Bruce Condello, as I have stated before, is a fishing machine.

In January, I was privileged to watch him reel in fish after fish (mostly big BG) from the upper house pond at LL2 using an ultralight weight spinning rig that held a stub of nightcrawler on a tiny little jighead. I decided that if I learned to do only one new fishing thing this year, it would be to match that technique as closely as possible.

Bruce was kind enough to lend both technical advise and advice on technique. With his specifications, I bought an ultralight spinning rig (Shimano Solstace Rear Drag and 5'6" Fish Eagle II rod, both for 4 lbs test line) and some 1/16 & 1/32 oz jigheads, from Cabela's.

BG season now being in full swing here, I tried out the new rod 'n' reel in earnest this afternoon. I used whole small earthworms for bait, nightcrawlers being very infrequently present in my wife's garden my worm bed. And with virtually no practice, in 20 minutes I landed three nice BG. (That's a pretty good rate for me; Bruce lands them slightly faster while asleep.)

Pictures can be seen at (Bruce's - who else's?) website, BigBluegill.com

Thanks a heap, Bruce. You're Aces.

P.S. I hereby propose the term "Condello-Rigged" to describe a little piece of worm on a small jighead, being used to catch big BG.

Good post, Theo.

Watch out Texas and Carolina--Condello rigging is about to sweep the nation!

glad you can join the club theo, and sorry nobody let you in on the little secret

i've been using "worm chunks" w/ cheap flys and/or small jig heads (for spin tackle) since about 1975 or so. its only failed me when water temps were so cold the fish were just plain hunkered down.

i'd be proud to call it "condello rigged".

With apologies to all ultra-light fishermen I offer a counter “fair & balanced opinion.
I want to stand by and watch when you hook a 5# HSB on that MM spin rig on 4# test line....

Excellent rig for BG pond only but strongly disagree on that type tackle for multi-species ponds.
OK for catch and keep but you'll kill your fish if CPR.

Great looking BG – Congrats…

Before I get into more trouble with UL fishermen and tackle, I want to share an opinion from Dan Blanton about light tackle.
Dan is a personal friend of mine that is a renowned FF Hall of Fame from northern California that I’m sure DIED is familiar.

Editor-at-Large Fly Fishing in Salt Waters Magazine
Editor-at-Large Fly Fisherman magazine
Editor-at-Large California Fly Fisher


”Here's my take on it and it's just one man's view.

I agree that a lighter line will land softer than a heavier one but water conditions also are a factor. Dead calm, millpond waters obviously require a gentler touch-down and a lighter line will help to accomplish this. The addition of a longer, lighter leader helps too. If the surface is broken a bit by breeze or chop, a heavier line (one or two weights) won't matter much; but in a wind, the heavier line is much easier to cast and control. Sometimes it's a wash.

When it comes to "feeling" the fight and getting more reaction from the fish, big or small, I am convinced that a stiffer rod, a bit heavier than lighter will equate to a better fight and feel. When you hook a small or large fish with a noodle/mushy rod, the fish often doesn't even know it's in trouble and just shakes it's head or dogs it. Hit it with a stiff rod, that let's the angler really yank on its head, and the fish knows instandly that it's in trouble and reacts accordingly. A stiffer, faster rod transmits the fish's fighting energy much bettter to your hands than a mushy, light rod.

It may take you longer to land a large or small fish on a light, soft rod but that doesn't neccessarily equate to a better sense of the fight and a prolonged slugfest doesn't do the fish any good if the angler intends on releasing it.

I often fish a fast 8-wieight for bass and gills and I get just as much out of them and more than if I were using a 6-weight.”

http://www.danblanton.com

I don’t always agree with Blanton on all tackle issues but strongly agree with him on this issue, whether spin, bait casting, or fly tackle.

George I agree. I recently tried to catch stripers on Lake Texoma using ultralight with six pound test and lost my rig twice before giving up. I would not want to do the same and kill my fish in my pond but I love ultralight tackle and will probably try again.

George, did I miss something?

I thought this was a thread about how to catch bluegill. Are you saying that since I have a few dozen hybrids in my pond that I shouldn't use this rig?

I've never killed a single hybrid in my pond from playing him too long. I just take it easy on 'em when it's hot out.

Bruce, we must have been posting at the same time - did you read Blanton's comments above? Did you note his credentials?
He was addressing BG's - I was addressing BG's.
The diffference is, in our pond I am as likely to hook a 15# CC or GC as a BG.

I knew I was going to get into deep doo-doo when I posted my opinion about UL tackle - even for BG's.

You are an exceptinal angler and I admire your skills on catching big fish on UL tackle but IMO it is not for the novice fisherman.

I'm sorry. I just thought that the thread was going to be about catching bluegill with a special rigging. It seemed a little early to turn it into a discussion on killing big fish.

Maybe we can start another thread on that.

I just thought this was a little harsh. I have several friends that fish the same way I do and we don't feel it's a death sentence for every fish that's not a bluegill. In particular in cool water.

I'll guess we can just agree to disagree.

By the way, I use brand new 4 pound test every time I go out, and I can straighten one of those little 1/32 ounce Cabela's hooks before the line will break--so it's not like you can't put some pressure on fish with light line.

Novice fisherman, here.

Two guys who are probably the most experienced HSB fishermen I know are disagreeing. I wanted to point out that there are definite differences in Summertime water temps and probably dissolved O2 levels between george's Texas and Bruce's Nebraska. I figure that is one very likely reason they see things differently - because things are different.

george, I break enough 10 pound lines on my smaller 8 lbs CC and 3 lbs LMB that I suspect my wipers biggest worry from a 4 pound rig is pierced lips. I will know more after I hook some LMB or CC; they outnumber and outweigh my HSB and should give me some big fight 4 lbs line experience first.

There is no one bait, fishing pole, line weight, or reel suitable for all kinds of fishing. That's part of the beauty of the sport ( and one reason why DD has a garage full of tackle).

Gosh, for over 40 years, probably close to 50 years, I've been using a very similar technique to Bruce's. To the best of my knowledge, I've stressed very few fish -- except maybe those destined for the dinner table.

I've used it very sucessfully against bluegill, small mouth bass, and trout. I don't use a jig, instead I use a #4 or #2 light wire, non-offset gold hook and an appropriately sized split shot about 12 inches up from the hook. I almost always crush the barb. I mostly use a piece of worm to completely cover the hook, but I also use the whole range of Gulp products.

The wire hook is thin enough that it will generally straighten if pulled hard enough -- like from a big fish or a log -- even with 4# line. I prefer this type of hook to a jig because I can get a bigger hook with a longer shank. Thus, far fewer fish are able to swallow the hook.

In my pond I have hooked a few big catfish on this, but they quickly staightened the hook. Most of the larger bass just turn up their noses at such a measly meal.

Ken

Ok, if we are speaking strictly about rigging tackle for BG I'll run up the white flag and surrender - but I'll take this in another direction.
I can rig the same small worm tipped 1/32 oz jig and fish effectively on fly tackle - without worrying about 4# test line, but with a 4# mono equivalent leader with a 12# break strength.

I recall that you don't like GSP braid, but I don't like changing 4# test mono after each time on the water.

Maybe it's north/south – warm/cold water thing about killing fish on light tackle .

Bruce, you are my mentor as far as HSB is concerned, but if you had spent as much time on the water as I have the past 20 years you would likely be broke and divorced by now – fortunately my wife is my best fishing partner.

Structure is also an issue in ponds as well as all bodies of water.
Bruce, how much structure do you have in your ponds?
Theo?

Cat, what size line and tackle do you catch those monstor CC?
Oh, excuse me – back to rigging ultra lite for BG.
I thought it appropriate to offer a different point of view…

Sorry about high–jacking the tread – I be gone now...

My ponds have virtually no structure, just because I love to use light line for bluegill so much. I have a buddy who has a pond with so much structure in the way of trees that I don't dare use 4 pound test, but I do use 6 pound. When I use Berkley Trilene 6 pound test brand new I can literally pull a 12 foot aluminum boat to the snag with it, provided the hook doesn't straighten. I get so many more bluegill bites with 4 pound test than heavier line it isn't even funny. When I get a big fish and the water is cooler like it is now, I just enjoy the fight and keep maximum pressure so the fight is short. I agree with everything George has said, I was just questioning the use of this thread to talk about it.

I think Ken's assessment of the use of lighter hooks is very accurate. If you fish as much as I do you learn which hooks will fail before the line does, and you use those. It works really slick. I was fishing my pond a couple of days ago and I kept getting snagged on one little clump of trees next to the dock and I straightened the hook each time, then reeled it in, realigned the hook and went back to fishing. Best of both worlds; Light line for good presentation and light hook to "quick release" hybrids and snags.

Use kernal corn from the store...it will catch everything in the pond and is cheap,cheap cheap...this past saturday along with countless bluegill I caught two 2 lb bass and a 6 lb channel cat. just tight lining with a 1/32oz jighead, 4lb test and an ultalight. You can use a tiny cork too.....Oh, they didnt die....didnt even come close, and all were lip hooked as usual...I have never killed a fish with ul tackle. Ive been using the method since the 70s when I use to fish for Crappie/trout on Lake Isabella in southern,CA.

Not very much in the BG pond, george. On the South shore, there is just Robby the Robot and two tire structure companions - they are marked with a float. Off the North shore there are three deep water rock/tile piles; I don't fish over there much. Along the dam, there are some plastic pipe structures on the bottom; I don't fish there often either. Out in the middle stands Harry the pink granite boulder (who should be fairly snag-free), but I can't cast that far with a 1/32 oz jighead.

[quote=george1
Cat, what size line and tackle do you catch those monstor CC?
Oh, excuse me – back to rigging ultra lite for BG.
I thought it appropriate to offer a different point of view…

Sorry about high–jacking the tread – I be gone now...
[/quote]

For catfish, I've got a big old closed face Johnson reel with 17 lb. test on a fairly old and stout 6-foot Shakespeare rod. I also have a couple of old 6-foot saltwater "jetty" rods that are very stout. Both have large open face reels, and I believe they currently have 24# line. I mainly use 4/0 or 6/0 circle hooks for the cats.

Now, back to light weight rigging . . .

Bruce wrote: "By the way, I use brand new 4 pound test every time I go out.."

Great buddy! Real good for the environment!!!!

(OK, kidding, just kidding...Kumbaya, Kumbaya.....)

Yea Yea,and what about all the empty beer bottles,Mr enviroment

i'll bet sunil recycles..

Bruce donates his old line to the less fortunate fishermen.












Which is just about all the rest of us.

I knew there was a back-story.

Let me attempt to put this thread back on tract because it obviously is very important subject to more folks than I realized, but also understand and respect my position that when I offer a counter opinion it is with respect and usually from lack of understanding.

I will attempt to do so, but I have been taught early in life that when you remain silent in differing opinion, you are effectively agreeing with the subject.

Bruce, Cody, Baird and more recently Theo, have taken me from considering BG as “bait “ to an appreciation of the species.

I have made NO attempt to grow large BG’s – call it serendipity if you choose, but it has been strictly by accident.
I have not and will not attempt to target them exclusively or take special measures to grow record BG.

It has been and will continue to be a challenge for me to grow a 10-11 inch, 1 - 1.5# gill in a ”natural” multi-species pond environment, in contrast to serious BG aficionados that raise a 2# gill by building special ponds, over wintering in RAS systems, and selective breeding.

To get back on tract, how do you keep from “gut hooking” BG on a 1/32oz worm tipped jig?
Special rigging?
Technique?
Experience, or all of the above?

How about dumb luck, george? So far with this rig, I'm 6 for 6 on BG being liphooked, and 1 for 1 on catfish. For the record, I try not to fowl hook ANY fish, regradless of method, but I'm not afraid to eat my mistakes. Kind of like Homer Simpson after he mistakenly gave his pet lobster "Mr. Pinchy" a final bath in HOT!!! water.

Bruce has so much experience with this method, he will have a very good idea of what % of fish are hooked where. FWIW, he did tell me to use barbless hooks.

BTW, until I start putting male-only BG in my second pond later this year or next (and, yes, handfeeding portly gills in a PBR all next Winter), my big BG efforts are also confined to a mixed-species pond with a breeding population of gills. Can you please tell me how to accidentally get mine BG up to 11" like yours? (I figure your whole pond must be managed pretty well.)

Lots of food (natural and feeders), long warm growing season and little competition - having CNBG helps on the very high end.

Can someone give advice about how to rig this exactly? Do you rig it like a twister tail grub or just a piece of worm trail from the back (bottom? curve?) of the hook?

I played around with this rig while targeting RES the other day. In 20 minutes I caught two small LMB and no Lepomis.

GW, If it works for me, it must not matter how you rig the worm too much. Bruce used about 1/3" of nightcrawler down at LL2. I use a whole small (2.5" - 3") earthworm, just speared through in about 3 places (front, middle, tail) like Grandpa Gallus used for bobber fishing.

Presentation may be more important. Bruce says to let it sink until it's just off the bottom, then (IIRC) do a medium to slow retrieve with little jerks built in. He says those jerks really catch the fish's eye (and, subsequently, lips).

I have been varying retrieval speed and jerk period/amplitude, searching for a "sweet spot", and have been having success over a fairly wide range . But I am running it right on or just over the bottom.

Hey, Bruce - give us the expert rundown!

P.S. I am looking forward to being able to try this (and other fishing techniques) out on a primarily RES audience in mu second pond in the future. It's hard (for me) to figure out catching Redears where they are outnumbered by BG.

Last ten years statistics with this rig.

27,445 fish caught including bluegill, redears, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, striped bass hybrids, spotted bass, freshwater drum, striped bass, hybrid sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, common carp, grass carp, etc. etc. blah blah blah.

0 fish deep hooked

0 mortalities, except intended morts (dinner table).

The reason for no mortalities?

I don't use this rig on windy days.

If the wind is low or absent I can stay in constant touch with the jighead, and it's kept either moving or under tension at all times with an immediate hookset.

Hopefully you can see the barbless setup that helps facilitate removal of the hook if it's in the upper palate. This prevents tearing of that delicate tissue.

wow, thats 7.6 fish a day!!

how do you find time to fix peoples teeth

My CPUE is typically over 15/hour on this setup.

DIED - ugh - that's 7.6 fish per day with that set-up/rig. It does not count the other 25,000+ fish with other set-ups. The fixing teeth thing is a smoke screen. -

Dang! that looks delicious!

A trick someone showed my to add action is when using a spinning reel extend your index finger holding the pole so that the line catches on it each time the reel turns. The line catches on your finger for just a second then pulls free. This adds a ton of action.

Bruce is right on with his technique of being a line watcher and staying in touch with your jig/lure/ fly - this is fundamental Fishing 101. You wont gut hook a fish this way – the exception being new “circle” hooks when you let the fish run with the bait, hooking himself.

The same technique is valid whether you are suing 4# test or 20# test line. As Bruce pointed out, it is difficult in rough and windy conditions but much easier “to stay in touch” with heavier jigs with heavier tackle.

Bruce, when you start counting fish on me you force me back to my records...

Using the exact technique you describe but with heavier tackle, excluding top waters, I have documented the following Striped Bass taken from Lake Texoma in a representative ten-year period:

6799 Striped Bass between 2 and 20+ lbs
My best year was 1038 SB
Poorest was 452 SB in a flood prone year.

I am sure I have killed my share of fish by deep gill hooks, fighting big fish to death by turning from wicked structure, and general carelessness.
I fished in all kinds of weather

Using a very conservative 3 lb/fish average – that’s a lot of stripers – do the math...

Not included are literally hundreds of LMB, SMB, SB, WB, and crappie from Lake Texoma as well as many other reservoirs in this part of the country.
All fish were caught on artificials – I don’t use live bait.

This doesn’t approach your admirable 27,445 fish but until we had our ponds, I had not fished for, nor caught a BG since I was in knee pants, with a cane pole and can of worms...

Now back to rigging 1/32 oz jigs on 4# test line...

Note: Total fish landed per boat - not individual angler.
6799 Striped Bass between 2 and 20+ lbs

Sheesh, Bruce and George!

I'm losing valuable time. I've got a lot of ground to make up with that rig.

Forget trying to catch Bruce unless you land a 2 day-a-week lawyerin' job.

OK, Theo wants to learn Bruce’s UL tackle technique on his ponds.
Lesson taught – lesson learned.

My only concern is that the novice fisherman will want to start at the level that Bruce has achieved, having fished most of his life at a skill level that many will never achieve.

I just don’t want the novice fisherman to believe they can catch
”(Last ten years statistics} with this rig, 27,445 fish caught including bluegill, redears, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, striped bass hybrids, spotted bass, freshwater drum, striped bass, hybrid sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, common carp, grass carp, etc. etc. blah blah blah”… - unless it is their intent on making a film for “America’s Funniest Videos”…

The worm jig rig landed 2 more RES to transfer to my pond tonight.

I also caught 5 or 6 small LMB. That's a good thing because the pond I was fishing is bass crowded.

My next goal is to learn to golf like Tiger Woods. :P

theo, IME, the real trick to any method is maintaining "communication" w/ the presentation, followed by quick hook sets using an appropriate force. its really tough to fish a jig from shore, off the bottom, when there's FA or other aquatic growth. then its a game of finding the clear spots or getting the timing right to fish the lure above the weed level.

i hope to be getting some time in on JHAPs pond, he's up here this weekend and into next week, i hope we can provide a report. his pond is choked w/ weed growth, but the last time i fished it, you could still find some avenues to drag and bump a tube or jig.

Considered using a Carolina rig? It consists of a small bullet type slip sinker just above a swivel; not a snap swivel. Attach a piece of 4 lb test line(about 3 or 4 ft) to an unweighted hook that is garnished with a grub and piece of worm. The grub may be optional in really cloudy water. The actual bait floats above the FA and the sinker goes through the junk pretty well. An additional piece of gear is often used. Get a couple of glass beads and put them between the weight and the swivel as clickers. However, I doubt that they click a lot in FA.

Although upsized, this is the favorite lure used by guides for big bass on Lake Fork. It's deadly.

yes dave, i've watched guys slay fish with them, and i've tried fishin them, but to be honest never had much luck with them. i have personal problems feeling the bite and probably because i dont rig them quite right, i end up with two things full of weeds...the weight and the bait.

i really like fishin curly tail grubs, direct line to bait. some of my best most memorable days ever were back east in virginia, catching redbreasts (BG), redeye, smb, spots, lmb, and trout in the same creek, on the same day w/ the same rig. i miss that alot.

Dave, my favorite all around lure is still the Roadrunner with a curly tail grub. It's just a jig with a spinner blade so how could you go wrong? I think I'm going to try rigging the RR jig head with a real worm and see what ensues.


Bruce, if I had to guess I would say that you change the worm on this rig frequently. How often do you reuse a worm after catching a fish? If the worm looks dead and droopy do you still chuck it out there just to see if something hits it?

for my guys, when they're active, they'l attack the tiniest most shredded little piece of worm tissue you could imagine. but put the bare hook in, and they just stare at it...i've trained them well

Yes. True.

Bruce’s picture suggested the jig/rig was rather large so my curiosity compelled me to look at what size a 1/32 ounce jig really is?

I weighed a common “jig head” hook that I commonly tie a “spider” fly for BG and RES and found it to be 13 grains, which my conversion chart says 1/32 ounce?
Attached is photo showing actual scale compared to a quarter.

I didn’t have an earthworm handy to photo for scale , but remember ewest saying he preferred a tube jig – I choose a “spider” fly tied on this size jig.

Cast them on UL, fly rod, or dabble them on the end of a cane pole - they work...

he's good at that george. i thought he was stealing worms from texas. thank you for bringing me back to reality....

edited post....i forgot to mention, those leadheads you show there w/ the black eyes are what i currently use on my "pond spinning rod" i put a small curly tail grub on those, and a chunk of worm to cover hook.....when i'm not fly fishin

I bought this exact same rig after the last Ultra light discussions. I fished it for the first time this week. I really, really like how far you can cast a light lure.

So far I have caught EXACTLY 0.000000 fish on this rig.

Do I stink at fishing or what.

WoW, I love threads like this, reminds me of the old "Georgia Giant Days". I will never disagree with George, he is my HSB Idol. Bruce also impresses me, I won't disagree with him either, he might pull my teeth...although I do question his "fashion" wardrobe (ask McButterpants about the vibe and subtract another point, that SOB is a Cornhusker !!! Go Horns!

George & Bruce are both pioneers in their niche, it's easy to see from the outside how passionate they are in regards to the "wellbeing" of their preferred species. George doesn't want his HSB ripping off 4lb. test, snapping the line, then ending up snagged in timber somewhere as turtle food. Bruce on the other hand, admits an inadvertant HSB may rip off his 4lb test, but that the hook would bend, which may be true, unless the jaw strength clamping down on the line doesn't give the hook a chance to bend.

Thankfully they have their own ponds I can see it now, Bruce accidentally catches a HUGE HSB on a 4 lb test using a grub in Georges pond in August, fights it for 4 minutes to the shore. George looks at Bruce and says : "I hope you brought your OWN Oxygen bottles !"

This rig has been really performing well for me. I am approaching Condello, Jr. CPUE levels.

Last night I caught 11 BG (5" - 9"), 3 LMB (11", 13", and 18.5"/3 lbs 11oz) AND a 7" RES (transferred to new pond) in a little under 40 minutes.

That looks like a CPUE of 22.5 fish/hour.

Easily past Condello standards, and that's with the water still pretty cold. It will only get better and better and better.

Good job, Grasshopper.

What the heck is CPUE???
Do you smoke it or drink it?

IIRC, it's something like "Catches Per Unit Effort".

A real Condello would know for sure.

It's "biologist speak" for Catch Per Unit Effort.

Okay, I've caught 75 - 100 BG, about 20 LMB, 1 RES, and 1 CC with this rig now. [NOTE: One (1) BG has been badly hooked, all the rest of the fish were lip hooked.] I have not caught any of my (surviving number unknown) HSB in this period; I think I would probably have caught a couple with the same amount of fishing if I had been suspending a worm under a bobber, based on last Fall's fishing results.

I want to reopen discussion on the concern george so astutely raised (Be a Stute; the world needs more Stutes). Question: Just how likely are HSB to take a small piece of worm on a small jighead, jerking along just off the bottom within 50 feet or less of the shore? With my limited knowledge of HSB, it seems they would be much more likely to be looking for fish out in the middle of the pond, in my limited experience, they DO take small worms, but only higher up in the water column.

So, george and Bruce and everyone else with HSB experience, how likely do you think it is that they will really hit small earthworms at the bottom?

P.S. A great big BG broke my 4 pound test line Friday night! I had landed a 3 lbs LMB a little earlier, and a 3lbs 15 oz LMB a week before, with the drag on the same setting. Of course, the line could have been nicked or what not, but that big BG really fought harder than either bass. SInce he got away, I feel compelled to mention that he was a least as big as the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket!

Hey Guys, I really don’t have anything against earthworms – SCOUT’S HONOR – I am an equal opportunity angler - I am not an earthworm bigot – HONEST...

I fish strictly for sport and the challenge.

I only fish with artificials – I gave up fishing with earthworms more than 75 years ago…..

I am forever shamed and ask for your forgiveness...

george, I thought you raised a valid concern. No forgiveness is required. Unless JHAP starts up some Worm Anti-Defamation Defense for Lepomis Enthusiasts (WADDLE).

I do read, however, that you won't have much info on HSB taking worms.

I don't know if this is good news or bad news...

But Hybrid Striped Bass are very likely to hit the nightcrawler. The bigger the piece of crawler the more likely it is to get hit. I don't think there is any fish that will swallow the crawler more quickly. That's why I don't like to use this method when there is any breeze at all. When it's windy you can easily lose contact with the presentation and that's when the problems can happen. If you were to gut hook a HSB you could just immediately cut the hook off and hope for the best. I've fished with several friends who wanted to use this method and watched them bring in a gut hooked HSB. It's still just a fish to me, but it's kinda hard to watch.

Warning Taken

I'd add RBT to this list and second the LMB, WE, and BG so far THIS YEAR, since deciding to give it a shot and see what all the hype was about. It offers so much versatility to the angler so he can make adjustments as needed. Very fun and involved way of catching fish.