanks for watching boss. I’m the same way. I’ll still learn new tricks and tips every time I go out. Still many more ways to rig it and glad this helps. 🤙
Great tips - I am going on several BFT trips this year and will use your techniques - saves time with switching out lures using the approach in the video. Many thanks!
To be honest - I would probably give away a lot of my BFT - me and my son got over #300 pounds of BFT which is about #100 of meat and I just can’t eat that much and give away as much as I can - I am looking into one of those knife jigs tackle bags you showed…
@@michaelniemiec5235 100#!!!🙌🙌🙌 I still have one vacuum sealed chunk left from last year. So looking forward to refill the freezer. I do the same also, share with family and friends. Relive the joy when they’re all smiles. I’ll be running a name generator for the tackle bag kit. Just don’t when yet. Thank you🙌
Very good summary. This is my first BFT season and I have had tons of questions getting set up. I never thought about using the swivels for the assist hooks and attaching them to the leader. That makes a pretty quick change out option. I subbed and liked, coming back for more training. My first trip is over Memorial Day weekend! Really excited. Nice video!
Awesome and glad it gives some ideas. Which boat are you going on? I really wanted to get out memorial weekend too. A buddy will be going that weekend. Should be good. Slay em 🙌
@@kenmcintire6850 That's going to be a great weekend. I got my 113# last memorial. Reports this weekend showed way bigger grades, you're going to have a great time. I might try to get on mid week, have a family function to attend that weekend or I'd for sure make a repeat trip for Memorial. Best of luck and tight lines bro 👍
There are guys in San Diego that have seen too many failures of split rings, so they learn to weld their solid rings. It’s really easy, just a Mapp Gas torch from the hardware store and the nickel silver rod for silver solder is all you need. Some guys don’t use the crimp style rigging, either. They can tie knots in big leaders. Those guys are BFT assassins, bro. They gear up for big ones. I’d rather be catching wahoo and yelliwtsil myself. Good luck out there.
Thanks John. Been researching about welded rings for some time and acquired some pieces to try to start. Hoping that’s where it will lead to. Have a friend who also wraps my rods that’s been very successful with heavy top shot mono leader to solid ring via chain knot.
Awesome glad it helped. Which boat are you heading out of? Bite is on 🔥🔥🔥right now, it’ll be a good trip! Jigs are def working well at night for bigger grades reported this past weekend. Enjoy bro and slay em🙌
It appears as if your crimps were done improperly; however, it's hard to tell from the vid. They should be smashed from skinny side to skinny side. Yours appears to be crimped wide side to wide side. There's a chance it will slip when done wide side to wide side.
thank you for all the information I really like the way you said if you’re leaders I’m going on a blue fin tuna fishing trip in San Diego’s on the XL boat in May 2024 and I do not want to lose a fish or a broken leader or whatever so I like the way you set those up
Thanks Manuel! Get an assortment of weight. 250, 300, 350. Less flat fall styles as you want to get your jig dropped straight into the zone. Daiwa SK, Rip Rollers, West Coast Jiggerz and Nature Boys are doing well. Even a torpedo weight aka eddy bomb
Thanks for watching Josh. I’m still eager to hook one on the 40n and see the damage it’ll do with the handle upgrade. Hope you land one first and give us that review 🙌
@@Seastheday88 hey Shimano has these Heavy duty split ring pliers I think you should get. Heard they make opening the heavy duty split rings pretty easy
I used to rig my flat falls the same way until I was chewed off because the top hooks were so close to the leader. Large trebles as the bottom hook work well too.
What lb test were you using for leader Danny? I recall last year reports when 100lb and 150lb got chewed off for everyone and they didn't have anything heavier.
@@dannycarr8181 Truly amazing species when we prepare with heavy gauges lines and the battle demands us to step up further. I recently added some 200# and 300# leaders, don't know when I'll get to use them. Also which brand and size bottom treble are you using? I do have some VMC, but went for the Jobu for profile on these, I keep the VMC on my 100gr Zakanas.
I’m going add a little info to this. There was no knife jig in this video. The Shimano Flat Fall, Daiwa SL Jig, Williamson Kensaki, and Mustad RipRoller are all Slow Pitch Jigs. The Kensaki and Rip Roller are deep water fast falling SPJ’s. Knife jigs are speed jigs. Slim, evenly balance flat side to flat side. They may be weighted differently end to end, but most are not. Most popular example in the US appears to be the Williamson Benthos Speed jig. Knife jigs, like most speed jigs, rely on the angler to use the rod to impart action, just reeling fast doesn’t do anything. As to all info in the video, it was good info, I would recommend weld rings instead of split rings.
Thanks for the insight on that Dave. Will be adding that Benthros to the arsenal. I did have a Capt Jay 200gr thats fairly flat that I got on Amazon for less than anything on market currently. The Daiwa SL, I lucked out getting early season last year along with a plethora of Zakanas in 80-130gr. Hopefully get to have it bent this year. Thanks again!
Hi Ken! Thank you brotha🙌 glad it helped! I sent the jig bag to winner shortly after that video. I’m currently running one of with the jig leaders on the latest video. I’ll def run more if I come across the bag again. Thanks for watching 👊
What do you think about replacing the split rings with welded wire? You could definitely find a welder that could do it for some money. Probably expensiver than a Mofo, but worth not losing a PB BFT. Have a welder TIG some stainless rings onto the jig with the hook. I did this to all of my jigs myself. It wasn't difficult, it just requires some expensive tools.
I really wanted to learn this method. Surface Iron (dot) com sells the kit. It’ll be 100% better and much more secure. I honestly dislike the size 10 Ultra rings because they require so much pressure to put on. Would def be worth getting the tools for 👍
Hi Steve, thanks for watching. The sizes may vary for each jig as well. Don’t want too big of hooks that may overlap for shorter jigs and vice versa. The Mustad Jigging Assist 6/0 and 7/0 and easiest to just hook on with split ring. Single top and bottom is easy way to go. More technical and complicated is what I have presented with single 9/0 Jobu bottom and double 7/0 Jobu on top for my longer/heavier jigs. Many ways to approach it, hope these tips helps and you can fine tune for your preference on which jig you are using it for. Thanks🙌🤙
It’s on right now via reports. Mostly night bites from what I’m reading. Start with 400gr has been hot. 250gr SK after. Good luck bro and bring back limits 🙏🙏
@@Seastheday88 trip got canceled due to wind. Rolled north to 22nd Street Landing and picked up a reverse 1.5 day on the Pride and got my first WSB. A nice 22# unit. Been chasing them for a few years so it was nice to pick-up my first.
@@JayHelfrich holy sweet turn of events🙌🙌🙌 congrats and love that. Mother Nature asked for a break on BFT but gave you a ghost 🙌. I’ve been having wsb on my list as well, hopefully one in a June trip🙏 congrats and hopefully BFT on the next one bro 🤙
@@ken244 100% agreed. I’ve seen two pics shared in the last couple seasons where the kevlar braid shredded through on one. Another was hanging by a few remaining strands but they got the BFT on deck. The best is when they swallow it and choke themselves or it’s right on the lip. Won’t know til we drop the jig 😂
have you considered how the lure reacts on the drop after you attach the J hook to the bottom of the lure. some the lures you have presented are slow jig lures, which are designed to etc on the fall. VMC and BKK both have hooks that have a hook ring that are tampered to allow them to be guided more easily onto the split rings fyi.
💯agreed with that. I would’ve used the mustad jigging assist for better flow presentation but for this scenario, it was primarily rushing to get into the depth zone where ever the captain is spotting the schools. On a recent trip last week, when they wanted to bite, 200-400gram got bit from smaller snipers to longer knife style with bottom jobu or assist. I’ll be re-rigging some of the lighter grams jigs for a rock fishing trip coming up where the slow/fall jigs will have a better chance to be used there, I’ll use the BKK ones. Thanks for the insight. Let’s get it🙌
@@TheDerek1976 thanks Derek! Will do. I was using the 400gram and it worked me for sure. Dropped the the 280 Williamson Kensaki and 320gr Nomad Streaker which made life easier again lol
I'm just curious if you are still rigging this way 2 years later vs using the more "traditional" assist hooks now? Mostly I'm asking about using the swivels vs the assist line on the hooks.
@@Duhamal thank you for asking. I’ve slimmed the profile as much as possible as current hooks with their teflon cord have really strong abrasion resistance. Plus our jig profile have gone smaller. I still have my 400 and 500grams but rarely use them. If the weather I horrid, where we need the heavy weights, I’ll go for an Eddie bomb before a longer heavy jig. I’m in the process of making a new vid regarding the tungsten jigs. The size and profile has been a hot bite.
Hi Thanks for the very informative video, i just have a question on split rings, im a newbie so forgive me if this is a dumb question, why would we need a split ring rated for such high poundage if our drag setting will be nowhere near that?
Not a dumb question at all. I had this same inquiry as well when I saw everyone else's rigging. You'll get different answers from many. It's a combination of the weakest link plus abrupt bursts from your tuna. From the collective info, the split ring is the weakest link in terminal tackle for jigs. Depending on brand, then your hooks. Those bursts plus twist and turns will reallt put those rated numbers to the test. I've bought many various brands of split rings and putting them next to the Owners, other manufacturers seem to over rate their numbers. You don't have to go with biggest size, just match the tackle with your jig and hooks. If you're using smaller hooks, #8 is more than sufficient, same if you're using assist hooks that uses kevlar to a solid ring. I still use standard off the shelf assist hooks from Tady and Mustad in HD variants. Doesn't have to be this setup with split ring ball bearing split ring jobu hook. The whole game is to reduce chances of failure, whether it's knots, line ratings, upkeep of service on reels and I'm prob using a bit of overkill on this setup lol but I know I can't blame the terminal tackle when a failure occurs. Hope that answers it 🤙
I'm confused..your using 400-500 pound swivels but you put 120 pound split rings on your hooks , if you use a size 8 split ring. I would think they would fall apart , since your beefing up everything else.
Very valid point. The eyelet on the 7/0 jobu is ever so slightly smaller, so slightly smaller diameter gauge wire helps give it wiggle room. This is from my perspective and everyone should still test accordingly. Thanks 🙌
Butter knife and 10mm needed too. Sometimes they don’t bite 19mm😆 This has been a back burner idea. Someone posted awesome rigged up pics last year of it. Don’t know if they were successful but the rigging was 100% legit
Great informative Video. Question: 1. What MINIMUM Pound Test Braid would you recommend? 2. What length of Leader would you recommend? Thank you in Advance.
Hi Sunil, I have a recent video with a leader for the jigs. Usually 3.5-4’ is plenty as the tuna aren’t as finicky at night. 150lb is possible but stories last season were that 150lb got chewed off so the heavier the better. I personally bought 175lb mono and 300lb mono for myself last year and this year added the 200lb and 300lb pre-rigged leaders
Lol bro, I was thinking why were others even doing the 500s when I started reeling up the 400 lol. Quickly changed to 250s after lol. Thanks for watching
Thanks for watching. I went to nearly all the tackle shops within a 20mile radius over an entire season as 2021 was the shortest of supply. I would check Melton Tackle and Charkbait are local to me and have online ordering but I just checked, 7/0 not available currently. Melton does have Mustad 6/0 hooks and Owner Ultra #8 in stock. There’s a code for discount as well. Good luck and hope you’ll find it. Thanks.
Hi Boss. The Mustad Jigging Assist, size 6/0 and 7/0 are perfect for the larger jigs The Jobu hooks on split rings I have 9/0 on bottom and 7/0 on top. But you can size down as necessary for smaller jigs. Hope that helps. Thanks
Haven’t personally on Flat fall. This was collecting everyone’s setup throughout the season from the ones that landed. Side note, a buddy pulled up a 195# from the SD sport fishing boat with 250gr sk this past weekend 🙌🙌🙌🔥
The full glow one towards end of vid is a imitation flatfall close to 350gr. I had a 9/0 Jobu on that. You can get away with 7/0 Jobu also. I’ve been using treble on few recent trips as well. Stinger ST-66 in the 5/0 or 6/0 size.
@@williemickbillie oooh sweet combo. A buddy landed a 65lb with that reel. I have that rod, easily one of the best factory rods with their alps guides and reel seat. Super light blank too. Get em bro 🙌
It was a generic one from Amazon. My buddy gave it to me. The adhesive was hard to adhere to the grooves of the jig. Beginning wrap and at the end, wrap it around itself so it’s straight then do the diagonals. It held up for about 4 sessions since. I’ve been using 250-300gram jigs more often since. Plus I dread winding those 450+ up lol
Do you ever use circle hooks as the primary single hook? I was thinking a single Owner Super Mutu Heavy Duty Swiveled Circle Hook 10/0 on the bottom and same hooks in 7/0 size as the assist hooks on top. Do you prefer j hooks over circle?
Hi Greg, I personally haven’t. But read anglers who have been successful on it. I haven’t come across those size circle hooks is it part of the reason. Corner mouth circle hook bite has been my most successful so I def would say yes to that setup 🤙
@@Seastheday88 Thanks for the quick reply. FYI, those sizes are available on Amazon. Eliminates some of the split rings also. Planning on trying to silver braze a solid ring on bottom and on top use a figure eight ring with one end having the assist hooks attached with solid brazed ring and the leader connected to the other end of the figure eight. Do you think an ultra split ring to the solid ring between the figure eight and assist hooks is the way to connect to the jig?
@@pacedge123 That sounds like a solid connection for top and bottom. For the figure 8, are you brazing a solid ring to it? You may be able to get away with just ultra split ring to the figure 8. That ultra split ring will also have your assist hook and jig. Regardless, those are all strong connections. And even the way my assists are is a lot of hardware presentation wise, but def something to keep in arsenal when something big arrives hopefully🙏
Hey Anthony, my buddy crimped it for me. He has the entire kit. I just tip him well. You can get the kit from www.surfaceiron.com/shop/brand/crimp-kit/sic-crimp-kit/ It’s pricey at first but worth it considering most of the BFT are on night bite jigs currently. Best of luck 🤙
Jinkai makes an affordable & very good crimper. Research crimp types 1st as there are so many & are specific to brands as all of the lines by brand have different diam.
Lol all good. Mix it up. The mustad assist hooks on the Kevlar braid are just as good. I’m also going to try Tady Assist hooks on next outing. They have orange resin over the knots. Going my route is all hardware so nearly unbreakable if your drag is set accordingly. Ask deckhand to confirm, he/she will ask your main and leader line strength. I was out last weekend with it, hooked up but lost in a tangle. Good luck out there and hope you land that PB🤙
Thanks Tony! I used uni knot where I went through the swivel eye twice before the 10+ wraps. This was also what other seasoned guys recommended at the time.
Main line: braid, no mono. Double San Diego with at least 7 wraps in the braid to the swivel that is crimped at the top of the leader. Bottom of the leader is a crimped Mustad figure 8 ring or solid ring, and a #10 or #11 ultra split ring. Assist hooks attached to figure 8/solid ring. Use split ring pliers to easily change out jigs without having to cut and retie leaders.
I guess everyone has their own thing but this is definitely not my set-up. That's a lot of swivels. My advice is learn to tie assist hooks correctly and simplify your set-ups.
Agreed. It’s a lot of hardware. I do use just the mustad jigging assist hooks only on a split ring and it’s the easiest since it doesn’t require a swivel unless you want it for additional length. Thanks for watching boss 🙏