How to Rig a Ballyhoo for King Mackerel Fishing
King mackerel are hard-fighting saltwater gamefish that will aggressively strike bait trolled or retrieved rapidly through the water near the surface. Ballyhoo are a natural prey for king mackerel and make excellent bait when secured properly to the hook. Use frozen ballyhoo, as these fish will last longer on the hook and present a more realistic shine in the water. Ballyhoo are rigged with thin wire lashing to wrap around the bait and hold it on the hook.
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Things You'll Need
- Saltwater rod and reel spooled with 15- to 20-pound line
- 5/0 to 10/0 hooks
- Wire lashing, available at tackle shops
Instructions
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1
Tie a 5/0 to 10/0 hook to the end of the line using a clinch knot. The hook size depends on the size of the ballyhoo; try to match the hook to the length of the bait. Illustrations for tying a clinch knot are linked in the Reference section of this article.
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2
Pierce the ballyhoo through the tip of the head with the hook point. The eye of the hook should be below the fish and pointed toward the tail. Thread the fish on the hook until the eye of the hook is pressed against the tip of the ballyhoo's nose and the point of the hook emerges from the belly.
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3
Turn the hook around and stick the point into the belly of the fish, which will help reduce snags in the water.
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4
Thread the end of a 5-inch length of wire lashing through the eye of the hook and wrap it around the line several times to hold securely.
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5
Wrap the wire along the length of the ballyhoo around the body to provide some support to hold the fish to the rigging in the water.
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6
Troll the rigging about 20 to 30 feet behind a boat, or cast from piers and retrieve rapidly with the fishing reel.
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Tips & Warnings
Hold dead ballyhoo in a bucket filled with saltwater brine and ice to keep the bait shiny and fresh.
Check license requirements and catch limits before going fishing.
References
- Photo Credit mackerel image by sasha from Fotolia.com
