This is a 'tweaked' version of a common snoek trac

[dugongboy]

This is a 'tweaked' version of a common snoek trace (Queen Mackerel). You can use #3 wire throughout or a small bite trace tied to the fluro using an improved albright. I use 20lb siglon fluro throughout and seldom lose fish as snoek will take from behind 80% of the time(check the fluro for nicks after every strike) - unless they are thick and feeding well where it would be better to use wire as they are competing against each other and attack from any angle.

I have found this trace to be by far the best when the fish are shy and eaisly spooked. The main difference in this rig is the clip which greatly reduces the time to change out a bait and keeps you in the 'zone' (those of you who have fished amongst 10 other boats at backline will know what I mean). It can be especially useful to paddle ski fishermen who can pre-rig baits before launching.

Firstly the hardware.....

 

[dugongboy]

Make up the hooks with heavy wire #7 or #8 - wrap the wire around the shank to make a 'stiff rig' - this makes it eaiser to bait up and keeps it straight - note the loop -  this is where you connect the clip. I use these Owners as they are thin, strong and very sharp although a bit expensive. Make at least 4-6.

 

[dugongboy]

I use 1 meter of fluro to a small power swivel on this the cuda duster and squid are stopped by the clip at the business end.

 

[dugongboy]

This is it with the squid and duster in place - note that you can use any colours and it is good to try different colours at the same time - I use pink with white dusters as well but the white works best for me.

 

[dugongboy]

This is the final product - usually the fresher the bait the less cotton I will use and will only tie the very top of the bait(it gets more movement going) you will also have noticed that I leave a small tag end on the wire to stop the bait from sliding down.

 

[dugongboy]

I usually pull these fillets quite fast but they must not crash/bash out of the water. Also remember that you don't have to pull baits - I often use small Rapalas or Yozuri minnows as well as Clarke spoons #00 and #01 and also minieyes.

I also ALWAYS have a spinning stick ready with a sprat spoon or Onde onda. 

 

[dugongboy]

Good Luck and watch those backline waves !

 

[dugongboy]

The result!! 8Kg Natal Snoek using the fluro trace.

 

[Super_Daav]

That is 1 times nice snoek there Dugongboy!! My trace is excatly the same but I seem to moved more to a pink version than all white... Cannot explain it but it just "feels" right!

Big emphasis on as little cotton as possible and no spinning fillets!

 

[CLS]

Nice fish, my trace is rather the same, I add about 200mm of light wire between the clip and the main line , where the skirt sits.I use a small #6 power swivel

 

[dugongboy]

Super_Daav wrote:

That is 1 times nice snoek there Dugongboy!! My trace is excatly the same but I seem to moved more to a pink version than all white... Cannot explain it but it just "feels" right!

Big emphasis on as little cotton as possible and no spinning fillets!

Thanks bro, Strangely enough I seem to catch more fish on the all white version like in the tutorial but this fish (8kg PB) took the one with the pink flasher over the bronze Yamashita. Generally I will only pull two baits and one of them is always the all white and I have found that there are more pulls on the white - possibly 75%

 

[johnjc]

thanks for all the effort you went to here - very very useful!john

 

[jethrop]

When you say that it must not crash/bash out of the water do you mean it must stay under the surface?
I have caught quite a few snoek using "flappers" (loose fillets) bouncing on the surface about 25m behind my ski but recently started experimenting with more streamlined bait presentations that dont usually break the surface...

 

[dugongboy]

Sometimes you attract strikes going slow and sometimes fast, what I mean is that you dont want the fillet somersaulting, skipping on the surface is fine, I prefer to have the fillet breaking the surface 50% of the time - no hard and fast  rules here, just what works best for the conditions.

Just something to add, it is probably a good idea to secure the duster in place with a toothpick tip or even better a small piece of elastic band tied in front using a double granny knot, and slid down. I lost a decent size snoek recently when the duster slid up the fluro and another fish took it right at the boat.

 

[willem wikkel spies]

do you ever down rig for snoek?

 

[Super_Daav]

I have tried a 2 or 3 oz and was rewarded with a good fish at around 10:30 one morning... Only tried this once.

 

[dugongboy]

sea sick wrote:

do you ever down rig for snoek?

Very seldom as I mostly try and fish in 2-4m of water, but have done it when fishing deeper at 5-8m.

 

[willem wikkel spies]

eish


2-4 meter water, that risky.
how far from the boat do you set the spread?