Pilchard Rings

[riverviewsteve]

Grouperscooper I decided to try and make a Pilchard
with the shiney wire. I was at southeastern when I
decided to do it, only thing is they didn't have any of
the shiney stuff. They only had brown. So when I got home
I remembered I had some wire so I got it out and it was
38 lbs and shiney. I got to tell you them little pieces of
shiney wire about kicked my ----. They kept getting
away from me and flying around. I finally got 10 circles
together and I can't wait to try it out. As you said it's
flexible and elastic so should be enough spring in it
to bounce back. I'll let you know if I ever get a chance
to use it. I am chomping at the bit to get back out there
but the wife hates me to go when it's so hot. Oh well!
Come on September. Thanks for the suggestion I'll
let you know how it works when I get a chance to
use it.
riverviewsteve

[albatross]

Hey Steve, I know you like trying new stuff all the time, but what exactly are "Pilchard Rings"?

[montylfl]

Pilchard rings", a series of small, interlocking rings fashioned of leader wire. If the Pilchards are present but not densely packed, they are first chummed up with grain, such as oatmeal, and then the bait rigs or Pilchard rings are lowered into the school. The Pilchards either strike the hooks or swim into the rings, which trap them

[riverviewsteve]

albatross, Monty covered it pretty good. I was trying to make
one that would hold up a little longer. The commercial ones
are pretty flimsey but they do catch some. I have never
tried baiting them like Monty mentioned but I'm sure the
more that are down there the more you would catch. I
have bought them in two sizes. I guess the small ones are
about the size of a quarter and the larger ones just a little
bigger. Don't know when I'm going to get to try it out. The
wife really worried about the oil spill. Tight Lines guys.
riverviewsteve

[Tommy]

Pilchard rings have always been a great bait catcher, and as long as you only have a single strand, they are not considered a net.....I have always seen a red or orange strip of plastic strung through the loops. . . . .it serves as a hiding spot & when the baits swim next to the srip, they get gilled.....they are very easy to make....start with a piece of both 1" & 1 1/4" pvc.....cut lengths of single strand ss leader wire long enough to go around the pvc + 1 1/2" overlap after you have twisted each end around each other 1/2 turn to make a kink...slip the ring off & proceed to make a haywood twist from each bend & snap off the excess, not cut.... do it again but by slipping the second wire under the first ring before the hayward twists joining the 2.....eventually you will form a chain of rings....4' is a good length.....we used to stretch the rings after completion to form ovals instead of circles...not many baitfish are round....add a section of red ribbon & a 4 oz sinker on the bottom & you are done.

couple a pic's

[filletnrelease]

Man I remember those things. Way back when we used to fish the Indian Rocks Pier, they were the thing to have.