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Greetings to all- This will be my first post here. I will be on the gulf coast in the middle of May. I will be tying my own bubble rigs. Just wondering if there are tube colors that are better than others or a better color during specific conditions. My go to has been chartreuse green surgical tubing. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.Maybe I will meet some of you guys when I am there. Later.
This past summer I had good luck on cut up sunglass holders in pink, green and yellow but there were days when the only thing I could seem to get them to hit was a white McDonald's type drinking straw. Only issue with those is they don't protect the fluorocarbon as well as the rubber straws. Good luck on your trip down.
** when the spanish bite was on last year, clear chuggers/bubbles were hard to find at times so rack up early if you can
From my experience using bubbles green, red, and yellow are used. Yellow is used but sparsely. I would stay with the red and green. I have never used mcd's straws but have seen them used. From past years the Spanish arrive late March early April and that's fishing heaven for me. Get here as soon as you can. Have a great day.
These are the baitfish you are trying to imitate...
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=4601&stc=1
I have just about every color sunglass holder made and will mostly throw the yellow. But keep an eye out what seems to be working better for everyone else. Will sometimes use the red or green ones also. Usually throw mine on a custom made Styrofoam chugger I make up myself. Have to be careful because sharks will breach on the white chugger so went to the bubble a lot this past year just can't throw it as far.
I've been messing around this winter with some McD straws with Luhr Tape on the sides. Looking forward to trying them in a few weeks. They sparkle real pretty.
Welcome to the forum Stevereno.I use clear plastic bubbles all the time and have great luck when Spanish are around. Surgical tubing should work just fine. I've used the straws but they don't hold up well with the Spaniards teeth. All the bait and gift shops have the rubber sunglasses holders in an assortment of colors. I personally like bright green but at times hot pink seems to work better as do other colors. I guess what I'm trying to say is bring an assortment and use the color that is working best at the time.The rubber tubing stands up well to the toothy critters. I just wish the leader did as well.You should hit a good Spanish bite when you get down. Spanish are abundant at that time of year and one of my favorite. But when they're around, so are the shark. Hope to see you on the pier. Until then,Good fishing everyone....
I love the bubble rig Very exciting fishing Love it I wouldn't get too creative I use green yellow and red in that order of preference If the fish are around those are going to catch them Will let you in on a little secret I don't know if it's my imagination or what but it works for me If most everyone is using a particular color I'll change to a different one Seems that the fish like something a little different sometimes
I was down last October, and my darling wife had to carry my rods off the pier because my arms hurt so bad from catching spaniards. the ONLY color that was working THAT day was chartreuse yellow. No red, no green..no Mcdee's straws. The Spanish can be VERY picky...so come prepared with a plethora of colors.
But. I always start w/ pinkish red..and watch the bite from everyone else.
I make up a few 2" wire leaders and trebles w/ barrel swivels just long enough to hide under the tube - and pack a bunch of different colors. Makes for a easy swap as needed.
DANG! I can't wait for MAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I won't sleep tonight just thinking of the pier.
Only thing I realized with malin wire hidden behind straws was that I lost entire bubble rigs to sharks as opposed to just the straw and treble. No more wire rigs for me going forward. Just slightly heavier fluoro
Welcome to the forum. I can tell you this, you won't find a better bunch of folks. I started last year and my first trip out on the pier was a success. I caught some nice spanish with the bubble and chartreuse rig. I'm still learning and the guys on here are still teaching. They're not kidding about the sharks. Once you get the fish on better haul it in quick.
Double-jig spec rigs, small spoons and crappier jigs also work behind a bubble.
Straws are what I normally use. I put a small snap swivel on the line so I can change out easily without having to re-tie.
Your messages are full!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pier#r
Hey chillinfish- you posted that my messages are full- Is there something that I need to do about that- Just let me know and I will gladly take care of it.
Welcome to the forum.Quote:
Originally Posted by stevereno
You have to delete un-needed private messages from time to time or your inbox fills up and you won't be able to receive new PM's.
I don't even think fluorocarbon is needed on a bubble just my opinion. Seems the way Spanish hit it hasn't been necessary for me. I use 60lb. mono leader so the sharks can bite through when they hit your Spanish. Also if you don't want to loose your rig or you don't care how long you have to fight the fish be careful when the Jacks or Reds come through not many fish of that size are landed on the smaller reels that everyone uses for Spanish.
Definitely agree, fluorocarbon is not needed. I use bargain brand 50# mono.
Other items you may already have in the person-cave:p: catfish dip bait tubes are a little larger profile (skip slinging the dip bait over the rest of us, please). Conversely, in the archery section of sporting goods you will find thinner surgical tube in bright colors used for rigging. I always wondered if clear air-line tubing from the shrimp bucket (sorry shrimps) would be best when those clear glass minnows were about -- no real color, just a subtle flash and displacement. Of course, people use the clear bubbles to avoid being targeted and cut off by spanish, so an invisible lure might be as bad an idea as it sounds like now that I write it out loud.
Also, these hard bait minnows work well on a bubble rig.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlF
silver/blue
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=4607&stc=1
New to site, so Hi!
Love using bubble rig for Spanish, but 90% of the time I don't use a straw or tube, I tie on a Clark spoon Squid Spoon, size 00. Last a whole lot longer and I don't have to fool with treble hooks, especially when trying to release the small ones. Oh, usually replace the hook on the squid spoon with a much sharper hook from mustard, owner or Gamaktsu. The trailer hooks for spinner baits usually fit.
Field & Stream has some neat looking small Shad Spoons in the freshwater section that should work well. Inexpensive too, $3 for 2 pack.
Before everybody started using the sunglass holders we used the oil sample tubing I used at Thompson Tractor. Caught a bunch of fish on it and it was indestructible it was real hard and when the sunglass holders came along it seemed to hook fish better.
Need some help with bubble rigs please. I was made a believer last year during the Spanish bite. What size single hook or trebles do you use behind the bubble rigs? I am thinking about tying up some bucktail and flashabou lures to drag along behind the bubble as it seems like it would be a good imitation to the minnows shown in the picture from Pier#r'. Does anybody have any recommendations you can pass along? Thank you for the help.
I use VMC 9626BZ 4x strong size 4 but I suspect a size 6 would be good enough for Spanish. If you are catching them on a soda straw and worry about line damage just use plain clear tubing (similar to bubble box aerator tubing) and slide the straw over it. Use size 10 swivels and cheap 50lb mono for leaders. I see a lot of folks use super glue on the seam of the bubble float to keep them from coming apart. I use a snap swivel to attach the treble hook so that I can change straw or tubing color without having to cut and retie if others are catching them on a different color or change to a Clark spoon.
Seems the bubbles would always hit the pier and crack when the bite was really on, so I now fill mine with clear silicone from a caulk gun. No more leaks to worry about.
Go to the shoe department and get a tube of Shoe Goo---no kidding, there is such stuff---and run a bead around the seam of the bubble. It will shrink as it dries and will dry (clear) to the touch in just a few minutes. This holds the bubble together and makes a little bumper for when it hits the pier. You'll lose the bubble to a shark before you'll break it on the pier, unless you are some kind of a go-rilla, bubble-stomper.