Meat Rigs

[Flyboy]

Sounds like a lot of the fishermen on here use meat rigs when the morning bite slows. Where do you get the meat from and how/where are you running it? Off riggers, dipsies, lead core, copper????

Flyboy

[1mainiac]

All of the above and you can buy meat online or in several bait shops. most of it is packed in salt now so the storage and handling issues are less of a issue. You can also use fake meat or even a sponge soaked in various scented oils will work. I for one am going to be running the Brads cut plugs this season. Big Weenie sells the Slick Strips.

[BIGTREBLE]

I ran Brads Cuts this year with no success. But I did some looking in to this and they should be ran behide a flasher, not clean like I did. Fake meat was not effective at all for the people I've fished with. But I'm there is a time for that too.

[Salmon Assassin]

I use tuna in garlic oil.

[Killin' It]

I am with Jim on this one.. Brads cut plugs are ready to go.

The outdoorsman in Jenison has the smaller version as well.

[Eyefull]

I run meat exclusively after the morning bite dies. I run Big Weenie Pig Rigs and some of the John King stuff. I buy frozen herring (green lable) and brine them after fileting. It is availlable at many big lakes tackle stores.

Riggers, divers always are very good meat producers for me, I haven't had much success off the board lines, but haven't really pushed them as hard as the other deeper methods.

[Flyboy]

So it looks like there is two different types of meat rigs. One that you can stuff with chopped meat and another you can clip a whole bait into? Is one any better than another?

[1mainiac]

Can't say have not fished the Brad's yet however knowing if the fish are not biting I can use the bait to make a sandwich is cool with me LOL. Also there are tons of oils and stuff you can try in the Brad's as well as a variety of ways you can rig them and run them. I ran tons of meat 4 years ago very little since then I honestly catch more fish since I quit using the Herring but I do a lot of things different now then then. I have another trick I use now and then but will hold off on giving it away. I guess my issue with meat rigs is from finding some surprise bait rotting in my cabin because it had been tossed in the cabin instead of overboard or in the trash. I still run it now and then but not like I used to.

[jatc]

Can't say have not fished the Brad's yet however knowing if the fish are not biting I can use the bait to make a sandwich is cool with me LOL. Also there are tons of oils and stuff you can try in the Brad's as well as a variety of ways you can rig them and run them. I ran tons of meat 4 years ago very little since then I honestly catch more fish since I quit using the Herring but I do a lot of things different now then then. I have another trick I use now and then but will hold off on giving it away. I guess my issue with meat rigs is from finding some surprise bait rotting in my cabin because it had been tossed in the cabin instead of overboard or in the trash. I still run it now and then but not like I used to.

I have to agree here. I used to run a ton of meat up until three years ago. What happened to me was that in 2008 I had a very tough time finding quality herring when I needed it, so I started going without the meat rigs. What I learned kinda shocked me. I actually do better without the meat than when I used to run it exclusively. My mid-day catch rates have increased the last two years running standard rigs. I sure don't miss messing with the smelly stuff anymore. Then if you add in the cost, I can pick up a couple of good spoons or plugs per trip that will last me much longer in the long term. For a lot of guys it is a confidence thing. They know that if you stick a meat rig on a wire diver and put it back 200' during late morning that they are running a very reliable rig. I guess I just learned that there are other "very reliable" rigs to run as well, you just have to experiment and network a little bit.

I am in no way bashing meat, and for many guys it is a great presentation for those off times. In fact, it works extremely well for the weekend guys that can't get a lot of time on the water because as long as the bait is good, it is hard to run this stuff wrong with today's manufactored rigs. Just don't fall into the trap of believing that you just can't catch fish during the day without the stuff. There will be days that a flasher/fly will out produce the meat, but you won't know this if you are running just meat on your deep stuff.

[anthonyyost]

The hardest hits and the biggest fish I caught this last summer came off Black Mamba Glow with the red teasers using cut bait off the deep downrigger at 140' - 150' feet down. The fish hit so hard they were breaking the treble hooks in their mouth. There were days I couldn't keep it in the water. The only problem is running that deep you lose fish trying to get the slack reeled in to set the hook.

[pulpfishin]

the Brad's cut plugs are the cat's meow. Especially behind a tin can when the sun is high in the sky. We had great success running one in the spread last year, either behind a dipsy or off a rigger. I cut herring filets to fit inside of the cavity. This year I would like to try canned tuna in them. Just am not sure how long the tuna will last once it is dragged around for a while. We also had real good hookups with the big weinie teaser in front of a bait head behind a flasher. I think sometimes fish just want to smell and see something different. herring

[BenLubbs]

What colors do you guys recomend for meat rigs? I've only every owned one and it was one that I pulled up off the bottom of Holland channel. I'm looking at expanding my lure selection this year but don't want to get a bunch of stuff that won't produce.

[1mainiac]

Come to the swap meet next Sat I will have a bunch for sale

[Nailer]

I have to agree here. I used to run a ton of meat up until three years ago. What happened to me was that in 2008 I had a very tough time finding quality herring when I needed it, so I started going without the meat rigs. What I learned kinda shocked me. I actually do better without the meat than when I used to run it exclusively. My mid-day catch rates have increased the last two years running standard rigs. I sure don't miss messing with the smelly stuff anymore. Then if you add in the cost, I can pick up a couple of good spoons or plugs per trip that will last me much longer in the long term. For a lot of guys it is a confidence thing. They know that if you stick a meat rig on a wire diver and put it back 200' during late morning that they are running a very reliable rig. I guess I just learned that there are other "very reliable" rigs to run as well, you just have to experiment and network a little bit.

I am in no way bashing meat, and for many guys it is a great presentation for those off times. In fact, it works extremely well for the weekend guys that can't get a lot of time on the water because as long as the bait is good, it is hard to run this stuff wrong with today's manufactored rigs. Just don't fall into the trap of believing that you just can't catch fish during the day without the stuff. There will be days that a flasher/fly will out produce the meat, but you won't know this if you are running just meat on your deep stuff.

I agree with this %100

The hardest hits and the biggest fish I caught this last summer came off Black Mamba Glow with the red teasers using cut bait off the deep downrigger at 140' - 150' feet down. The fish hit so hard they were breaking the treble hooks in their mouth. There were days I couldn't keep it in the water. The only problem is running that deep you lose fish trying to get the slack reeled in to set the hook.

Tony, where you running other stuff down that deep at the same time? Or do you think the meat dose better down in the abis because of the sent trail?

[Just in time]

I run smelt that have been cured on meat rigs. I only tend to catch the larger fish on my wire diver with large paddle in front. Red is my best color. I also use the slick strips and see no differrance on number of fish between the meat and them. I run the slick strips more than I mess with the meat. I can usually get the fish to bite my spoons so I never have more than two meat rigs in my spread. Usually my deep rigger or my two deep divers.

[anthonyyost]

I run 1 meat rig off my deepest downrigger, when I run more than one the rigs don't seem to be as effective. I used to run them off a wire dipsey, but I felt there was too much drag from the large flasher, even when I run off the downrigger I use a rubber band on the release. This setup seemed to run best in July through the first part of August out of Ludington. Then after that the meat rig bite went away.

[mayvillemark]

I still run a couple spoons or plugs but I usually run 5 meat rigs all day long in various depths and colors 3 riggers and 2 wire I still run the plugs and spoons off the cores and copper. The main thing is you cant run the 2 programs together!! in order to run meat you are going 2 mph or less most run spoons 2.5mph and up. so once I switched to meat and almost all meat my catch rate tripled I grew up running spoons but times change as for this mid morning once the stupid bite is over.. thats all crap do you really want to go through the best part of the day without your best stuff in the water? I had multiple times last year when it got dusk every meat rig in the water went and not one spoon. I run all John Jmeatrigs and flashers and usuakky keep right up with the 40 and 50 foot charter boats running twice as many poles.

[fishsniffer]

I still run a couple spoons or plugs but I usually run 5 meat rigs all day long in various depths and colors 3 riggers and 2 wire I still run the plugs and spoons off the cores and copper. The main thing is you cant run the 2 programs together!! in order to run meat you are going 2 mph or less most run spoons 2.5mph and up. so once I switched to meat and almost all meat my catch rate tripled I grew up running spoons but times change as for this mid morning once the stupid bite is over.. thats all crap do you really want to go through the best part of the day without your best stuff in the water? I had multiple times last year when it got dusk every meat rig in the water went and not one spoon. I run all John Jmeatrigs and flashers and usuakky keep right up with the 40 and 50 foot charter boats running twice as many poles.

dem some big charter boats:eek:

[mayvillemark]

Yeah your probally right 30 -40 foot charter boats whatever the hell they are. The charter boats.