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+--- Thread: How to rig for mussels at Willard? (/showthread.php?tid=1029275)
How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-22-2017
Hi Willard fishing folks -
How do you rig for bait fishing with mussels at Willard? I have heard #4 hooks and no sinkers. What type hooks are best (rounded curve)? How do you best wrap the mussel on the hook? I have heard that precooked mussel is best, true? thx.
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Re: [Trent_S] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - obifishkenobi - 12-23-2017
I Responded to your pm before I saw this post, it sounds like you have read some my earlier post about mussels fishing for wipers. The rigging will depend on if your fishing from shore or a boat, I fish from a boat, so I do not need to cast very far and keep my rigging simple only using a #4 bait holder with no weight, cooked frozen mussels from Winco. I think the wipers bite better without a weight as they sink slower through the water colum. I hook the whole mussel meat through the foot which is a round piece of cartilage on the corner of the mussels then back through the other side, that’s it. If I was fishing from shore and needed to cast farther I would use a sliding sinker and magic string to secure the bait. I flip or cast my bait out leaving the slack line and put my rods in my holders and wait for the excitement to start. Hit me up in the spring and I will take you out and show you what and where works for me.
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Re: [obifishkenobi] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-23-2017
Thanks for the info and the offer. I would love to go out with you sometime in the spring. Trent
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Re: [obifishkenobi] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - obifishkenobi - 12-23-2017
[quote obifishkenobi]I Responded to your pm before I saw this post, it sounds like you have read some of my earlier post about mussels fishing for wipers. The rigging will depend on if your fishing from shore or a boat, I fish from a boat, so I do not need to cast very far and keep my rigging simple only using a #4 bait holder with no weight, cooked frozen mussels from Winco. I think the wipers bite better without a weight as they sink slower through the water colum. I hook the whole mussel meat through the foot which is a round piece of cartilage on the corner of the mussels then back through the other side, that’s it. If I was fishing from shore and needed to cast farther I would use a sliding sinker and magic string to secure the bait. I flip or cast my bait out leaving the slack line and put my rods in my holders and wait for the excitement to start. Hit me up in the spring and I will take you out and show you what and where works for me.[/quote]
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Re: [Trent_S] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Springbuck - 12-23-2017
I had good success using a small clip from a swivel. I just cut the rest if the swivel off and tie the clip to the line. Then I use a treble hook, say a size six or eight.
The trick is to unclip the hook from the clip and push the EYE of the hook through the thickest, toughest part of the mussel, then clip the hook back on with mus sell attached. If you open a mussel you see the "beard", the thick foot, and the "wings" that hang down longer on one end. One point of the hook will stick through up by the thick body above the beard and the other two will sort of cradle the wings. This helps them survive longer casts.
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Re: [Springbuck] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-24-2017
Thanks for sharing this tip. Casting mussels would be a challenge.
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Re: [Springbuck] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Jedidiah - 12-24-2017
No need to cannibalize a swivel, just get some of these:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Norman-Lures-Speed-Clip/739617.uts?slotId=9
Or these:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=701927&type=product&WT.z_btnclk=YMAL-701927&WT.z_pg_ref=prd739617
Honestly the no-knot clips are awesome, the Norman clips just LOOK more secure but they are better for bigger hands. I use those no-knot clips on virtually everything, including dry flies. I'm convinced that the livelier action they provide makes a huge difference.
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Re: [Trent_S] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - RockyRaab - 12-24-2017
I haven't ever used them, but I'd use fresh instead of cooked. I'd use a small mesh sack like the roe bags the salmon guys use. And for all baits that can be deeply swallowed, I'd use a circle hook.
Edit to add: I'm a fan of Duolok snaps. I use them alone for lures that don't twist, or add a swivel for those that do. They're extremely light but strong and they don't open up easily under load.
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Re: [Trent_S] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - obifishkenobi - 12-25-2017
I have not used the raw mussels, the cooked frozen ones stay on pretty good and produce strikes, when fishing with mussels if I do not catch double digits it has been a slow day and I have had a number of 30+ fish days over the course of the last three years and the cat fish like them too and an occasional carp as well. For convieance I will stick to precooked frozen.
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Re: [obifishkenobi] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-27-2017
Thanks for the tip. I seem to hear more folks preferring the pre-cooked. When in the Spring is the best time to fish for Wipers? Where would be the best places to fish for them? Thx
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Re: [Jedidiah] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-27-2017
Thanks for the advice, I had not seen these particular clips before.
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Re: [RockyRaab] How to rig for mussels at Willard? - Trent_S - 12-27-2017
I was really wondering about the circle hooks myself. They seem amazing and tend to always hook in the mouth and almost seem to hook themselves.
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