How to Hook Big Fish With the Banjo Minnow
- 1). Rig a Banjo minnow as suggested by the manufacturer. Begin by twisting a no-crimp bait holder into the nose of a minnow. Slide a small rubber O ring over the point of a kahle hook and onto the bend. Place the eye of the no-crimp bait holder onto the hook bend, followed by another O ring. Attach a small rubber band to the eye of the kahle hook and stretch it down and connect to the barb on the hook.
- 2). Tie the Banjo minnow rig onto the end of your monofilament fishing line with a Palomar knot. The Palomar is a good choice for a no-slip knot and is especially good when fishing for large game fish. Feed the free end of the fishing line through the eye of the kahle hook for several inches. Turn the line back through the eye of the hook forming a loop on one side and a double line on the other. Tie an overhand knot with the loop and double line and pull the loop around the bend of the hook. Moisten the knot and pull down tight.
- 3). Cast the Banjo minnow along structure such as rock, docks, walls, stumps, trees and vegetation. Look for areas where a large fish may be waiting to ambush smaller bait as it swims by. Cast the Banjo minnow so that it can be worked along and into any pockets or areas where a fish might be holding along the structure.
- 4). Allow the Banjo to initially settle and move with the current in the water. A slow falling or fluttering bait can often trigger an aggressive strike from a large fish. Slowly begin to tighten the slack in the line as the Banjo minnow falls in the water.
- 5). Raise your rod tip and pull the Banjo minnow toward you with two short jerking motions. Allow the minnow rig to fall once again and take up the slack in the line. Repeat the process of jerking the Banjo minnow, allowing to fall and reeling in the line. This will help to imitate a dying or injured minnow in the water. When a fish strikes, allow it to initially take the bait and begin to turn. Raise the rod tip and reel in the line to set the hook. Maintain pressure on the line as you reel in the fish.
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