# Surf leaders and rigging mullet.



## jaysmith77573 (Jul 6, 2014)

I'm pretty new to surf fishing and I was wondering is it okay to use the store bought leaders or is it better to go ahead and learn to create your own to increase the amount of fish you catch. My second question is rigging live mullet on circle hooks, what size hooks do you suggest and is hooking through the lips the best way to rig them? One more thing what size mullet should you use for live bait, usually the really big mullet i just use as cut bait. Thanks for helping this newbie out.


----------



## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I use 16/0 Mustead Circle Hooks for Bull Reds, Black Drum, Small-Medium Sharks. And for Bait hooks I use 2/0 to 6/0 Circle Hooks. I use live & cut Mullet for big baits and fresh dead mullet, Whiting or what ever I catch on bait poles. Hard Heads are good Sharks baits.


----------



## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Oh, Welcome to the site. You can glean a lot of good information on this site.
Best of luck.


----------



## edjman (Aug 13, 2013)

Yes you should make your own leaders. Plenty of info. on here on what to make. 
As far as hook size,depends on the bait.
Hooking through the eyes works for me. 14/0 to 16/0 are the usual size circle hooks.
Good luck!

:work::work:
SEAWEED


----------



## SaltwaterTom (Jun 23, 2013)

I would have to ask what size mullet and what fish are you targeting? For finger mullet casted for reds, trout, and small shark, I have been very happy with these:
http://www.eagleclaw.com/product/rigs/double-drop-rig

A 5/0 or 7/0 circle hook has been very productive on these.

For bigger baits and bigger fish, I definitely recommend you make your own with 14/0 or 16/0 hooks. Avoid snap swivels. Just my own personal experience.


----------



## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

You definitely should learn how to make your own leaders. As for your other questions, that depends on what your fishing for. For bull reds, drum, jacks,and smaller sharks, circle hooks in the 5/0 to 10/0 range is more than enough, for big sharks I use 16/0 or 20/0. For cut mullet I only use the upper part with the head and run the hook in one eye and out the top of the head, leaving plenty of the hook exposed, if you bury the tip of a circle hook into the bait your hook up ratio is going to suffer dramatically. As for live mullet, regardless of size, I hook them right behind the anal fin close to the spine, they are very tough in that area and will both stay alive and stay on the hook longer.


----------



## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Bro
I did a simple Visio .jpg of the rigs I make. Only difference is is that in the below image it appears I tie lines to the hardware. Actually, I crimp with sleeves all connections.


----------



## jaysmith77573 (Jul 6, 2014)

Thanks a bunch guys, I am aiming to catch bull reds drum and small sharks. I don't have the equipment or experience to try and tackle anything bigger. Thank you for giving me these tips I will learn to create my own leaders and I will follow ya'lls advice, again thanks for the responses.


----------



## Shane Wright (Nov 13, 2013)

Yep definitely make your own leaders. I recently went away from steel and use 
150lb flouro leader line with circle hooks I have not had one bite me off. 
I use 16/0 circles through the eyes on live bait. I just got back today
from a good trip on sharks bull reds in the surf


----------



## Shane Wright (Nov 13, 2013)

Where do you fund this Visio templates? I work at the plant and would 
have to draw it out on there


----------



## Yellow.mouth (May 10, 2013)

Easy starter method: buy you a roll of 80# malin wire. Use the haywire twist illustrated on the package, connect your hook to one end, a large black barrel swivel to the other. Use a length of four to five foot. Run your mainline through the weight eye, then a bead to keep the weight off the knot and swivel, then tie to the free side of the swivel and your in business. Hang your bait on a leg of your spider weight to cast. Liphooked mullet cast off easier, so use sharkchums method. This rigging certainly has its shortcomings, but is effective, easy, and inexpensive. I use this setup often, and it works great for reds and sharks up to five feet or so.


----------



## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Regarding the use of Visio; I use the freehand tool to draw what I what to. Visio is wonderful for personal use; I use it often at work for work-flows, practices, processes, and/or procedures. Even did large Space & Defense System plots and drawings of 108" x 36" and printed them to a 1055 LaserJet. 

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but the use of Visio as a drawing tool can help about any of us to communicate a thing.


----------

