A Bottom Fishing Rig that Doesn’t Tangle

Capt. David Schugar fishes a slightly different rig than most Florida Keys captains. He feels his bottom fishing rig reduces tangles on the drop. He uses 50-pound braided main line on his conventional outfits, connected to a 10-foot top shot of 60- or 80-pound fluorocarbon with a reinforced double uni-knot. He slides the top shot through a bead, then a small swivel and another bead, and then finishes with a 180-pound barrel swivel at the end. His bank sinker is attached to the smaller swivel, with the beads on each side, using a 4- to 6-inch surgeon’s loop of lighter 30-pound monofilament. The surgeon’s loop allows him to change the bank-sinker size easily. The first bead, closest to the main line, should not pass over the double uni-knot connection. The second bead prevents the barrel swivel from getting caught on the knot of the 180-pound barrel swivel. On the other end of the terminal barrel swivel, Schugar attaches another 15- to 25-foot section of 80- or 100-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook.