Ever Tried Donkey Rig?

The Donkey Rig or Double Fluke Rig is a multi bait rig that is easy to tie, a blast to fish and can work like crazy in certain fishing scenarios.

I generally despise fishing multi hook or multi bait rigs due to the inevitable tangles that can result or that one of the multi hooks on a rig will end up painfully in my hand as I unhook a thrashing fish from the rig.

Rigged correctly and fished with a little bit of care , this rig doesn't tangle anywhere near as much as you might think it would. The other pros?

1.It doesn't weigh a ton, so it casts easily and doesn't create a ridiculous amount of drag when you retrieve it.

2.Rigged weedless style( as pictured above), the likelihood that you will get hooked removing a fish from the rig is very small.

Why does it work?

Like the bucktail teaser in front of a swimming plug that has been used successfully in surf fishing for many decades, the thinking is that game fish instinctively key in on situations where one bait fish is chasing another. Perhaps apex predators like stripers or largemouth bass know that two pre occupied baitfish are an easier mark than one baitfish on high alert for predation. Or ,it could simply be a competition thing. In any event, this dual presentation has been proven effective for a long time.

The baits- This rig can be fished with nearly any rubber bait that can be hooked up weedless style. We prefer the Z-MAN DIEZEL MINNOWZ due to the natural , built in swimming motion and be cause it tracks well on the retrieve.

The hooks- we like the OWNER ALL PURPOSE SOFT BAIT HOOK because they accommodate easily the thicker body , fluke style baits I like to use on this rig. Any wide gap worm hook will suffice. Now, some folks prefer a weighted worm hook as pictured above because they think it helps the baits track" better while they are swimming. I prefer no weight because it decreases weight on the cast and it creates alot less drag on the retrieve.

How to rig-This is the best part..it's really simple. You are going to need two swivels ,about three feet of mono or flourocarbon leader material and two worm hooks. On the main line from your rod, run one swivel onto the line, then tie off to the other swivel. On the swivel connected to main line, tie a 12 inch leader and connect hook. On the other swivel, tie a shorter leader( approx 8 inches) and connect hook to that. Make teaser leader shorter than main lin bait or it will be prone to tangles. Also, use heavier leader than you might normally. The increased stiffness of the heavier lines will help keep baits apart and less prone to tangling.

Give this rig a try on post spawn Largemouths or early season schoolies and let us know how you do!