Northeast - best way to bait live mac's

I've try a few ways to stick a big hook in to a mac's and tryed to keep them a live, and I was just wondering what everyone eles does. I hook about a half inch back of there head in across the top back bone.

Hook in back or under belly.....will change the depth they swim at. Can always rig with floss instead of running the hook through the body....

I hook em through the lips and cut half the tail off. Sometimes through the back too

Clipping he tail ( top or bottom) will also make the either dive or rise in the water column

For live lining, A Rubber band through the back, twist on any size hook you want, the rubber band is in the bait not the hook.

I bridle them with a small rubber band if we are after tuna (balloon or kite). For stripers I just send the circle hook through the lip or back.

For live lining, A Rubber band through the back, twist on any size hook you want, the rubber band is in the bait not the hook.

X2

X3

For live lining, A Rubber band through the back, twist on any size hook you want, the rubber band is in the bait not the hook.
I am lost? What is the rubber band doing?

Connecting the hook to the fish

How do you put the rubber band thru the back?

With a rigging needle

what about for trolling them?

Same thing....but through the eye sockets

the hook or rubber band?

Rubber band o floss will make them last longer

Thanks for the advice. I have had a bunch of stripers take the mac without a good hookset, so I am looking for as much help as possible. What size circles are the best for stripers?

I have a really tough time getting a circle hook into them if it's hooked through the bait because the hook cannot do it's thing. With circles you're much better off bridleing them through the eyes with floss. It's easy to do.

How do you put the rubber band thru the back?

http://www.igfa.org/Learn/Bridling-Live-Baits-for-Kite-Fishing.aspx

http://www.igfa.org/images/uploads/images/bridling%20live%20bait.jpg

Here is another pic with floss

http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/images/stories/tips-tales/rigging-station-circle-sail-2.jpg

I use very small zip ties for trolling. They last a little longer and the connection is stronger

I use very small zip ties for trolling. They last a little longer and the connection is stronger

What/where do you zip tie to the fish...never heard that technique before?

are you guys really bridling your macks for BASS? I do it all the time for tuna, and have thought of it for bass, but never tried it. I have never had any real issue with the way i do it now so I haven't been prompted to change. I just can't picture myself taking the time during a hot bite to bridle a mack for bass, when I have been extremely effective just hooking it through the nostrils. Once in a while that hook embeds in the fish, but maybe like once every 5 trips or so. The fish stay alive for a while too. I just didn't think anyone actually took the time to bridle for stripers. I'm curious to see your results

For trolling I hook them through the nostrils. Its easy and the hook will rip out of the mac and set in the striper without issue. I dont hook them through the jaw or back as the hooks dont always come out of the macs immediatly during a strike and the gap of the hook is full of mac and its harder to bury the hook in the striper.

OP, your issue with keeping macs alive maybe more speed related than hook placement.

Bigv - go down in size with your hooks to match the size of the macks. Too large of a hook on a small mac will cause the hook to twist and re-hook the mac.

BTW- Gamakatsu Octopus are my choice for any type of striper fishing.

its not a problem, i just reel in reset. i can tell if its pulling funny and check quick. different sized hooks haven't chnaged any of it ..ranging from 3/0 to 8/0, usually fish 5/0 or 6/0... i am however thinking of switching back to octupus hooks but im gonna try inline circles first as the offset ones do gut hook on a few occasions

Same place as a rubber band... Nostrils....Zip in down on the hook holds hook in place

wow great idea /tip on the zip ties

Will the zip ties push right through the nostrils on their own? Are the little ones you use stiff enough? Otherwise, how do you attach them to a rigging needle?

Guys -
I was wondering the same thing. I came across this video that I thought was pretty good. Enjoy the video. I also just purchased some tackle crafter clear rigging bands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu0-PPYhP-w

KC

Rigging needle and pull it down tight over the hook. I use the smallest ones I can find in clear or black.

I bridle my macks for tuna. most of the time... If I have lots of baits I just hook through the nose, make them a unicorn, or behind the neck. Really depends on the size of the bait and the hook.

For bass I just hook em in the nose or make them a unicorn...

If I only have a few baits I take the time to bridle them as they last longer!

Just run a 9/0 Gamakatsu Octupus hook just forward of the eye socket and be done with it for bass. No need to waste your time bridling baits for bass. Save that for tuna. And while I'm at it forget bridling your baits all together, takes to much time, stresses out the baits, and sometimes kills them. I have been using the quick rig live bait tool and so far I love it. Just grab a bait and clip the rig to the nose or the back of your bait and your fishing. 2 seconds, that's all it takes.

OK that is GREAT! Where did you buy it and how much do those clips cost?

OK that is GREAT! Where did you buy it and how much do those clips cost?

I bought it through Melton's. The pliers are a bit pricey around $100 and the clips are around $15-$20 a bag. There are I believe 4 sizes of clips ranging from small, medium, Large, and XL.

are you guys really bridling your macks for BASS? I do it all the time for tuna, and have thought of it for bass, but never tried it. I have never had any real issue with the way i do it now so I haven't been prompted to change. I just can't picture myself taking the time during a hot bite to bridle a mack for bass, when I have been extremely effective just hooking it through the nostrils. Once in a while that hook embeds in the fish, but maybe like once every 5 trips or so. The fish stay alive for a while too. I just didn't think anyone actually took the time to bridle for stripers. I'm curious to see your results

X2. You guys are making this way too complicated. just hook then thru the nostrils. Never had an issue - I've done it with treble hooks, circle hooks and conventional hooks. When the bite is hot, you're gonna revert to the simple way - trust me.

Cindy Lou, that is awesome......:thumbsup:

I bought it through Melton's. The pliers are a bit pricey around $100 and the clips are around $15-$20 a bag. There are I believe 4 sizes of clips ranging from small, medium, Large, and XL.

That is pretty cool. One question I have is it a pain to get the used clip off your hook (assuming you lost your bait and or caught a fish?) and want to put a new one on?


For the OP: for stripers (while drifting) I use an 8/0 Gamakatsu octopus hook either thru the lower and upper jaw or in the back behind the head (making sure the point faces forward) and for bass I would say I have at least a 75% hookup ratio.

Thanks everyone