Kinebra
05-09-2000, 11:18 PM
Posted by RT on March 01, 2000 at 01:12:13:
The most common rig-up for backtrolling, backbouncing, or anchored fishing with prawns in large river currents (such as Willamette @ O.C.) is to use a prawn threader (available at tackle shops) to thread a long 20 lb., 4/0 hook leader thru the entire prawn body head first. This is also effective for slower water forward trolling; as are stock spinner/prawn rigs. However, I have a custom hookup that is more effective for most other conditions, other than backbouncing- w/ the head facing upstream (better action & the hood stays on)!. (This will be wordy- & take some practice- but will be well worth the effort!). Buy or tie up double hook long leader rigs with a 4/0 lower hook & a 2/0 sliding upper hook tied on w/ dacron backing line. To rig; cut the lower half off all legs hanging under the front part of the prawn- leave all the felia (sp?) fully attached under the tail section. Take a 2" piece of thin wire or toothpick & nick a small notch on top of the head about 1/4th" back from the eyes. Then insert this wire into the first tailjoint, forward of the back fantail, straight forward into the prawn while holding it almost straight (very little bend- the fantail will curve downward). Then, with the hooks about 1 & a half to 2" apart, feed a loop of leader thru the upper hook eye (a bit challenging). Curl the lower hook into the lower underside of the tail section. Curl the upper hookpoint right into the center of the face & out the underside near the front legs, leaving the hook eye & leader loop just barely sticking out the front of the face. After taking up the slack between hooks put the leader loop over the beak/head & gently deslack snug it into the notch you nicked on top, to hold it to the upper hook (this is the key for best action). You will usually have an excellant forward rolling action for trolling. To fine tune, pull the line between the 2 hooks closer for slightly more bend before looping, to slow troll (for more colored water use a spinner blade or 00 dodger at mid-leader as you would w/ herring). For backtrolling faster water with Jet Planer divers, such as on the Clackamas or rained raised coastal rivers, leave the hooks a bit further apart w/ a straighter prawn- rolls faster & often outfishes backtolled sandshrimp!!-- Prawns are also excellant variants for tidewater chinook fishing. Use either the single hook prawn threader hookup (above) or hook it folded, as they come in the package, by feeding the hook thru from the outer mid-bend, then curlhook thru the underside. It works! Also, try trolling the above custom hookup for upper T-Bay springers, as an alternative to herring or spinners. -
The most common rig-up for backtrolling, backbouncing, or anchored fishing with prawns in large river currents (such as Willamette @ O.C.) is to use a prawn threader (available at tackle shops) to thread a long 20 lb., 4/0 hook leader thru the entire prawn body head first. This is also effective for slower water forward trolling; as are stock spinner/prawn rigs. However, I have a custom hookup that is more effective for most other conditions, other than backbouncing- w/ the head facing upstream (better action & the hood stays on)!. (This will be wordy- & take some practice- but will be well worth the effort!). Buy or tie up double hook long leader rigs with a 4/0 lower hook & a 2/0 sliding upper hook tied on w/ dacron backing line. To rig; cut the lower half off all legs hanging under the front part of the prawn- leave all the felia (sp?) fully attached under the tail section. Take a 2" piece of thin wire or toothpick & nick a small notch on top of the head about 1/4th" back from the eyes. Then insert this wire into the first tailjoint, forward of the back fantail, straight forward into the prawn while holding it almost straight (very little bend- the fantail will curve downward). Then, with the hooks about 1 & a half to 2" apart, feed a loop of leader thru the upper hook eye (a bit challenging). Curl the lower hook into the lower underside of the tail section. Curl the upper hookpoint right into the center of the face & out the underside near the front legs, leaving the hook eye & leader loop just barely sticking out the front of the face. After taking up the slack between hooks put the leader loop over the beak/head & gently deslack snug it into the notch you nicked on top, to hold it to the upper hook (this is the key for best action). You will usually have an excellant forward rolling action for trolling. To fine tune, pull the line between the 2 hooks closer for slightly more bend before looping, to slow troll (for more colored water use a spinner blade or 00 dodger at mid-leader as you would w/ herring). For backtrolling faster water with Jet Planer divers, such as on the Clackamas or rained raised coastal rivers, leave the hooks a bit further apart w/ a straighter prawn- rolls faster & often outfishes backtolled sandshrimp!!-- Prawns are also excellant variants for tidewater chinook fishing. Use either the single hook prawn threader hookup (above) or hook it folded, as they come in the package, by feeding the hook thru from the outer mid-bend, then curlhook thru the underside. It works! Also, try trolling the above custom hookup for upper T-Bay springers, as an alternative to herring or spinners. -