Hook Placement For Livies

[DaneCross]

With Spaniard season in full swing and a fair bit of live baiting going on I thought I'd just raise the question as to where/how you place your hooks in your livies.
Thanks to JB, we were using stinger rigs on the weekend with a fairly sizey treble as the stinger hook. Where/how do you place the stinger hook? We experimented with a few different spots to try and get the livie swimming as naturally as possible - a barb up the anus certainly got them kicking :-X
Also, with the lead hook, do you pass it through both the bottom and top lips of the livie? Or, do you open its mouth, passing the hook only through its top lip/nose?
Interested in your thoughts,
Dane

[Gutsy]

Only through the top lip so it says alive better and can breathe

[Jeremy]

better again is to go sideways through the cartilage of the nose, or better still, bridle rig it with a rubber band through the eye sockets. Simple to do and doesn't hurt the fish.

Jeremy

[Boxhead]

Go the lackey band method. You can slow troll or "Walk" livies this way as well... ;)

[Tony_N]

Could somebody please explain how (and why) to set a bridle rig through the eye sockets with rubber bands.. I have used zip ties - but don't get it about the rubber bands.

thanks

Tony

[Jeremy]

will send you a PM in case the description upsets some lurking greenie

Jeremy

[zedjack33]

I could go for that PM to please Please Jeremy :-/

[imagineer]

i would take that pm as well
please
Neil

[Jeremy]

maybe I should just put it here then. Doesn't hurt the fish anyway.

What I do is run a bait needle with an open eye through the front of the eye socket of the bait - slimey or yakka. Hook a small rubber band into the open eye of the bait needle and pull it back through so the rubber band sticks out both sides. Pass one loop through the bebd of your hook and twist the hook several times to shorten the rubber band, then hook the other loop as well, so you have the hook threaded through both sides of the rubber band. You can do some more twists if required until you are happy with the hook placement and tension in the rubber band.

Livey will last much longer this way than if you hook it through the body anywhere - until it gets eaten!

Jeremy

[Fishinmishin]

Important to strip 15+ meters of slack line off reel after bait is set in position and use a release clip, band or just hold in hand so at the first strike the line releases and allows bait to stop in water(injured) and gives time for the fish to return for second attack if just hit the tail before the boat takes up slack line to strike. Mostly important when using live tunas.
Cheers,
Jay

[NQCairns]

Just a bit more on bridle rigs I found that the small zipties work brilliantly, I no longer use the elastic bands. nq