Sabiki Suggestions - 10 tips for guaranteed bait-catching success!

Sabiki Suggestions - 10 tips for guaranteed bait-catching success!

Perhaps no other piece of terminal tackle in recent history has proven its effectiveness as often as the multiple-hook quill rig. Some call them Sabikis or Pescador rigs, while others still refer to them as chicken rigs or gold-hook rigs. We simply call them, “Bait-Catching Machines!”

These innovative works of wonder originated in Asia, and soon after made their way to the Unites States where anglers along every coastline now reap their benefits. In situations where a cast net is not an option, quill rigs continue to save fishermen looking for bait hours of valuable fishing time and plenty of hard-earned cash. Unlike yesteryear, purchasing live baitfish today from a local bait boat is not cheap, and for the relatively inexpensive price of only a few dollars each, quill rigs often prove to be worth their weight in gold!

But make no mistake about it, not all quill rigs are created equal, nor is there one perfect approach for making the most of these multi-hook marvels. Quill rig selection should be based on a number of criteria and should match the prevalent baitfish in your particular area. Main line test, branch line test (the small tag line connecting the hook to the main line), hook size and color and physical characteristics are all important considerations. Goggle-eyes and blue runners (hardtails) prefer quills with mass, such as feathers or plastic shrimp bodies and require heavy duty quill rigs with branch lines testing as strong as 30 lb. Herring, cigar minnows and sardines, all somewhat fragile baitfish, have a liking for iridescent fish skin quills with tiny glow beads and under most circumstances, require quill rigs with no more than 10 lb. test branch lines. Nevertheless, there are a number of tips and tricks we can pass along in our ongoing effort to make all of your bait catching endeavors as smooth and as successful as possible. Why, you ask? Because the best bait results in the best catches!

-Scale down: If you’re convinced baitfish are present but you can’t ‘buy a bite,’ scale down to a smaller quill rig. As little as one hook size and a 5 lb. test difference in the branch line may make all the difference between capturing a few prime baits and blacking out the well.

-Short and sweet: Select multi-hook bait rigs constructed with short branches spaced closely together. Long branch lines tend to tangle and don’t make much of a difference in the rig’s overall effectiveness. Leading manufacturers are now leaning heavily toward this concept by introducing quill rigs with eight or ten hooks rather than five or six on the same length main line.

-Less is more: The greatest number of hooks may not always be the wisest decision. When searching for runners, speedo, mackerel and other strong-swimming baits, a full stringer could spell disaster. Over the long run, modifying the rig to only two or three hooks could very well result in more large baits with substantially less tangling or re-rigging.

-Match the batch: Hook size must correspond to the baitfish you are attempting to procure. Too small of a hook, and the tiny-mouthed targets will continue to come unbuttoned. Too large, and you’ll be missing strike after strike and scaring off the wariest baitfish in the bunch.

-Test the waters: Don't assume any baitfish species will jump all over the same style quill rig they hit yesterday or last weekend. Fish tester rigs in different sizes and colors until a pattern emerges, and then switch accordingly. This is where and when heading to the baitfish grounds with a wide assortment of quill rigs comes into play. We recommend carrying three or four rigs in six or seven different size and color combinations.

-Proper presentation: When a ball of bait pops up in open water, the trick to capturing as many as possible is to cast across the school rather than directly into the center of it. When baitfishing straight up and down on the anchor, experiment with various ‘jerking’ motions. Some baitfish species prefer erratically moving quills while others will only snatch a hook if it is barely fluttering.  

-Keep an eye on the prize: A color fish-finder takes the guesswork out of locating concentrations of baitfish and pinpointing productive depths. Without it, you’re fishing blind and stand little chance at consistent success.

-Chum in a drum: During the majority of cases, a chum bag dangling off the side of the boat often invites baitfish within easy casting range. The exception may be when fishing areas with rapidly flowing current, such as inlets and passes, when the helmsman is constantly has to maneuver the boat to stay on top of the action.

-Pay attention: Never deploy a multiple-hook bait rig without closely monitoring the line. Fishing a fairly heavy sinker, as much as 8 oz. when searching for baitfish in deep water, keeps the quill rig in the vertical position. Maintaining contact with the line at all times will help you detect subtle strikes and avoid frustrating tangles. When you feel a hooked baitfish flickering, gently bounce the rod tip in the hopes of hooking more baits before slowly, and smoothly retrieving the victims.

-Systematic success: To keep the operation running smoothly once baitfish start biting, each angler on board should be assigned a task. Sure, while more hooks in the water generally means the livewell will fill up quicker when the baitfish bite is fast and furious, it is a good idea to position a designated dehooker by the baitwell.