AS SEEN IN THE SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2007 ISSUE

{xtypo_dropcap}W{/xtypo_dropcap}hether you are a novice angler just getting your feet wet or a seasoned veteran with saltwater running through your veins, everyone who buys offshore tackle must eventually face the daunting task of trolling lure selection. It does not matter if you buy your gear at your local tackle shop or from your favorite catalog or online retailer; undoubtedly, you will be overwhelmed with the endless variety of trolling lure shapes, sizes and colors.

After what is sure to be a rigorous selection process, “rigging” is the next factor in the equation. One thing we know for sure is that professional big-gamers chasing big marlin and tuna always rig their own lures with only first grade components and pay close attention to every detail because one broken connection could be the difference between landing a tournament winning trophy and bringing home a fat paycheck, or returning to the dock with nothing more than a broken ego and another fish tale.

For many angers however, especially those who could be considered “Weekend Warriors,” the extra time and money involved with custom lure rigging plays a key role when deciding whether to purchase trolling lures pre-rigged, as does the availability of the required tools and components which are required to get the job done correctly.

Despite everything, for many, pre-rigged trolling lures are the answer we have been looking for by completely eliminating the guesswork out of crimp size, leader strength and length, hook size, style and placement, and other critical factors. I mean come on; while we’re stuck behind a desk all day, we spend a great deal of time daydreaming of upcoming encounters with glorious game fish. How many of us dream about rigging lures for hours on end? While it is a great past time during foul weather; we want to fish!

Figuratively speaking, on the other side of the cockpit is a group of guys whose argument against purchasing pre-rigged lures is that the gear may not be durable enough to handle big, powerful fish due to inexpensive components and/or poor connections. This may, in fact, be true when discussing cheap imitations found at marine flea markets. Even then, the chance of encountering a monster 70 pound bull dolphin off your port-of-call is a once in a lifetime opportunity that few will experience. More often than not, leading brands that pre-rig lures - although typically rigged with affordable leaders, hooks, swivels and connections in order to keep cost down for end users – typically provide enough durability to land a wide variety of game fish day after day and season after season. You have to consider that the last thing the company wants is for anglers to lose quality fish due to faulty rigging. We assure you; a bad reputation is not part of their business plan.