sabiki rig for sawbellies?

[bulletbob]

I was wondering if anyone has had any luck  catching sawbellies on sabiki rigs in deeper water say 40-50 feet down  over deeper water.. I know they hit the sabiki rigs  when they are spawning near shore, but out in mid lake i see schools of them acres across  and was wondering if they  would hit the rigs in those places.. I don't troll, and I'd like the option of throwing a live sawbelly down 30 or 40 feet while jigging.. I don't like buying them as they are a pain to keep alive once it gets warm out.

Catching a few here and there  on an "as needed" basis makes more sense to me, than buying a dozen for $15 and watching 9 of them drop dead in an hour or two.. Never tried a sabiki in deeper "offshore" water, and am wondering if they work.... bob

[idn713]

1 hour ago, bulletbob said:

I was wondering if anyone has had any luck  catching sawbellies on sabiki rigs in deeper water say 40-50 feet down  over deeper water.. I know they hit the sabiki rigs  when they are spawning near shore, but out in mid lake i see schools of them acres across  and was wondering if they  would hit the rigs in those places.. I don't troll, and I'd like the option of throwing a live sawbelly down 30 or 40 feet while jigging.. I don't like buying them as they are a pain to keep alive once it gets warm out.

Catching a few here and there  on an "as needed" basis makes more sense to me, than buying a dozen for $15 and watching 9 of them drop dead in an hour or two.. Never tried a sabiki in deeper "offshore" water, and am wondering if they work.... bob

Yeah they work everywhere there are schools of Alewife. I just get on top of big ball of them and then I target the ones at the top. Usually, the fish that bite the best. I hooked a big Atlantic last year jigging the sabiki in a bait ball! Almost landed it too!

[Trouthunter]

They work great in deep water I can attests to that caught many this way

[bulletbob]

good to know.. I kind of figured that would be the case...   Yeah not much chance of keeping a big salmon hooked on a #14 sabiki hook, but it must have been a blast while it lasted!

[bulletbob]

What are you guys using for weight?