Thread: Spanish rigs and techniques

I know how to catch spanish on bubble rigs but I guess the water isn't warm enough right now for the topwater bite. We caught some on gotchas Saturday, but I need advice on rigging a gotcha properly and also how to rig and technique for catching them on a looney jig. Any other lures to catch them on when they are not hitting top water? I'm coming back in a couple weeks to target spanish and need to know what to rig up. A "How to catch spanish for Dummies" thread would be nice.

you can use about about a 16 - 20 inch leader preferably 40 pound mono but if you keep get bit off i would switch to 60 pound mono and you can tie your main line either straight on to the leader or use a small spro swivel. and when the spanish are deep i like to use white looney jigs, gotchas are ok but nuthin IMO compares to a looney jig! now im sure there are diffrent strokes for diffrent folks but thats how i like to do it!

I noticed you were using a looney jig saturday, killer. Were you bouncing it off the bottom or what?

i would let it seek deep but not all the way to the bottom and i was jigging it really fast and then letting it sink deep again most of the time they would hit it on the fall kinda like bass fishing i guess!

I like to rig both Looney jigs and Gotchas with 40 lb. mono as a leader, as has already been stated. Make it about 18" to 20" long. You can use a swivel, but I like to attach the leader to the main line with a surgeon's knot (you can probably find it on Google.) As you catch your Spanish, inspect your leader at the lure end before every cast. If it is nicked up, cut it off and retie. This is the reason you start out with a rather lengthy leader. Neither a Looney jig or a Gotcha have any action of their own; it is up to the fisherman to impart the action. Gotcha's used to be called Jerk-Jiggers when I was a kid, which kind of gives you an idea of how to work it. You jerk it and you jig it. Really whip the rod up and down, whether using a Looney jig or a Gotcha. BUT, be conscious of where your lure is so you don't jerk it when it is straight down off the pier. Then it becomes a missile. Always look behind you when casting either lure.

Another great way to catch Spanish, especially when they are deep, is to use a Carolina-rigged Clark spoon. A size #00, #0, or #1 silver Clark works great. Use a two-ounce egg weight above a swivel attached to about 18" of 40 lb. mono tied to the spoon. This is a popular method on the Florida piers. Cast the rig out as far as you can and let it settle to the bottom. Then retrieve it very fast until you can see the spoon. Open your bail and let it sink back to the bottom. Repeat until you hook a fish or the lure reaches the edge of the pier. Spanish love it!

i usually do the same as king killer one time this year i had a popping quart with live shrimp and i caught a bunch of blues and spaniards just from that but that was in the middle of summer

Kingkiller was right on, but I usually start out with 60# right off, then check it after every strike. I end up having to replace it often. I usually eliminate the swivel and tie the mono leader directly to the momo line using a uni-knot because when the Spaniards are running they will hit anything that makes a movement in the water and that includes the swivel. I've found that the Got-Cha is probably your best bet since it cast like a bullet and can be fished top water, mid depth or off the bottom and can be jigged. Just my personal preference since I see loonies seem to work well too. Good fishing...

Fshntime

I work a gotcha like an underwater zara spook, but alot faster. Just wondered what kind of leader is preferred. I read on another forum that flourocarbon is the best. I used 20# surfstrand Saturday, but have used 40# mono too. Saw some being caught on spec rigs too.

Originally Posted by TUCK

I work a gotcha like an underwater zara spook, but alot faster. Just wondered what kind of leader is preferred. I read on another forum that flourocarbon is the best. I used 20# surfstrand Saturday, but have used 40# mono too. Saw some being caught on spec rigs too.

only problem ive had with speck rigs is constant break offs

Originally Posted by kingkiller7255@gmail.com

only problem ive had with speck rigs is constant break offs

true i prefer looneys more than speck rigs have had great luck with both