Traces
Shunter's early season Redeye Sardine trace:
| 03 December 2009
Hi Guys this is the Dirty Dog Glasses Competition send your Trace to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - below is the first entry by Scot Hunter
A Redeye Sardine is a very effective bait as we approach the beginning of the fishing season and are expecting the early shoals of Couta and Dorado. We also get a lot of late season Natal Snoek which can also be caught on this trace making it a very good all round bait trace for this time of year.
To make a Redeye Sardine Trace you will need the following:
• No 5 and No 7 Bite wire
• 1 x 5/0 Gamakatsu Taman hook (or similar, but must be very sharp)
• 1 x 2/0 VMC Live bait hook (or similar)
• 1 x Large Bead
• 1 x No 5 Power Swivel
• 1 x Pink or Glow Green Yamashita Octopus skirt
Attach the 5/0 Gamakatsu Hook to a piece of No. 7 bite wire in a “stiff rig” manor. To do this you pass the wire through the eye of the hook, then wrap it around the hook shank 2 – 3 times and then pass it back through the opposite side of the hook eye. Now complete a standard hay wire twist. (The reason for this “stiff rig” is to keep the hook straight for a better presentation and to prevent the bait from falling apart by a moving hook).
Now measure the No 7 wire against the Redeyes you plan to use so that the back hook is positioned with the hook eye in line with the anal fins of the bait. (you don't want to make this too short as the stomach cavity is very soft and will fall apart very quickly). Now attach the No 7 wire to the 2/0 VMC lead hook by means of a standard Haywire twist. Note: the hooks should be facing in opposite directions.
Attach the swivel to a length of No 5 Bite wire and slide the Yamashita Skirt followed by the bead onto the wire and attach it to the lead hook by means of a haywire twist. The No 5 wire between the lead hook and the swivel should be about 15 cm long. The bead is there to prevent the skirt from tearing when pulled down over the lead hook.
And there you have a great trace for early season fish. When hooking the bait on it is very important to note that you need to place the rear hook in the anal fin area first, then bring the trace forward and hook the lead hook through both bottom and top lip of the bait. When fishing for Natal Snoek and Couta the bait can be trawled slowly and when fishing for Dorado it can be skipped on the surface fairly fast. Tight Lines.
