How to Rig Offshore Trolling Lures
- 1). Choose the leader material for the fish you're after. Toothy specimens and hard fighters such as shark and swordfish will require wire leader material to prevent them from biting clean through the line and making off with your expensive trolling lure. A 10-foot wire leader is widely accepted as a good length in case the fish turns to strike the line. Whether you tie on a wire or monofilament leader, make sure the strength is rated for the fish you're trying to catch.
- 2). Tie the leader to your main line using a blood knot. An animated guide to tying the blood knot can be seen by clicking the link in the Resources section.
- 3). Select the right trolling lure for the conditions. For surface fishing in choppy seas, try using taper and pluger baits, so named for the concave shape of the head that allows these trolling lures to skip and pop across the ocean surface, creating quite a commotion for game fish to investigate. Long, rubber squids rigged with at least two and sometimes three sets of treble hooks -- near the middle and at the rear -- are a good choice for trolling when you're after deepwater fish like tuna.
- 4). Tie the lure directly to the leader using a clinchknot. An ainimated guide to tying this knot is available in the Resources section.
- 5). Clip the excess leader material about 1/2 inch from the knot.
- 6). Check all hooks and hardware to ensure they are sharp and secure.
