Your favorite sabiki type?

[Stan K G]

Medium or Large

Fish skin, fish skin w/ flash, or mini squid tube

[Jzo]

1st - Owner Sabiki Size 14 or 10
2nd - Ahi USA Sabiki Size 14 or 10

[dsafety]

This thread reminds me of some questions that I have been meaning to ask.

I use a Sabiki rod, which is convenient but because the flys are stored in a wet salty environment inside the rod, they rust away very quickly. Even if I rinse the inside of the rod after a day on the water, the flys are often useless by the time I make my next trip. Maybe this is why many of the more experienced guys have stopped using Sabiki rods. Anyone have a comment?

The second issue is that most purchased Sabiki rigs have five to seven flys on them. I usually have to cut off a few to make it so the rig fits in my rod. In fact, I would prefer to only have two or three flys on a rig since dealing with a full "catch" on one pull is a pain. Usually a couple flip their way off the hook while I am unhooking the others and tossing them in the tank.

I occurred to me that I could probably make a better Sabiki setup if I could just buy the flys and beads somewhere and make my own custom setup. Does anyone know where just the Sabiki flys can be purchased?

Assuming someone has the answer to this question, I would also like to know which type of fly is the most productive

Bob

[dmrides]

Originally Posted by dsafety

Does anyone know where just the Sabiki flys can be purchased?

The flies are pretty simple, have you ever considered tying your own?

[sandydiego]

I usually have 5 or 6 packs depending on what type of bait I'm trying to catch. Two of each. Light for sardines to heavy for the big mack. A backup rig is good to have if the dam mack rat nests the rig as well. The best selection is at Chark Bait on Midway.

[Jzo]

Originally Posted by dsafety

Maybe this is why many of the more experienced guys have stopped using Sabiki rods. Anyone have a comment? I would also like to know which type of fly is the most productive. Bob

I use real light spinning rod for using sabiki rigs, 6.6ft 6-14lb 1/8 to 3/8oz rod with 2000 spinning reel. Most of the time I use light weight like picture below right above the snap end. As for Sabiki, I open a new pack everytime and keep the prior one as backup. Also Owner Mackerel Skin Size 14 works best for me.

Originally Posted by dsafety

I would prefer to only have two or three flys on a rig since dealing with a full "catch" on one pull is a pain. Usually a couple flip their way off the hook while I am unhooking the others and tossing them in the tank. Bob

I use to cut off half too, then realized that I get better results using the whole thing. Check out the clip below from one of the members from this forum.
http://wavster.blogspot.com/p/fishin...ay-1-2010.html
He is using sabiki dehooker.

Originally Posted by dsafety

Does anyone know where just the Sabiki flys can be purchased? Bob

Dont know where to buy flys only but here is a link you might already seen or be interested in.
http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/ho...abiki-rig.html

[h2ofishfo]

[QUOTE=dsafety;65016I occurred to me that I could probably make a better Sabiki setup if I could just buy the flys and beads somewhere and make my own custom setup. Does anyone know where just the Sabiki flys can be purchased?

Bob[/QUOTE]why dont you just cut it in half then & put on a snap swivel on one & a standard swivel on the other personally i like the rainbow fly size 14 and why cut them off just try to flip them all in the yak if u get to many. never understood the sabiki rod why dont u just use your fly line rod to make bait and soon as u got enough all u have to do is throw on the hook

[PescadorPete]

I use a Black Belt AJK-4. It lasted a long time and doesn't seem to get tangled like others I've used. The line is heavy so its easy to yank it out of a kelp snag. If something big bites my bait on the way up, I have a fighting chance. If you feel the need for a bait de-hooker, you can use an old butter knife, a trick I learned on the long range boats. After you hook your baits, hold the blade in the curve of the hook, hold tension on the main line above the hook and turn it all upside down. Shake the bait off the hook into the bait tank. Repeat on the next bait. I use my light bait rod for sabiki fishing. I sabiki up my baits and then switch to a hook or lure and use that rod for fishing. I don't like to carry lots of rods and reels.
A small piece of hypalon makes a good place to store your sinker and hooks so they don't get tangled up.

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by PescadorPete

I use a Black Belt AJK-4. It lasted a long time and doesn't seem to get tangled like others I've used. The line is heavy so its easy to yank it out of a kelp snag. If something big bites my bait on the way up, I have a fighting chance. If you feel the need for a bait de-hooker, you can use an old butter knife, a trick I learned on the long range boats. After you hook your baits, hold the blade in the curve of the hook, hold tension on the main line above the hook and turn it all upside down. Shake the bait off the hook into the bait tank. Repeat on the next bait. I use my light bait rod for sabiki fishing. I sabiki up my baits and then switch to a hook or lure and use that rod for fishing. I don't like to carry lots of rods and reels.
A small piece of hypalon makes a good place to store your sinker and hooks so they don't get tangled up.

I love this. Easy to use & easy to store. I'm going to make one this weekend.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by dsafety

I use a Sabiki rod, which is convenient but because the flys are stored in a wet salty environment inside the rod, they rust away very quickly. The second issue is that most purchased Sabiki rigs have five to seven flys on them. I usually have to cut off a few to make it so the rig fits in my rod.

I have one of the original Ahi sabiki rods but I cut mine down to six feet. I also cut the end of the butt off which opens up both ends of the rod. at the end of the day I just stick a hose in the open handle end and rinse it out sqirting water right through the rod, and since it's open both ends I can then stick it in the corner and the sabiki rig dries fine. As to the types...well I've tried most of them at one time or another and I think the key is to use small ones, but I don't like going under ten pound test.

90% of the time I now use Mustad piscator rigs size 12 10lb test.


Couldn't find a pic of a 12 but the 12's look the same.

You can catch anything from sardines to squid with them, nothing fancy, simple bare bones rig, just skin and hook, and since it's a five hook sabiki you don't have to cut it down.

Like I said I don't like going under ten pound test. With Owner and Haybusa 12's have a 10 or 12 pound mainline but the branches are six and I end up breaking them off all the time. I think the mustads are straight ten at any rate they seem tougher.

The Mustads are the cheapest ones at sportmart but I get them online. Last time I ordered them I got a dozen packs for something like 15 bucks. I usually use them till all the hooks get broken off but I get a number of trips out of them, and they hold up pretty well.

To me Sabiki rods are a no brainer. I'm always trying to make more bait so I can keep the freshest bait out there. Often I'll be drifting and dropping my sabiki on bait marks with one or two baits out, usually a dropper and flyline. If I get a hookup when the sabiki is down I just stick the sabiki rod in a holder then reel it up with one handed whenever the fish is taking drag, when it gets to the rod I just reel it right and and it's completly out of the way no muss no fuss.

Last thing I want is some sabiki dangling on the end of a spinning rod when I'm trying to gaff a fish next to the boat.

My other issue of not using a sabiki rod is even if it's tied off on a spinning rod in the rod rack behind my bait tank other lines still can snag the sabiki if I get turned around in a hurry.

I learned that one the hard way.

One day I was fishing my dropper and flyline back when I used a spinning rod for sabikis. Hooked a fish on the dropper that took me for a slayride, and turned me around a few times. It was obviously a huge fish, but while I was working it another fish took my flyline and started screaming out line. So while I'm holding the dropper fish rod with my left hand and it's dragging me I move the flyline rod to my forward right holder, throw the reel in gear, and put a few turns on the handle to hook it, and it's fish number two on..

I'm thinking F yeah I got two now woooohoooo!!!!

So pretty quick I realize that somethings wrong and turns out the flyline is caught on something in my rod rack back behind my head. I'm thinking it's stuck on a rod guide or something so without turning around I slide my hand back on the line to find out what's wrong and stick a sabiki fly right into my little finger past the barb. You know how when you get stung by something like a bee and you can't see what it is how you kind of institutionally jump back? I then jerked my hand back which not only broke the weight off at the spinning reel, but also broke the sabiki fly off in my hand.

So now I got two fish on with a hook in my reeling hand, but what I didn't realize was that now the sabiki is blowing around in the wind cause it's no longer hooked to the rod at the weight end so naturally it tangles all up in the flyline fishes line which then since its running breaks off the sabiki off at the tip of my little spinning rod. So now I got two fish on and the flyline has a ball of sabiki line and flys on it while it's still taking line.

To make a long story short, I got the dropper fish but it was a Black seabass, as to the flyline fish which was probably a yellow, when I finally got the sabiki tangle back to me it was so badly tangled in the flyline rods spectra I had to cut it off to get it through my guides, and I ended up letting the line go slack while trying to cut it off and that's when that fish spit the hook. So whatever the second fish was, I lost it because of the stupid sabiki, or my sabiki stupidity.

Add to that the sabiki in my hand was in so deep I could not pull it out, ( I tried and it hurt like hell) so I had to worm it around to get the point to come out then I cut the shank to get it out of my hand (which also hurt like hell ).

I think I ordered my Sabiki rod online the next day, $39.99 and I love it.

I mean to each their own but that's my take. If I'm fishing sabikis I want my sabiki rod. Maybe you go through a few more sabikis but it's just the cleaner way to fish them.

Jim

[Riskey Water]

I've always enjoyed tying my own flys .A cold one and a rolled one in the evening after the kids are in bed . Helps take the edge off the day and gears me up for the next outing .You can also up the line # ,I hate it when I lose a spoon to fat macs because the line# was too light ,you can get a fly tying kit for cheap at Sport Chalet there ,good luck and have fun

[Gino]

I dont mind those Mustad cheapos soemtimes, they only seem to work for me when i bait the hooks with shrimp or dip in the Urchin goop.

I like these size 14 ones made by Hyubusa. they look like small krill and pink colored. Seems to work well for me.

i use a 12-27lb bass type rod. works fine. I used to use the sabiki rod, and i liked it alot, but i missed soem soft biters smelts and such due to the stiffness of the rod.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Gino

. I used to use the sabiki rod, and i liked it alot, but i missed soem soft biters smelts and such due to the stiffness of the rod.

No doubt. The reason I use higher test rigs is a sabiki rod is so stiff you can break off light line before you hardly know your bit. I also fish it with a 2 ounce chrome sinker or at times a squid jig on the end to get down fast for squid. Nothing subtle there, and they are not that fun to fish with, but the trade off is the get the things out of the way.

I hear you on the smelt as well, they swarm the mustads but they don't eat them very well unless you tip them with squid etc. Especially small smelt like those at Pedro. When bait is finicky the Haybusa's will definitely outfish the mustads. If I had a better reel with a better drag on my rod I might use them more often. I got a old ABU 5000 on my rod and it just trashes them.

A while back one of my Marlin buddies lent me a Korean sabiki version that was pink and gold and it kicked ass. Thing must of lasted me ten trips, a little bigger then I like, but killer on macks but I have no idea who makes them.

My take is there is more then one way to skin this catfish. Whatever works is good

Jim

[Gino]

yeah i just got back from the tackle stop. and grabbed a couple sabikis.

The smelt in newport are spoiled. They are stingy on biting the sabiki, even with squid on it.
I use bread and ball the bread up and tip it on each hook, after chumming the water. Its the only way to get them, and its tedious as the tiny smelt pick the damn bread off before they get hooked



Where did you fing the higher lb test rigs (with smaller hooks) i cant seem to find them anywhere.

[GregAndrew]

I have been having decent success with Dines and both types of Macs on a Sanhu sabiki rig. It has a very clear skin with glitter like streamers. size 10 on #15 main line and #10 branch line.

[Jzo]

Originally Posted by Gino

Where did you fing the higher lb test rigs (with smaller hooks) i cant seem to find them anywhere.

You mean Mustad size 12 sabiki? If so you usually find them in Walmart.

[AquaticHunter]

Hi Guys, first post after lurking for a while.

I've been adding Smelly Jelly to my flies and it makes a huge difference.

[Jzo]

Originally Posted by AquaticHunter

Hi Guys, first post after lurking for a while.

I've been adding Smelly Jelly to my flies and it makes a huge difference.

Welcome, AquaticHunter! Smelly Jellys are Really Smelly!

[maui jim]

Originally Posted by Jzo

You mean Mustad size 12 sabiki? If so you usually find them in Walmart.

The WAL MART in Westminster Blows no sabikis, I like my PVC sabiki cheapo rod'
I solved the line cut problem on the PVC with 15 minute epoxy in the end of the PVC opening, acts just like ceramic, but way cheaper. CHA CHING!!