We developed this circle-hook rig to stand up to the repeating bites we get from both sails and blue marlin down in Costa Rica. The extra stitching through the bait's back holds it together long enough for fish to swallow the bait — which is what you need to have happen for the circle hook to do its job and find the corner of the fish's jaw.
Start by cutting off a 3-foot section of waxed floss and 6 inches of copper wire. Remove the eyes and trim back the bill on the ballyhoo.
Tie an overhand knot in the center of the waxed thread, creating a 2- to 3-inch loop with two tag ends. Using the blunt end of your rigging needle, push it through the eye socket and out the bait's mouth. Thread one of the tag ends in the needle and pull it back out the eye socket. Do the same thing on the other side with the remaining tag end, and pull the loop knot through the mouth so it ends up in the middle of the eye socket.
Cross the tag ends under the head, and using your needle, thread each tag through the knuckle on the pectoral fin. Pull the thread tight to even it up and help close the gill plate.
Now, insert the needle and one tag end at an angle about a ¼-inch behind the pec fin, exiting out a little more than halfway down the length of the bait's body on the opposite side. Repeat on the other side, and then tie the two tag ends with a double overhand knot and a surgeon's loop across the bait's back.
Then, run your copper wire through the eye sockets, but in front of the knot that forms the loop in your waxed thread. Twist it snugly under the bait's chin, and then pass the tag end up through the center of the bait's mouth between both strands of the waxed thread that forms your loop. Wrap the wire around the mouth and down the bill, making sure to go all the way to the end of the bill stub. Now, insert a hollowed-out Hooker Head over the bill and pull the loop through. You can then attach your circle hook to the loop and you're ready to troll.
Cory Gilespie
The Hooker
Costa Rica
