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Mann’s Rigged 40+ Stretch Plug: $59.95 click here
Corkscrew Swivel: $14.50 click here
Rubber Coated Fish Dredge Weights: $31.95 – $51.95 click here
One of the keys to successfully deploying a dredge teaser is the weight system. A weight that is too light will cause the rig to simply come to the surface, while one that is too heavy places unnecessary strain on the dredge reel and outriggers used to deploy and retrieve the system.
The first step is matching the weight to the style of dredge being used. For lightweight dredges like the Strike Point, a popular weighting method is to use a large lipped swimming plug like the Mann Stretch series and a three-way swivel setup. The plug carries the dredge into the depths while simultaneously acting as a secondary fish-attracting teaser.
For larger artificial and natural-bait dredges, the choice for dredge weights are fish-style weights or large cigar weights. The larger the dredge and the faster the boat speed, the more weight that will be necessary to keep it swimming properly below the spread. Popular dredge weights are either dipped in a vinyl coating or covered in skirt materials to help prevent dings and damage to boat decks and gunwales when deploying and retrieving the dredges. The weights should include a short length of cable to prevent loss from an inadvertent bite from a toothy wahoo, barracuda or king mackerel. Complete the rig with an oversize corkscrew-style swivel. This eliminates the moving parts of a standard snap swivel that can weaken over time and eventually lead to the loss of the dredge while fishing. Be sure to inspect the attachment points on the weight and the dredge itself periodically to ensure that everything is tight.
