Rock rigs — the structure specialists under your sea bass.
TAUTOGA ONITIS
VERIFY TOG SEASON/SIZE
A · TOG SINGLE-HOOK
B · TRIGGER / SHEEPSHEAD SMALL-HOOK
READING THE BITES
TOG: tap... tap... WEIGHT. Strike the weight and LIFT — give a tog one foot of line and it's back in the rock, game over. Locked drag; the rod does the work. TRIGGER: strips a slack bait in two seconds — strike the first deliberate pull. SHEEPSHEAD: the bite feels like the sinker settling; when in doubt, lift. Both fight far above their size.
RIG FIELD GUIDE v3.0 · SALT · ROCK RIGS26 / 38
Rock Rigs — How-To
SALT / R1
SPEC
TOG LEADER
40 lb, 24" · hook snelled 2-3" up
TRIG LEADER
30-40 lb, 30" · #1-#4 strong on DL
SINKER
Bank on 20 lb breakaway, both
BAIT
Green crab halves · clam bits (p11)
WHERE
Jetty holes between boulders
WHEN
Slack windows · tog: verify Aug 1 open
RIGGING SEQUENCE
Same backbone-and-breakaway architecture as the sea bass hi-lo — only the hook and dropper position change. Tog hook rides LOW, tight to the sinker. Pre-tie two of each at the house; rock re-rigs = one UNI.
FISHING IT
Vertical, feet-from-the-rod fishing: drop into the hole, dead-tight line, rod tip low. Read the bite per the facing page. Lose a rig, re-tie, drop back into the SAME hole — the fish didn't leave.
KEYS
Green crabs by the dozen at FHQ on rock-rig days; clam bits back both rigs up. Everything here is release-heavy over sharp granite: wet hands, pliers on the belt, Korkers on. Tog season and size verified at the counter before anything hits the cooler.