Knots & Rigs
Casting metal lures as far as you can and then winding them in like crazy is a time-proven method that catches big fish!
HIGH-SPEED spinning (HSS) with chromed metal jigs is a style of fishing that was originally developed in Australia by shore-based anglers chasing pelagic species such as tuna, yellowtail kingfish and mackerel. It’s an incredibly exciting style of fishing that has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years with both shore-based and boating anglers. I think this is largely due to the tremendous advances in tackle in recent years, in particular the development of high performance bluewater threadline reels. These powerful reels, when combined with new generation graphite rods, gelspun lines and modern jigs, produce a potent yet lightweight outfit capable of taming some of the toughest pelagic species swimming anywhere. These new generation outfits are incredibly user friendly when compared to the heavy fibreglass rods and overhead reels of the past which required considerable practice to master.
Leader options
Rigging up for HSS has also enjoyed considerable refinement in recent years, particularly with the advent of GSP lines. The use of heavy metal casting jigs when high speed spinning generally demands the use of a casting leader to cope with the extreme pressures generated while repetitive distance casting. There are a number of leader options available to anglers, depending on the tackle you’re using and the species being pursued. If I’m chasing smaller pelagics such as Australian bonito, frigate mackerel, mackerel tuna and striped tuna I’m quite happy to simply use a long doubled mainline. The preferred double connections are either the Bimini twist or a plait. Many anglers find it easier to use the plait for tying long doubles, however, the Bimini twist can also be used, although it usually requires the assistance of another person to get the job done. Be warned that long doubles sometimes cause casting issues with threadline reels, though.
If my target species are larger game fish such as longtail tuna, kingfish, cobia, giant trevally and Spanish mackerel, then I prefer either a heavy single strand hard monofilament casting leader or a twisted fluorocarbon leader. A short Bimini twist is tied in the main line for both these options. It provides a 100 per cent strong transition between mainline and leader when tied correctly. I prefer to use super tough Rovex 10X Formula mono line when high speed spinning off the rocks and employ 30 turns in the Bimini twist when doubling the main line. When high speed spinning from boats using GSP lines I prefer to increase the number of turns in the Bimini twist to between 50 and 70 turns. Go to fishingworld.com.au for video demonstration on tying the Bimini twist.
Don’t forget that if you are chasing members of the razor gang such as Spanish mackerel you’ll need to use a wire leader to avoid bite offs. Most keen mackerel chasers use a short single strand stainless steel wire leader about 300mm long between casting leader and lure.
Connections
To connect a single strand hard monofilament casting leader to a doubled main line I prefer to use either a Ducknose Knot or Albright Special. Both are reliable connections with a high break strength and stand up well to the rigours of repetitive casting with heavy metal jigs.
I make my own twisted leaders up from 10kg Rovex fluorocarbon. I connect the twisted leader to my doubled main line with a Catspaw Knot. It provides a strong connection that travels through rod guides smoothly because there are no tag ends when this knot is used. Video demonstrations of all these leader knots are available at fishingworld.com.au.
Connecting your lure to the leader requires the use of a strong, reliable connection capable of coping with the extreme pressures exerted while repetitive casting and fighting fish. I loathe the use of snap swivels when chasing big fish as I’ve seen them come undone in the past and cost the anglers concerned some trophy fish. For many years my preferred method of connecting lure to leader has been through the use of a solid brass ring tied to my leader and connected to a heavy duty spit ring on the lure. I like to use a hard connection such as a Uni-Knot to connect the ring to the casting leader, although I know some experienced lure fishers who successfully employ a Perfection Loop Knot for the same task.
When constructing my single strand stainless steel wire leaders I make them up with blackened solid rings on both ends using a Haywire Twist. The blackened rings minimise the chances of a bite off from a mackerel striking at the ring. The wire leader is tied to the end of my casting leader with a Uni-Knot and the lure is connected to the solid ring on the other end of the trace via the heavy-duty spilt ring on the lure. If you intend using this lure rigging system it pays to buy a really good pair of split ring pliers.
Check out the illos by Fisho‘s Chris Palatsides for detailed instructions on how to tie rigs specifically for HSS.
If you want to learn more about this most exciting genre of fishing then go to fishingworld.com.au to find a selection of instructional videos on the art of high speed spinning with lures. There’s nothing more exhilarating in the world of fishing than the explosive strike of a big game fish that stops a lure in its tracks in mid retrieve. Even after 30 years of winding fast it stills gets my heart racing.
