Pete Leapin' Bass, and other Big Hammer guys, do you know anything about the kind of trap-rigging that was used to catch bass and large trout at Diamond Valley Lake, as pictured on page 2 of the 11/21/03 issue of the WON?

If I recall correctly Pete was working on the problem of the weak connection between the trap hook and the shank of the leadhead hook after he and Larry experimented with trap-rigged BH swimbaits for trout at Cachuma.

Are there any improvements in the trap-rigging method since the technique was last discussed on this board? Has any one else besides Josh Dunlap used this trap-rigging successfuly either trolling or casting for bass?

Bob

I didn't see the previous threads on this but I use a swivel on the leadhead hook for traps when throwing large plastics for halibut and sandbass. works good so far.

I haven't tried the plastics in freshwater yet, but I'll be starting to experiment on my next trips. I'll probably knock the barb down to allow a smaller swivel and line. Remember to knock down the barbs on the trap hook, too.

Thanks Wils. Interesting.

Do you run the trap hook leader through the tail of the swimbait to keep the trap hook to the rear of the swimbait tail or does the force of the water when trolling or retrieving keep the trap hook where you want it.

Bob

>Thanks Wils. Interesting.
>
>Do you run the trap hook leader through the tail of the
>swimbait to keep the trap hook to the rear of the swimbait
>tail or does the force of the water when trolling or
>retrieving keep the trap hook where you want it.
>
>Bob

I thread the line through the tail and just stick one point into the back of the rubber tail. there's enough slack in the line after tieing so the hook pulls out when bit; you also need a little slack to allow the lure do its flappy-dance.
I use a large, hypodermic-type plastic needle to run the line. Going to the 3" tails, I'm sure that I'll have to use something a little smaller. :)

Team Striper/Josh is more experienced and knowledgable than me in this field. I just pay attention to the things that he does and adapt it to my own style.

PS: I can't re-inforce enough the need to knock down the barbs on the trap hook IF you are going to C&R. If the fish bites halfway up the tail from the rear, the trap is going to be inside the fishes mouth - this is what happens often with sandbass. Because of this, I may bypass using a treble in the freshwater and try a small J-hook in some fashion. If I find that this damages the LMB too often, I'll eliminate it from my LMB "arsenal".