Squid is a great bait for trolling, drifting or deep dropping but rigging one has always presented some problems. This rig should eliminate a lot of the guess work when rigging these squids. Simple and easy. Each rig can be adjusted for any size bait so there is not the need to make up a rig for each bait and no special beads, crimps, stops, floats or weights are needed and very little sewing.

Rigs are available with mono or cable and with each they will have a "Double Leader" inside the bait. In this demo we are rigging with a short cable leader.

All that is needed is rigging floss and sewing needle, open eye needle and a knife.

Step 1: Slide the tubing off the hook and position the hooks on the double leader where they will go into the bait.

Step 2: Slide the tubing back over the eye of the hook and lock it in place by tying a few half-hitches around the tubing.

Step 3: With the knife cut a small slit in the squid where the hook will go thru. Insert the open eye needle into the body and push it up thru the bait and out the slit.

Step 4: Loop the cable leader to the needle and pull the leader back down and out of the squid. Attach the rear hook to the loop on the leader.

Step 5: Insert the front hook thru the bait and the back hook thru the head.

Step 6: Sew around the mantle with the floss.

Skirts can be added or a number of other choices to enhance you rigged bait.

Trolling a Spanish Makerel for big Marlin is a favorite in quite a few spreads. The rig is available in mono or cable and in either case it will have a "Double Leader" in the bait. As you go thru these instructions you will see there is a number of ways to rig.

This rig comes in Cable or Mono and all that's needed is an open eye needle, awl, sewing needle, and rigging floss.

Step 1: Slide the tubing off the hook eye and adjust the hooks according to where they will be in the bait.

Step 2: After adjusting the hooks, slide the tube back over the eye and secure with a couple of half-hitches around the tubing. This will ensure the hook will not slide when troleed.

Step 3: Remove the back hook from the cable rig and insert the open eye needle into the vent. Push the needle up into the bait and exit at the gil plates. Connect the loop of the rig to the needle and pull the cable back tru the bait and out the vent.

Step 4: With the loop out of the vent, attach the rear hook.

Step 5: Center the awl in the head and put a hole thru the bait for the front hook.

Step 6: Insert the front hook into the head of the bait and make sure the back hook is set also.

Step 7: With the sewing needle close the gills and sew around the hook and mouth. The sewing should be up to the rigger as we all have certain methods.

Skirts may be added or anything else you normally use.

These are the basic rigging instructions for our New Double Hook rig. As you will see there are many rigging variations you could apply and to just about any bait. We are showing here a Boston Mackerel being rigged for drifting while Shark fishing and all that’s needed.

Rigging Floss, an Open Eye Needle and an Ice Pick is all that’s needed to rig any bait.

Step 1: Slide the Eye Tubing off the eye towards the leader end. Position the rear hook where it will come out of the baits. Slide the front hook down the cable to where it will be positioned in the head.

Step 2: Slide the tubing back over the cable and the eye of the hook. Leave an equal amount of tube on both sides of the eye. This tubing is sized to be a tight fit so you might have to wet it a little. With the rigging floss tie a couple of knots around the tubing and cable. This secures the front hook and will prevent it from sliding.

Step 3: Remove the rear hook from the rig.

Step 4: Insert the open eye needle into the bait and push it up thru the bait and out the gill plates. Attach the loop end of the cable rig to the open eye of the needle and pull the cable back down and out of the bait.

Step 5: Attach the rear hook back onto the cable rig.

Step 6: First insert the rear hook into the bait and then the front hook. If going thru the head as pictured here you might find it easier to punch a hole thru the head first with the ice pick.

Step 7: A skirt can be slid over the end of the leader and down to the bait.

There a few methods to use when creating a stop on the lure leader to correctly position a hook within the skirt. From the simple to the elaborate, you’ve got some options to choose from.

The first method would be to just lay the hook and leader where you want it and crimp a stop just behind the lure head.

Similarly, if you want to add beads to the leader just slide them on and again measure where the stop should be crimped onto the leader.

Another method would be to twist the leader so it forms a double line and crimp it by the head. This will not only correctly position the hook but will also provide extra protection where it’s needed most.

For light lures you can add an egg weight to the leader as part of the stop along with the leader crimp.

If the skirt is long enough cable can also be used.

And for a lure that will have double hooks the measuring process is the same.

So you’ve got options.  Lots of people have an opinion on which is “better” or “worse.”  You use the one that works best for you.

Where the bend of the hook sits within the skirt of a lure is important. There are a number of rigging options to properly position the hook in a lure, but we’ll chat more about the specifics of that tomorrow, and as you will see some methods are better than others.

There are two options when it comes to positioning the rear hook: having the bend of the hook even with the bottom of the skirt, or having the bend positioned past the skirt somewhat. It is important to note this second position is IGFA legal as long as the point is not exposed.

And depending on who you talk to, people will say one way is better than the other. I’ve had equal success with both hook positions, so either is fine in my book.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about different ways of rigging lures in the different positions.