Printable View
Can someone explain to me in simple terms how a bubble rig works? I understand the bubbling action they create is suppose to simulate a bait fish, but after that I'm kinda lost.
Another question, (actually coming from my 8 year old son)...does anyone fish with just a hook, sinker and bobber from the pier?
(yeah we're from the Midwest)
I believe a bubble rig accomplishes several purposes. It allows for a long cast. It keeps bait near the surface. It creates action that stimulates a strike and it attracts only "wanted" fish and does not attract "trash" fish. Basically anything that hits it would be pretty fun to catch.
I have seen people fish with a hook, sinker and bobber from the pier. Most of them seem to be from up north or a foreign country. I would advise you just leave off the bobber, get some live shrimp and let them free swim and hang on till something hits. If you want to go for big game then catch or beg a live baitfish and chunk it out as far as you can and let him swim free. When something hits it you will know. If you just ask I bet there are a lot of folks that would be happy to let an 8 year old reel in a fish they hook, just ask. I know I always enjoy helping kids make a catch. Even the "trash" fish that most people try to avoid can be a lot of fun for a kid. You will have a great time at the pier, bring a camera, get there early or late, you will be amazed at what you might see.
There is a forum member named Peaches who loves corks -
LOL! Thanks Alan. I knew the bobber, sinker, hook question was a bit funny, but my kid wanted to ask it.
As far as the bubble rig goes...do you cast it or reel it in, or let it float? I know sometimes spoons are attached to bubble rigs but doesn't that effect the action?
Mix up your retrieve until you find what they want. Or find #er and just do what he does.
I know peaches (from the forum), got a lot of good advice from him in the past. Thanks!
May have hard time finding Peaches for awhile he should be down under now.He was going as a deck hand back in the fall.As far as the bubble rigs go by J&M and ask for James he can fix you up with everything you need.He may even show you my special chugger rig we use.
Yea, when I last saw him in October, he was telling me about it. He was some kind of stoked.
The bubble of a Bubble Rig acts as a weighted float and a popping attractant to the fish.
When retrieved with a slashing or jerking action the "sploosh-sploosh-sploosh" imitates the sound of surface feeding fish.
This attracts curious fish which strike at the lure which looks like a small panicked baitfish fleeing from the surface 'feeding' activity nearby.
But it attracts most any kind of fish including at times the 'less than desirable' species.
There are some opportunities for float fishing both in the shallows (with live shrimp and small LYs) for specks and pompano mostly, but bluefish and ladyfish are common bycatch.
Outside the sandbar with a larger float and a live LY is a good way to catch "trash fish" like king and spanish mackerel ;-)
Thanks again guys.
A lot of folks use a live ly or shrimp under a float in the shallows when fishing for specs and reds. On the end it makes it easier to keep a large bait in sight and to be able to pull it away from the pesky sharks when fishing for Kings. The little kid in me still gets a thrill from watching a cork go under and the lazy old man in me doesn't like snobbling. The peg in the middle of the bubble is removed to fill with water allowing you to adjust the weight of the rig. It always seems the Spanish bite is upwind when I'm there and the extra weight makes it easier to cast into the wind.
Some days the Spanish want the bubble rig ripped back to the pier as fast as you can reel, other days almost as slow as you can reel & still make head way and then the next day its an intermittent jerking retrieve. Just depends on their mood.
One trick is to throw a slice of LY belly or baby LY out into the mix when they are thick, tends to get the axe handles to bite when they are short striking bubbles.
BDL a small weighted cork, 15# seven strand and some #6 treble hooks is a great setup for kids to fish for spanish. My eleven and eight year olds have caught quite a few fish that way. Its hard for little fishermen to fish a jig or gotcha plug correctly or safely, but easy to watch a cork. Small lws and live shrimp will often get hit within moments of hitting the water when the fish are eating. Great way for the kids to see the fish feed also, which in my mind is one of the best parts of fishing.
I use a cork for mangroves and bar jacks as well religiously. I also caught a flounder or two off the pier last year on one fishing for specks