Bullie rig

[BIG DAVE 1]

Now that we are approaching shark season alot of guys from both brc and other places have asked how do i make shark traces. So i thought i would make a little instruction set. This is how to make a single hook rig ideal for bullies of all size. The rig i made below is just made from green rope and a large hook so its easier to see. Theres a few little items you are going to need for this excersize firstly you are going to need wire. at the most you will need 150lb fishing wire, but 90lb is what i use for most applications. When making the rig you need to cut the wire to the length of the shark you chaing. i like to go 10% over, so if im chasing a 3foot (92cm) shark i will use 1m of wire. if im chasing a 4footer (122cm) i will use 124cm wire etc. etc. You dont need to precise down to the very centimeter, its just a guide. You will also require crimps you will need 2 of them, Or 4 if you wish to double crimp. Plus a hook and a 100lb swivel. With the hooks you dont need a monster all you need is a live bait hook between sizes 6/0-10/0 at the max. Alternatly you can use a set of ganged hooks

Firstly thread the crimp on, then put the wire through the eye of the hook and back to the crimp then slide the crimp over the wire. The crimp it tightly. Please not you dont need to make the loop so big, i just made mine bigger so it was easier to see

Then do the same thing again but use a swivel insted of a hook.

This is what the final result will look like. Time to bring on the sharks.

DAVE

[Terry H]

I'd recommend a longer trace. The point of such a length is that if the trace gets wrapped around the shark, the end of the trace is still past the shark, without the possibility of the skin cutting the mainline.

Then again, that's for larger sharks. For <4 ft you can use any ol' wire trace rig.

[Angus]

True Terry.

However i think Daves rig will be 95% effective.

Nearly every shark i have caught river or reef has been on those 20cm wire traces from Amart. (I think they are actually meant to be Tailor traces).

And the last shark i got (second biggest i have caught from the river) was with no trace at all!

My point is you still have a good chance of not being tailed especially if your mono is pretty heavu.

Plus even with a massive trace shit can go wrong.

Angus

[Brian D]

I use those traces too Angus. The black plastic coated ones, cheap as chips. But I use long traces cause I cut the wire and recrimp.

Last time I put my hand down a bullys throat the bloody thing tried to bite me. Strange that! So I buy the long traces and if they survive the first shark I cut the wire and make a short trace. It's better then killing a shark just to get my trace back. That way I only loose a hook.

[BIG DAVE 1]

also terry you can cast these oneswhat good is a 2m long trace that you have to deploy? anyways this is just the way i do it and it works 100%. we havent lost a shark to date. If you find that there too short whats stoping you from adding a shock leader? or strong mono?

DAVE

[Tim a]

Angus I know the traces your talking about but I think their quite expensive. I've got a couple of packs over the time and they always cost like $7/8 for 3. When I went to bcf to get my stuff for my traces it cost me $12.95 for 10m of nylon coated wire, 40 crimps and a big packet of swivels that will last me for life. That should make me stacks of traces and its heaps cheaper.

[reef_raider]

what size main line do you use???

[Terry H]

Lol! You're detailing how to make a decent length trace, and then say how mine won't be castable?

Dave, I said that to about 4ft I'd use \"any ol' wire trace\". By this, I mean the small 30-40cm ones you get at Big W, K-Mart, etc. That is what I use. Hell, you can even catch a 4 and a bit footer on them.

At about 4-5ft, that's when I'd look at using a longer trace. At this stage, it doesn't matter if the length of trace is castable, because my bait certainly isn't.

EDIT:

reef_raider: for 3-4fts that I was catching last year, I was using 20lbs (30lb at one stage - for the rays) However this year, I'll be using 6lbs line to catch these 3 footers.

For anything bigger I'll just use my 50lbs game rod, deployed with a whole fish (about 30cm) as bait.

Post edited by: TerryH, at: 2006/08/27 21:19

[BIG DAVE 1]

I use 9lb for bullies around the 3ft mark. but you cant use those 20cm tracesm cause you get snapped off heaps. Also My mates bro caught a 6ft tiger in the bay on 30lb mono. With out wire trace.

DAVE

Post edited by: BIG DAVE 1, at: 2006/08/28 13:30

[reef_raider]

do you think 20lb gelspun would be alright or would it be a bit overkill for mainline???

aso what size trace are you using???

[BIG DAVE 1]

mate that should be plenty. What do u mean by trace size? do u mean strength? I use 90lb

dave

[reef_raider]

would 50lb be enough???

i have a roll of 100lb mono leader... would that be any good or do i need wire???

Post edited by: reef_raider, at: 2006/08/28 19:14

[BIG DAVE 1]

mate you could use 50lb for smaller stuff, but i think you would be better off spending like $5 for 10m of 90lb trace.

DAVE

[blue_mako]

When I go out from Nudgee Beach this season in my kayak I will be using my sp set ups for smaller bullies 2-4ft and 50kgs (literally) of berley.

My point is, if you are in close contact to the shark, say maybe upto 50m from it when it's on your line, you should be able to avoid getting tail whipped in the first place. I caught my first bullie at the end of yr 7 on one of those 20-30cm kmart traces and 10lb mono fishing for Catties at Bretts Wharf. All you have to do is hold your rod up as high as you possiblly can. This will mean your main line will be avoiding the tail all together since the gradient of the line is much more steeper and you will have a more direct pull on the shark.

Also it's better to hold your rod high for smaller sharks as when the shark stops its first run if you have your rod held high above your head you pretty much turn the sharks head back towards you making it easier to retrieve. Catch my drift? It's quite similar to bream fishing with lures, if your rod tip is held low of corse it will be more fun but the fish will have you in structure in no time. If you have your rod up high and team it up with some quick reeling you can tilt his head up and back towards you. Mind you this doesn't always happen but it's just the general rule.

Troy