Trolled herring half hitch

[DB_Cooper]

Can someone explain or possibly post a pic of how to rig a herring using this method?

[apparentgenius]

Here's how I do it:I use a sliding mooching rig. Put the trailing hook thru one side of the tail then back thru the other so the point of the hook and the shaft are on the same side. Insert the forward hook on the other side of the fish, just behind the eye and poke it out the top next to the backbone. Put a bend in the herring by sliding the hooks, check for roll and adjust as necessary. make a loop of line just in front of the head and twist it twice. Place the loop over the head to about the back of the eyes and cinch it up tight. I usually try to catch the knot on the snell or lower lip of the herring to keep it on. Don't let and slack before you put it in the water. Works for me

[kamloops]

I'D be happy to show you my version of the Half Hitch, but don't think I could explain it in writing. Come on down to the boat (Minaki) in Warrenton some day, bring a few dead fish to test tie.

P.s. Don't tell Mel, he might beat me in one of these days.

[Pilar]

I'll give it a try. The most important thing is to hold tension on the half hitch by holding the leader and letting the bait hang before letting it out. Any slack before it drags for a minute or two and the 1/2 hitch pops off or ends up around the bait's belly. Once you drag that bait the knot is set.

Use a solid tie mooching leader with hooks 4" apart. The average hand (male, sorry girls) is 4" across the palm for convenient measure.

Place the top hook (5/0) on the bait so that you can judge where to punch the hook in. The point should project up and out behind the dorsal fin. Push the hook in and try to get it around the backbone while doing so. Just the point sticking out is ok. Push the back hook (4/0) through the wrist of the tail and pull it through. It just needs to keep the hook near the tail for those driveby fish that snap at the tail of your bait.

Loop the line around the nose of the bait in a half hitch. Be sure to get the line under the transparent lips of the bait at the back of the mouth as these will help hold the 1/2 hitch. The line should come off the bait at the top of the head.

Much easier to see than to read about. Once you get good at it you can bait and drop in seconds. Fastest rig I have ever seen. Adjust the bend in the fish to change the roll. Changing where the liine comes off the 1/2 hitch changes the diameter of the roll from flip, flip, flip for silvers to barrel roll for chinook.

Tight lines ....