Page 38 - Galveston Waves August 2018

time saver is to LONG LEG - DEEP DROP
F i s h i n g T i p make any mono
cuts at an angle of
Of The Month 45 degree or more.
This simple step
will let the mono
slide through the
crimps much earlier
than a 90 degree
blunt-cut.

Each rig requires a
6 ft. and a 2 ft. sec-
Long Leg - Deep Drop Amberjack tion of 300 lb.
mono. To assem-
by: Patrick Lemire ble, crimp the 550#
"Long Leg - Deep Drop" refers to a bottom fishing leader swivel to the 6' sec-
system with a feature that makes it unusual - the long leg. “The tion, slide two
Leg” being five to six feet long above the short, bait leg. This crimps onto the
benefits you and possibly the fish on the hook - it's a game other end and then
changer. I first started using a long top leg on my single drop use the second one to crimp the hook of choice to the end of
bottom rigs about 20 years ago after a couple of main line cut- the section. Next, crimp the 220# swivel to the end of the 2'
offs in bottom structure at fixed leg production platforms. This piece of mono. Now, slide the mono through the free sliding
applies to any bottom fishing. They all have something down crimp on the long 300#. Crimp into position, giving 7" from the
there that's seemingly looking to part your fragile main line even end of this sleeve to your circle hook's eye. See the illustration
before your hooked target adds to the problem. The parted main for a finished look, also for the "bulbing" of the mono ends at
line not only has you losing the fish but also had the fish swim- the crimps, which has two purposes; it gives a clean look that
ming around with a circle hook in its jaw with a heavy mono won't catch on the mono sections and its safety factor if the im-
leader and sinker attached which might become entangled and probable happens, a mono slip at the crimp. To get there, place
tether Amberjack in a restricted area for who knows how long the sleeve onto the mono, then after going through a hook or
with what results - long leg it! swivel's eye, pass through the crimp again and pull about 3" of
mono out the sleeve.
The illustration shows how I've made up my single drop bot-
tom leaders for a while. I saw a leader a year or so ago that had a
crimped loop hook leg, no swivel or knot. I liked the clean look,
but a single mono leg to the hook is my choice. The single, espe-
cially when using 300 lb. mono, for all of its pluses will also pull
thru the closed mouth of a big Amberjack much easier for a sur-
er hook-set of your circle hook.

To build one or more of these Long Leg - Deep Drop rigs, the
parts list would include 300 lb. mono, 1.9 mm double barrel
crimps and crimp tool, 550 lb. and 220 lb. Spro Power Swivels,
circle hooks such as size 11/0 Hook Plus, 16/0 Mustard
39960SD, or Eagle Claw L2054R, 18/0. While these numbers
very, they are each the approximate size. If you've never used
large circle hooks, I guarantee these gulp feeders can inhale them
and your bait without a problem. A single trick that's really a

38 | Waves Magazine | August 2018 Issue