Deep Reef Techniques

I would use a 10ft leader with a 5-7 circle hook then a swivel with a sinker. Reel up 2 cranks.

 

Knocker rig. 5-7 ft fluorocarbon leader. Light as you care to go to get muttons and mangos. 20-30 lb. 5/o to 7/0 offset circle hook. Fish meat not squid.
Heavier leader and bigger bait if you are targeting grouper and ARS.
And jigs

 

How are you fishing the knockers? letting it sink down, keeping the reel in freespool and feeding them or locking it up and feeling the sinker? I'm interested in the technique. I've used the knocker rig before but for drifting bait down a chumline, never really on the bottom.

 

Oh yes, I'm definitely familiar with deep dropping. The rigs work well for red snapper in 300-500ft as well.
These are the ones that I make myself.
DSC_7534 copy by meccalli, on Flickr

 

I agree with most of you. I always use a fishfinder rig. I seem to get hung-up too often when I use the knocker rig set-up. I just don't want that bait or sinker sitting on the bottom. If I'm targeting Mangoes, Lanes or Triggers, I like to use a smaller 4/0 circle hook. If I'm live baiting, I'm going to go with a larger 5/0 or 6/0 hook.
Another technique that seems to work for me is to crank the bait 4 or 5 feet off the bottom. When you get something messing with the bait, slowly crank it further off the bottom. I really think that the fish believes that the bait is 'getting away' and it will sometimes induce the fish to comit and hit it hard.

 

Good info guys, thanks for sharing.

 

Yup, I think raising it off the bottom also gets you away from the grunts who will strip your bait, but again there's another school of thought that says you want the grunts pecking at your bait and scattering bits of food and scent, which will in turn attract the bigger bullies on the reef.
Knocker rigging certainly is interesting, alot of folks seem to swear by it. Those who catch hogfish on lines say it's the best method around short of just using a jighead.

 

Yeah, that's a proven one. I believe that's the version of the fishfinder rig that Greg Mercurio has his clients rig up for those monster muttons on the yankee capt. The only difference is their technique since they drift, if I understood the floridasportsman seminar correctly, they're dropping it all the way to the bottom and and freespooling as the boats drifts away to keep the bait still on the sea floor. I think that area that they fish is much less snaggy than others except for some plate coral and the vegetation that grows on it- looks like lettuce lol.

 

Yes I have to say I'm not a fan of keeping very large fish, a 3-7 lb fish is the perfect eating size, the larger, older fish are much more important in sustaining the fishery. Thanks for the insight!

 

Great info; thank you for sharing !

 

Thanks guys this is an excellent and informative thread.

 

just curious what the bead on these setups does for you...

 

Ah. That makes sense. Couldn't figure out why people put beads on their rigs. Figured they just liked dressing things up.

 

Idk, it may help in some cases. I've noticed people who frequent hubbards for mangrove snapper like to have a glow bead that slides down next to the hook. I've also heard the same from a seminar with Capt. Larry Mcguire.