A marlin rig built for 1,000 lb blue marlin, out wide of the Rowley Shoals off Western Australia. Chris Rushford stiffens the hook rig with a rigid riser so the lure runs straight, rigs a 10/0 Jobu on 700 lb leader, locks every connection, and sets his spread outside a dredge.
Rigging Lures and Terminal Connections for Blue Marlin
Rigging Lures and Terminal Connections for Blue Marlin
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Instructor:
Chris Rushford
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How do you rig a marlin lure for 1,000 lb blue marlin?
A marlin lure rig for big blue marlin uses heavy leader, a strong single hook and connections that can't slip. Out wide of the Rowley Shoals off Western Australia, where fish run 200 to 1,000 lb, Chris Rushford rigs a 10/0 Jobu, "never ever going to straighten on any fish," on 700 lb leader with aluminum crimps.
He runs it the way Ross Newton, his stepfather, taught him, and the boat's approach is plain: "Everything is ridiculously over the top, some might say, but it's what you need to run for big fish."
Why rig a marlin lure stiff?
Many hook sets flex at the lure. Chris slides a rigid riser tube over the leader and covers it with adhesive shrink, so the hook rig is stiff. The riser pulls into the rubber stopper so the lure runs straight, and lets him set the hook upright under a weighted slant face. All his hooks face up.
What terminal connections hold a giant blue marlin?
Every link that can slip gets locked. The mono gets a melted bulb that can never slide back through the crimp, and a long aluminum crimp gets three presses. The platted double is cat's-pawed to a strong swivel and shackle, and the shackle gets thread locker. Asked why, the skipper says it's because "he doesn't have a welder."
Inside the video
- A Joe Yee Super Plunger brought out by Seth Horne
- Leader and double lengths set with room for a record
- Hook placement just toward the back of the lure, not tight into the skirt
- A blue raised while filming, in canyon water about 800 m deep
- The spread outside a dredge, with lures on even intervals back to the ninth wave
Questions About Marlin Lure Rigs for Giant Blue Marlin
What leader do you use for blue marlin at the Rowley Shoals?
Chris runs 700 lb leader, about 25 ft, plus a 10 ft double. That keeps the rig inside the IGFA limit of 40 ft for leader and double combined, with a little leeway in case the fish is a record. Check current IGFA rules before you rely on any length.
How do you set a marlin lure spread behind a dredge?
The lures go outside the dredge, on even intervals: a short on about the third wave, a medium on the fifth, a long on the seventh and an extra long on the ninth. "Any fish that comes up from any angle usually has a lure that's in its range," Chris says.
Why use a Jobu hook for big blue marlin?
Chris wants a hook that is ultra sharp and very heavy gauge, so it won't straighten on the biggest fish the Rowley Shoals can produce. His crew has seen fish around 1,000 lb there, and he believes the area could hold one of the biggest blues in the world.
How often should you check a marlin lure rig?
Every time it goes out. Chris checks every connection and the leader each time a lure goes back in the water, brand new rig or not, and he won't fish a leader with a knot in it. On gear built for 1,000 lb fish, the check takes seconds.
Another Way to Set the Spread
Chris spreads his lures wide, on even intervals behind a dredge. For a calm water spread built the other way, four lines on consecutive waves with no shotgun, watch the Kona style marlin lure spread.
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Chris Rushford fishes the remote shelf atolls off Broome, Western Australia, working alongside Captain Ross Newton at Reel Teaser Fishing Adventures. He moves between light tackle, heavy tackle, conventional and spinning gear with equal skill, and his ability as a bait and lure rigger sets him apart from instructors who specialize in only one method. He switch baits sailfish with ballyhoo and garfish, builds stiff rig terminal connections for blue marlin, jigs soft plastics for coral trout and sailfin snapper, and casts giant trevally off reef edges at the Rowley Shoals. Rushford brings Indo-Pacific reef and bluewater fishing expertise built on years working some of the most demanding water in the world.
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