Making sea bass rigs
 

May be a dumb question but I can't seem to find the answer on best approach. I plan on using 65# braid with a 20' or so mono leader for bottom fishing (hope to get into some cod). Should my rig be tied to the mono leader or should I make my rig out of the mono leader so I have fewer connections? If I use braid--mono--rig that's 2 barrel swivels. Is that the right approach? Also, what is best pound test mono to make rig from?

Re: Making sea bass rigs
 

Skip the swivels. The only thing they're good for is making tangles worse. 20lb is a little light. Don't forget you will be hooking doggies.

Re: Making sea bass rigs
 

Connect your braid to your mono with whatever knot you prefer. I use the FG knot, but there are countless others on Youtube like the Albright or Double-Uni knot. Practice them so you will be able to tie them out at sea in case you break off at the braid.

Then you can connect your rig to the mono with a barrel swivel. Use either mono or fluoro - I'd say 30-40# would be about right. Try using a lighter line class on your rig than your topshot, so if you do get hung up, the rig will be the most likely part that breaks off.

Re: Making sea bass rigs
 

What he said, except that I go 50 lb. braid to 30 lb. fluoro shocker (2 times the rod length) to 40 lb. (fluoro leader not line) hi-lo rig with barrel swivel. I use an albright for the braid to fluoro connection and a clinch for the shocker to rig connection. If I have to break off in a snag the clinch is always the weak link. I know its counter intuitive but I've never lost the shock leader breaking off a snag. As Gabehow said, practice knots so you can retie quickly, definitely lowers the blood pressure if you can get back on the bottom quickly during a hot bite.

Re: Making sea bass rigs
 

With all the big bluefish out there I would do 65lb braid and 50lb top shot.