Weakfish Rig

[Chinacat]

I hope you don't mind Pete but I figured this would be the best spot to ask this question
I'm planning on making the run to Peconic this week to get in on the porgy action.
Back in the epic weakfish runs of the '70's and fishing with my dad we would use hi lo rigs with what we called "jelly worms" in darker colors like red and purple and come home with quality fish all the time. More recently we catch the occasional weakfish on our porgy rigs with clam but those tend to be smaller fish below keeper size.

What would you suggest as a rig for specifically targeting weaks?

I'm hoping the local Peconic expert- Capt Mike see's this as well

Thanks,
Mitch

 

[captmike28]

Hi Mitch,
The Hi Lo rigs still work but I would substitute a nice long squid strip for the jelly worms. Whole Sandworms are also killer for Weakfish but at today's prices I would reserve those for strictly early morning or night time hours. Otherwise the Porgies and Blues will clean you out quick.
Good luck.
Capt. Mike

 

[Chinacat]

Hi Mitch,
The Hi Lo rigs still work but I would substitute a nice long squid strip for the jelly worms. Whole Sandworms are also killer for Weakfish but at today's prices I would reserve those for strictly early morning or night time hours. Otherwise the Porgies and Blues will clean you out quick.
Good luck.
Capt. Mike

Thanks Mike!!
As always, I appreciate the info sharing??

 

[Leprechaun]

Hiya Mitch - I've been slammed with endless work-related issues, so I'm a little slow on the draw here.

If it were I targeting weakfish, I would "drift jig" a 5" GULP! jigging grub in some bright color with a long pennant of squid on the hook as well. Use local squid if you can get it. I'd use a 4/0 Beak-type hook, on an 18" leader, and tie it 2 - 3' off the sinker.

In the old days we used what was called "3x3" rigs - 3' long leaders, 3' off the bottom. A combo of a sandworm and squid strip was quite deadly - and in fact accounted for my PB, a log-like monster that weighed in at 14lbs 12oz, the morning after the cold, dark night that I took it. That was many moons ago, fishing an all-nighter on the old Wilheric, along a contour line on the SW side of Shelter Island. Man, them was the days!

If you are casting, no need to go "Old School" with the rubber Touts, curly tails, or the like. I would use whatever jighead you like for fluke, and in whatever weight you need to find bottom. But substitute a GULP! 6" jerk shad and a strip of squid for that old rubbertail. The "Bubblegum" color ought to work real well, I would think.

I bet that if you've got the "slow pitch itch," any of the dedicated slow-pitch hard jigs, in the 30-60 gram sizes would probably kill plenty of weakfish as well. I have no direct experience with doing this for weakfish - just a sneaking suspicion. Back when I had a full head of hair I spent many a night jigging boxes of weakfish under the Meadowbrook Bridge on plain old 4oz AVAs - no bait and no rubber duckies. So why wouldn't a properly worked slow pitch jig work as well? No reason I can think of.

And to establish my bona fides - here's that 14lb8oz fish, along with its "baby brother," a 13.5lb specimen, both taken that night, back in 1983. That was my parent's house - and I believe I weighed all of maybe 145lbs back then (geeez):

And here's my pewter trophy mug from the Eastern Anglers year-end dinner. I think I still hold the weakfish record in that club:

And going back even further, here's a shot from 1975 of a batch of weakies I jigged, fishing solo off Heckscher Park, from the deck of my Dad's old 24' Glastron. He never knew that I ran that boat single-handed from Seaford to Heckscher - a VERY long trip in those days. I was quite the adventurer back then. At just 19 years old I thought I'd live forever - and that the fishing would never end. You can see my 1970 Dodge Charger 440 R/T in the background. Man, they don't make cars like THAT anymore- quite the chick magnet too. The car, I mean!

 

[Chinacat]

Hiya Mitch - I've been slammed with endless work-related issues, so I'm a little slow on the draw here.

If it were I targeting weakfish, I would drift a 5" GULP! jigging grub in some bright color with a long pennant of squid on the hook as well. Use local squid if you can get it. I'd use a 4/0 Beak-type hook, on an 18" leader, and tie it 2 - 3' off the sinker.

In the old days we used what was called "3x3" rigs - 3' long leaders, 3' off the bottom. A combo of a sandworm and squid strip was quite deadly - and in fact accounted for my PB, a log-like monster that weighed in at 14lbs 12oz, the morning after the cold, dark night that I took it. That was many moons ago, fishing an all-nighter on the old Wilheric, along the contour line on the SW side of Shelter Island. Man, them was the days!

If you are casting, no need to go "Old School" with the rubber Touts, curly tails, or the like. I would use whatever jighead you like for fluke, and in whatever weight you need to find bottom. But substitute a GULP! 6" swimbait and a strip of squid for that old rubbertail. The "Bubblegum" color ought to work real well, I would think.

I bet that if you've got the "slow pitch itch," any of the dedicated slow-pitch hard jigs, in the 30-60 gram sizes would probably kill plenty of weakfish as well. I have no direct experience with doing this for weakfish - just a sneaking suspicion. Back when I had a full head of hair I spent many a night jigging boxes of weakfish under the Meadowbrook Bridge on plain old 4oz AVAs - no bait and no rubber duckies. So why wouldn't a properly worked slow pitch jig work as well? No reason I can think of.

Awesome info there Pete!!
Much appreciated.
I can't thank you and Mike enough for the help and support ?

 

[george]

@Leprechaun Wow Pete that picture is something! Now, where can we find some of those big weakies today?

 

[Leprechaun]

In our distant, foggy memories, I guess.