[jtzannes]

daddy0 wrote:
you will be making a mistake by using 5lb cement weights .They will be much larger in size and create a tremendous amount of drag on the bottom, having the same affect when drifting ,as a sinker weighing much much more!!
Cannon ball sinkers tend to roll moer and cause more tangles. Not a smart way to meet new people on a deep drop!!
Just use the rock cod sinkers.Up to 5 if need be and pretend it is a larger fish.

Very good advice.

 

[jtzannes]

I'm not familiar with the xh but my guess is it will be fine for 5#. Hopefully you won't need to use 5# very often because it's a real pain. In my trips I've very rarely had to go that heavy. When I have had to use 5 lb it's been more a question of my arms being able to take it than my rod - it's amazing the difference between reeling up a 3 lb sinker and a 5 lb sinker. Personally I would not go spend $300 on a rod just for 5# sinkers - your XH might not be ideal but it isn't going to break because of a 5# weight - that's for sure. Sensitivity isn't a factor when your fishing above 3 lb anyway in my opinion. I think your best bet is to just buy a few 4 and 5 lb sinkers and hope they never come out of the tackle bag. Regarding rigs - keep it very simple - no breakaway rigs, no cement sinkers, nothing crazy - just one or two hooks above the sinker on 3-ways (just get the biggest you can find). I guess we all like to experiment with rigs from time to time and I'm no exception (unfortunately). I almost always play around with different rigs and almost always end up going back to my same old favorite one hook 2' above the sinker on an 18" leader with no teaser - that's not to say that's the best rig there is - I see plenty of guys catch plenty of monster tiles on other rigs of course - but the basics are pretty universal - 3-ways, hooks above the sinker (at least a foot above) and longish leaders (at least a foot). Good luck.

 

[jtzannes]

Same old rig: one hook 2' above the sinker, on a 3-way with an 18" leader, no teaser. Bait was 2 strips of bluefish.

 

[jtzannes]

fresh. that's all I care about - the fresher the better. I don't use scents/oils either. Just a fresh strip of fish. Seems to work for me fluking too - nothing beats freshness.