- 1). Cut a 3-foot length of line from the end of your main fishing line with scissors. You will use this length of line as a leader later on when setting up the rig.
- 2). Slide a 1- to 2-ounce egg weight onto the end of your main fishing line. Attach a barrel swivel to the end of the main line with a uni knot. Tie the uni knot by feeding several inches of line through the eye of the swivel. Pull the free end of the line alongside the main line for two inches, and then turn the free end back toward the swivel forming a loop beside the doubled line. Wrap the free end of the line around the double line and through the loop three to four times. Moisten the knot and pull down tight.
- 3). Attach one free end of the 3-foot leader length to the opposite end of the barrel swivel with a uni knot. Moisten the knot, and pull it down tightly against the eye of the swivel. Tie on an 8/0 or larger circle octopus hook with a Palomar knot to the remaining free end of the leader length. Feed six to seven inches of line through the eye of the hook, turn the line and bring it back through the eye. You will now have a loop on one side of the hook and a double line on the other. Form an overhand knot with the loop and double line, pull the loop around the bend of the hook, moisten and pull tight.
- 4). Place a 3- to 4-inch shad on a sturdy work surface. Hold the fish near the head with one hand, and hold a fillet knife with the other. Position the fish so that you will make the cut below the head of the shad and will be cutting away from you. Fillet, or slice, the side of the shad so that the scent of the fish can disperse easily in the water.
- 5). Hold the fish, and insert the circle octopus hook into the lower head of the shad, up and out just above the nose. Attempt to hook enough of the cut shad on the hook so that the bend and large portion of the shank are covered.
- 6). Cast the cut shad bait out behind the boat 20 to 30 feet, and allow the rig to settle into the water. Turn the handle of the reel to engage the spool, and let the bait move with the current in the water as the scent of the cut shad bait disperses. Be patient, and do not constantly reel the bait in and recast. Stripers are active feeders and cover an enormous area searching for food.
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