Chin weights / chin guards for trolling gardie / scaly mack baits question
Submitted by beeroclock on Thu, 2023-07-06 14:09
Gday guys I wanna have a go at trolling gardies and scaly mackeral baits for spaniards this summer. Just wondering if anybody on here uses them? If you can advise what brand and size/weight chinweights to use and where to get them (BCF, anaconda and Bluewater tackle dont have them in stock on shelves). Cheers for any tips
davewillo
Posts: 2410
Date Joined: 08/09/16
I would suggest looking at
I would suggest looking at the Richter Lures Bait Runners. They are weighted and also cover the head of the gardie to stop them blowing out. Another way we use them (for small marlin and sails) are the Mold Craft soft heads. They are like a little pusher head that also cover the gar's head but also leaves a smoke trail behind them.
PGFC member and lure tragic
beeroclock
Posts: 741
Date Joined: 22/08/12
Thanks mate the richter bait runners look
like exactly what i want, should fit onto a scaley mack too i think cheers
Reefsta
Posts: 321
Date Joined: 03/08/19
Can be simple
Have never used the proper chin guard devices, although they look good and plenty of types online. In Qld I used to slow troll wolf herring and smaller tailor using handmade wire loops and chin weights, but that is a bit of mucking around until you get well practiced. Have trolled plenty of gar for spaniards in WA using a metal "wog" weight with skirt at the front, which keeps the gar head in and protected. Has worked for me trolling up to 10 knots, although 6-8 is better if you want to still cover a fair bit of ground, along with the gar lasting more. Lighter weight wogs better if you want to troll at 2-3 knots.If you search "wog head trolling" or similar there will be examples.
For trolling smaller baits like scalies and mulies a simple 5" squid skirt with a bean sinker or half a bean stuffed inside, ahead of a mulie on 3 ganged hooks has worked well.The squid skirt does the same thing, keeping the baits head protected and pulling straightish. Only need to troll slowish, maybe 2-4 knots. The rig looks pretty orinary in the water at a slow troll but it definitely works. When trolling these I place the hooks down along the spine from the top and the last one through the snout, rather than rigging the hooks through the side like you would normally for casting. I know mono works best for hookups, but you do lose a few, so I ended up settling on single strand wire as fine as I could get away with, typically in the 50-80lb size if fishing 30-50lb main line. Easy to make up a few spare rigs ahead of a trip, ready to go.
Yewiefish85
Posts: 792
Date Joined: 02/01/11
TT trolling bait rigs are
TT trolling bait rigs are another option, I have a few but haven’t really tried rigging them, if you watch Sammy Hitzke on YouTube he trolls them for Spaniards in QLD with success but I think a lot of practice is needed to get the bait to “swim” right, wog head rigged gar is my choice
Cheers Yewie
Pete F
Posts: 310
Date Joined: 07/01/18
Anaconda do have them so do
Anaconda do have them so do Getaway outdoors Balcatta.
Also look at getting the wire nose cones for gardies, you can use these in conjunction with squid skirts and plug type soft heads that make them swim like a popper.
There is also another one with a bib that turns your gardie into a diving lure.
The best way I have found is to find the blue mackerel schools and catch one live to dead slow troll around the school. Often only takes a few minutes for it to go off.
Cheers