Day 2: the ever popular huddleston rigging thread.

There is a fair amount of rigging info on the web already, but I haven't seen any do it quite like me. Getting more bites can sometimes be all about the details, and this rigging goes to every length to get all the details just right.

First, hooks. We figured out right off the bat if you don't want to kill the fish, and don't want to scare them away, you need small hooks. Frog hooks? Insane. 2/0 Gammies? You'll kill every other fish. I settled on heavy wire #2s and #4s. These hooks are razor sharp and will NEVER BEND, even at tiny sizes.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7105-hook_package.jpg

These hooks are bronze, and the belly of a huddleston is white. So the obvious thing to do is paint them white. You can buy paint for metal at any craft store. As you can see, I paint all but the tip of the hook point.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7106-white_hooks.jpg

For rigging, I don't use wire or braided line, I use 40lb Big Game. I've been using it for 4 years and have never lost a fish from a broken trailer rig (line broke once, landed the fish). A few benefits with mono are 1) it's more sneaky and 2) the mono can absorb a bit of shock before breaking. Anyway, tie the hooks a couple inches apart with palomar knots.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7107-tied_hooks.jpg

The rest is simple. Attach the hooks to the belly of your hudd with a small Hyperwire split ring. Here it is, #2 up front #4 in the back, both embeded:

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7108-rigged.jpg

Keep some white hooks handy pretying them with 40lb if you want

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7109-hook_box.jpg

The second way I rig huddlestons has been covered many times by other sites. It's just the #2 hook rigged on top of the lure, immediately behind the dorsal fin. I attach it again with 40lb Big Game attached to the hook eye.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7110-top_hook.jpg

You'll get a few more bites this way, but will miss more fish. Good for heavy weeds, not much else IMO. Then again it looks like Butch Brown uses this method, and what does he know :)