How To Rig the Rubber Band Sinker Rig | Big Bluefin Tuna

This year, like the previous five or size, has been pretty incredible for Bluefin Tuna here on the West Coast. You still have a legitimate shot at catch a big fish. And when I say big, I’m talking fish upwards of 200 pounds.

As the season moves on, the the more late summer and fall size fish start to pop up in the counts. These fish can range from 30-80 pounds, but still some big fish mixed in…so be ready.

In my previous article I talked about Fishing the Yo-Yo Jig for big Yellowtail. That is a super effective way to catch these fish as well, but another, often overlooked technique is fishing the Rubber Band Sinker Rig.

The Rig

The Rubber Band Sinker Rig is just that, a rubber band that holds a torpedo style lead weight to your line bringing your bait down to the depths where bluefin are often found. The captain will often tell everyone that he is metering fish down at 100 feet or 150 feet or 200 feet. Getting your live bait down there to those depths is key.

Components

I like to use either a 33 size or a 64 size rubber band for my sinker rigs. Here is a link to some Amazon basics 1 pound size 64 bag which is a little over 300 rubber bands. Plenty!

The other key item is the lead torpedo sinker itself. I like to have a selection of 2 ounce to 16 ounce with me when I am on my bluefin trips. I’ll generally use the 6 and 8 ounce the most, but it is always good to have a selection in case of current.

Rubber Band Sinker Rig – Rigging

This technique only requires the heavy duty set up you want to use, rubber bands and your torpedo sinker. My go-to set-up for fishing the rubber band sinker rig is the same set up I am fishing with the Erratic Fall jigs. An Okuma Makaira 30 size reel matched up with a PCH XXXH Rail rod. I have spooled up with 80lb braid and a 100lb Fluoro-Stretch Fluorocarbon leader.

In this short video, I walk you through exactly how I like to rig the Rubber Band Sinker Rig. This has worked out well for me in my bluefin adventures, but other people may do it a bit differently. Anyhow, find a technique that works well for you and put a few more bluefin on the deck.

Good luck and we’ll see you on the water!

Davey

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!