micro rigs

Thanks for the pictures of the rigs. I saw those indicators online but wasn't really sure how they would work.

For creek fishin' with a micro rod, my terminal rig is more or less derivative of the rigs used on standard tackle.  Scaled down, of course, with a few tweaks to enhance utility and efficiency.  Reckon I'll call it a V-Rig for the purposes here, see pic below...

Basically a standard slip rig using a bobberstop knot instead of a bulky swivel.  Typically, I tie these on about 15" of PP 5/1, adding a stopknot and bead, then wrapping the leader around some foam to store in a small tackle box.  Main line on rod is PP2/10 with a loop at either end, the V-Rig leaders are simply tied to the business end as needed.  Those familiar with my Teleprobe post may recall a butt tie-in which used a hookshank/eye near the handle.  Second probe build is a bit different there, it eliminates the knot and meshes better with the V-Rig system.  Following pic illustrates the sheer knotlessness of it all.

The O-Ring clip allows me to quickly unhitch the tie-in and pull the line through the tip eye without clipping or tying knots.  Makes adding, changing, or subtracting weights and beads very simple and easy.  Sometimes one needs 1/16 oz. sometimes 1/8 oz is called for.  Sometimes no weights or beads, sometimes bead stacks are needed to divert non-target species.  Essentially, the system meets the realistic needs of a creek wandering micro angler.  Yeah, it's probably a somewhat odd perspective on micro fishing so I'll throw out some explanation and a few examps here for ya.

First off, if the 1/16 and 1/8 oz seems overkill it has much to do with some of the habitat I poke around in.  Next pic should give a decent idea, finesse fishing in fast water has some unusual demands often in the form of drag and very unpredictable eddies.

Here's the view from the DarterLog cam.  

That's an 1/8 oz T-Rig Dusky hanging on the log facing downstream.  Shiners present, but no C-Rig diversion needed as the eddies would whip the bait around randomly to a point of futility.  Rig needs to be short, tight, and heavy enough to position on the log and hold the bait precisely in front of the darter.  The blurry shiner nearer the lens?  Just plunge down past it's ass and fish the darter.   If the shiner tries to follow, it'll get swept out fast by the currents.  Different fish, very different abilities to handle current and quick changes are needed to address such scenarios.  I like to capitalize on this.  Here's one of the catches from the general area seen above...

 

 

 

Here's another T-Rig scenario, 1/16 oz will do nicely.

 

 

A midstream log in about 2' of water, current moderate, habitat daunting.  Here's where the O-Ring plays a nice role in elevating the tie-in slightly for ease in grabbing the line.  While one can fish with a full rod length of line here, it kinda sucks in an awkward and unweidly way.  Far better IME to pull in a bit of line and leave only a foot or two out the rod tip for precise presentation.  Once hooked-up, I let the line slide back through to full length to make dealing with the fish much easier.  It works...

 

 

 

And those silly beads of obvious color that get stacked to draw non-target species from the bait?  Red and yellow add nicely to the attractiveness of the sinker.  Below is what I'm dealing with alot of the time.

 

 

 

A foot or two of water, moderate to fast straight current, (relativey) clean bottom.  Nothing stands a chance at seducing Dusky D with all those shiny friends milling around unless one can make them chase the sinker and beads 12" in front of the actual bait.  Takes a bit of practice to get the proper technique down, but it can get a bait left alone long enough to position it in front of the target fish.  Small morsels on the inconspicuous TMC 518 #32 often go unnoticed by chubs and shiners once the rig lays on the bottom, but a Darter will often notice it and bite.  Again, different fish, different attributes to play on.  This is not a slamdunk approach, it's simply the only option that works often enough to bother.  Sometimes I catch many shiners by accident, sometimes the Darter charges the sinker.  Generally speaking though, the relative attractiveness of a bead/sinker versus a tiny bait 12" away to the non-target fish in the above pic nicely tips the odds in favor of presenting to the Darter.  Cheesy diversionary tactic, but damn fun!

 

 

All well and good for the Mr. Fisherman tricks applied to sightfishing, but what about the other 80% of the time in the creek?  I usually split the V-Rig midway and leave about 4"-6" between the hook and weight with 1 small bead.  Called it a Texalina rig, maybe a Carolinexas, who knows.  Regarding geographic names, it may fall smackdab in the little town of Sisterfuk, Arkansas depending on where I slide the stopknot.  It matters not, what does matter is whether it works well for blind fishing runs and riffles with a variety of species.  Sister Rig configuration is a happy medium for this, it keeps the offering down without burying the hook in snaggy rocks while retaining the advantages of a sliprig.  Not too long, not too short.  Here's some blurry stillframes depicting it's use...

 

No, the Spotfins can't seem to decide which is tastier, Caddis or Tungsten.  (Or maybe it's which one is still available)

 

 

 

Creek Chubs?  Never does their penchant for nipping at semi-precious metal wane!  In frame 4, the deadpan stare into the camera almost has Chubby looking confused and disappointed at the miss.  The upper chub, anyway...the lower one with the hook in it's mouth has bigger issues.

 

 

 

No, it's not always about intent and effectiveness for me.  Most of the time I just like to whore-out on catching a bunch and playing around randomly with no particular goal other than fun.  Good to have options, though.  In some cases, I want to catch THAT fish, right there, with no interference!  Satisfies somethin' in me, I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This thread is blowing my mind! Great stuff, from my personal experience darter fishing I suspect the 2-hook-paper-clip-split-shot rig would work very well.

Very valuable information.

In addition to the rigs and rigging ideas, I really like that viewing box. It looks like it is not home made, suggesting that somewhere out there are off-the-shelf acrylic boxes that are the right size and shape. I have looked for something like that and have not found anything. Can you tell us where you found it?

Can you tell us where you found it?

Viewing box?  Just about any pet shop will have this type of item, they call them Critter Totes (for reptiles), Dip&Pour (fish tanks) or other names depending on purpose.  Some have lids, some are designed to hang on the rail of aquariums.  

Advantages

Acrylic is tough and light, won't shatter like glass.

It's cheap, readily available in most areas.  

Disadvantages

Scratches easily

Due to rounded corners it can get distortion near the edges for pic taking.

Bounces light around like a SOB for pics, also tends to reflect background and produce glare.

That said, these are pretty nice to have along on micro trips especially for holding or viewing the catch.  If your gonna take pics of fish in one of these acrylic boxes, have a bit of patience and be willing to take many pics for a few keepers.  Good for fin spreads and general ID attributes.  For pics, it's best to find a shady area out of direct sunlight or shadow the box a bit to avoid glare and metering problems.  

Tip:  Get a cheap Chamois Cloth to carry with it, it's the best way to wipe the water off the tank sides for viewing.  The only rag that can ring dry, it's become an essential fishing accessory for me. (especially when changing batteries/cards).