Slip-Sinker Rigs for Retreating Spawners

[Jim Gronaw]

Sometimes we are faced with some situations where shallow, spawning gills are done and heading for deeper water to regroup. In some lakes I fish shoreline fishing is all that is permitted or else access is limited. Such is the case on two of my favorite bluegill lakes and now the shallow fish are moving away from the bank. How to stay on 'em?

Try this...put a bullet -style worm sinker on your line and pinch a BB sized spilshot about 24 inches up from the end of the line. Then tie a pair of # 10 baitholder hooks at the end of your line and keep the hooks about 4 to 6 inches apart from each other. Now , simply hook a live nightcrawler at the head with the lead hook and in the middle of the body with the 'stinger' or trailer hook. Try to keep the bullet weight about 16 to 20 inches up from the bait, secured up the line with the splitshot.

I have been using 1/4 to 1/2 oz weights to make fairly long cast from shore on both 4 and 6 pound monos. I leave the bail open and keep an eye out for 'runs' as deeper gils will pick up the worm and head out. Depending on the situation, you can use heavier weight or egg style sinkers to reach retreating gills that are done spawning in the shallows. You can also fish these on a tight line, but make sure you are close by in case a rod wants to travel!

I reccommend setting the hook as soon as you notice a run...you'll be surprised as to how many fish are caught on the trailer hook. I have been catching big gills on this rig for the first 2 weeks in June in areas that the spawn has been completed. Depending on where you fish, you may be pleasantly surprised with other species as well.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I do the same, calling it a Micro Carolina Rig. The idea came to me from the bass technique of the same name.
Sometimes I'll put a small bit of black foam at the hook, if I'm getting a lot of weedy crap on the retrieve. This helps hold the bait above the salad.
It's a good way to get shellcrackers out of the channels here at Lake Murray.

[AJ Cheung]

hi thanks for the idea. oy, I love to fish but baiting live worms is tough for me. a double hook is a great presentation idea

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey John...I guess you would call my rods slow tip action as they are soft and I don't seem to have the problem of having the slip sinker moving down the line. I am using 1/4 and 1/2 oz bullet weights that bassers would use for pegging and Texas rigging plastic worms or lizards. I pinch a split shot on to keep the sinker from hitting the bait. 4 lb test and soft UL rods to give it a good toss.

[John Sheehan]

Jim-I use a similar rig with floating worms for bass. I want to get it close to the bottom quickly...havent had much success,at least this year but have scored in the past.I recall a three pounder once. .The same idea fishing for Bullheads on summer nights by the dam with pieces of hotdogs on 1 or1/0 hooks is killer though.
Are you using a slow tip rod for this application? With the stiff rod /baitcaster for Bass I gotta say the barrel sinker/split shot combo moves down the line after repeated casts and I find this a pain...I'm gonna start using barrel sinkers stopped by a swivel .

[chris]

wow! that rig sounds productive... i wonder if it would work with shiners for bass?

[John Sheehan]

This is how I fish for Bull Heads...thanks Jim never thought to tweak this idea for Gills!