Quote Originally Posted by stripernut View Post
i try to catch alewives or "hardtails" on sabiki rigs (you can buy them at walmart for $3, just drop them straight off the pier to the bottom and set the hook, they will be there) take the live baitfish off the sabiki rig and put it on a larger reel with a "king mackerel steel leader rig" , available at walmart or the pier for $3, drop or "lob" the live bait without any weight and let it swim downcurrent of the pier on the surface, if a king hits hit him back. i use 60lb braid on a shakespeare tiger stik with a okuma avenger baitfeeder. if you want to try for spanish mackerel its hard to beat a "gotcha" plug, available anywhere on the coast.
that pretty much wraps up my limited knowledge, my suggestion would be to watch the locals, they catch alot more than i do
Try cutting each of the forked tail parts off at the base where they meet with wire cutters. The hardtail will vibrate like a bumble bee with out those tail parts.