Sewn on smelt or shiner

[Sherpa]

Just curious how many people sew on smelts/shiners so they make a big circle or so the swim straight.

[GNFISHIN]

I grew up sewing on smelts and shiners with my grandfather. The goal was to get them to do a wounded wobble. It’s tricky,  if you get a hit…. Have to re tie.

[darby74]

I use 2 techniques.   First with a needle the traditional way up from anus, through edge of gut cavity, out through throat,  and I come up through the jaw in each nostril to hold mouth closed, and this gives me the wobble.  The other is using a single hook, come down through the head and out the bottom of jaw twice (same hole) and then come down the side of the fish going in and out of the skin u til you get to Anusara.  Looks like stitches.  This gives me the wobble, and roll over to the side the stitching is on.  Obviously adding any spoons can give you a different presentation.  It's more tedious, but if salmon/trout are being finicky, the "stitch" method seems to be more effective

[Seamonkey84]

I like them to swim straight, but I use two hook slider rigs to keep them alive instead of sewing them onto the hook. They also allow you to quickly re-bait and adjusts to the size of bait your using. I’ll also use them with nightcrawlers for trout.

[Steve H.]

I like them to swim straight, but I use two hook slider rigs to keep them alive instead of sewing them onto the hook. They also allow you to quickly re-bait and adjusts to the size of bait your using. I’ll also use them with nightcrawlers for trout.

I used to use slider rigs in NH until they got banned.