Need Help Fast - Fishbite Rigging Advice (Surf)

[Tex_Cattleman]

Six dads and 12 kids are camping matagorda this weekend. I've surf fished trout and reds all my life and know what I'm doing. However, I keep hearing over and over, fishbites in the first gut for the kids. I hear they kill the whiting and maybe pompano.

Headed to Academy in about an hour for everything we need.

How do I rig these fishbites? The googles is terrible for answers.

HELP BEFORE I GET TO ACADEMY

[hully1029]

from what ive seen, just hook them on. theyre super durable and they wont throw them off the hook. i would set them up on a double rig and just go with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4P0OIp3Iqo&t=609s

[Tex_Cattleman]

from what ive seen, just hook them on. theyre super durable and they wont throw them off the hook. i would set them up on a double rig and just go with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4P0OIp3Iqo&t=609s

Double mono rig with a heavy weight on the bottom? 1/0 circle hooks?

[hully1029]

1/0 should work for whiting. 2oz pyramid sinker should be plenty. when i was there a few weeks ago, we were catching all the gafftop catfish would wanted.. if you do.. BE CAREFUL getting the hooks out. any of yall get stuck with a fin, yall are in for a real, real bad time.

[doug]

You can buy a prerigged pompano rig at academy thats 3 hooks with little colored floats and the weight goes on the bottom. Really just any simple rig will work. Weight on the bottom and hooks above with a small peice of shrimp and fishbite should do just fine! Good luck!

[18ncs]

Here is one of Poco’s threads re: pompano.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620523

I’d be sending a PM to him and then putting him on speed dial.
Good luck!

[docmay]

In the surf anything will work as long as bait is on the bottom. I like a small, long shank hook to help get fish off. I like a little piece of shrimp with a fish bite. You can lose the shrimp but the fish bites are tough! You can always go unscientific and use a double drop rig. Put a 1-2 oz weight depending on surf conditions. I think it is more fun to have an egg weight then bead then swivel with leader attached. More feel and less weight to drag. Set the hook when you feel the weight lift off the bottom. Have fun!!!!

[doug]

Also a suggestion for shrimp is what they sell at walmart to eat. Frozen bag of small costs $5 and makes perfect bait for this type fishing. Easier to deal with than a bag of nasty rotten heads and tails from the bait shop! They are in small blue bags.

[hog_down]

Fishfinder rig will work, but I would put 2 hooks on it.

[glen]

What you need to look up is a ghost shrimp sucker and make one or two for the kids. they will have a blast and free fresh bait that everything likes and the kids have a blast catching ghost shrimp. they are in every one of those holes you see on the beach

[riverbowman]

Lady in a Florida bait shop recommended fish bait sandwiches to me. Basically you put a tiny piece of fish bite, then a piece of shrimp, then another piece of fish bite. It’s a pain but I was surprised to see at least some of the shrimp stay on the hook through several fish. It was just one of those pompano rigs with the colored floats.

[panhandlehunter]

I gave into the hype and bought some recently. They're not anywhere close to being as good as a piece of shrimp. They melt fairly quick, and are **** near impossible to take off a hook.

[slicktricker]

Looks like you got all good info you asked for. Now don't forget to post pics of smiling kids and results. Good luck

[Austin]

I buy the pre made pompano rigs. I prefer the ones with two hooks over three. Piece of fishbite and a piece of shrimp a typically a two ounce is plenty unless the current is stout then you may want some 3 oz.

Also look for sand fleas on the beach they are great if you can find them