[sinker man]

First things first. When tying any rigs you need to pre-stretch mono. Line that has been fished a couple of times is usally already stretched but check it to see if it curls. If it does it needs stretching to take the memory out. I use new mono mostly and if at home I just tie a loop in one end and hook it over a hallway door and stretch it as it comes off the spool using one hand to apply friction and thus heat the line to further straighten it. This should leave you with memory free line.
Once that is accomplished I cut off about 3' of line. For the first few times you will probably need a felt tip marker. Mark the approximate center of the line. Take one end and bring it back to the mark. Hold it there with one hand and with the other hand grasp the newly formed bend and pull the line into a nice tight U. Now make you a nice 1" loop out of the doubled line using a surgeon's knot. Keeping the lines tight together make another surgeons knot to hold the strands together. The bitter end will later get a hook. Now start at the other end and repeat the proceed to do the exact same thing to the other end except make the loop a little larger to accomodate attaching a sinker. Tie your hooks on and run the bottom loop thru the eye of the sinker far enough to drop your sinker back thru the loop. You should now be ready to snap it on your line and fish.
surgeon's loop knot:Surgeon's Loop

 

[sinker man]

When tying this I realized that you need to go about 2" past the mark with the bitter ends or you will end up short. It had been a little while since I had tied this style. This is the easiest 2 hook rig to tie. good when the bite is on and you need to get something in the water. Here are some pics:

 

[Dave B.]

That's a good knot. I've done something similar to that - we call it the Gus knot, cause only Gus could get it right to where the loop end is how you have it.

Nice pix by the way..!

 

[sinker man]

Like most things it's easy once you get the hang of it. I use a dropper loop on a lot of rigs. You can clip one strand of a dropper loop up by the knot if you want a single strand. From there you can snell 2 hooks in line for fishing cigars etc. I would hesitate to try it but I have heard of people using 2 live baits on a 2 hook rig for big snappers and groupers. I suppose if you have your rigs tied right it would work ok.

 

[Dave B.]

I was fixin to say, that'd be a great setup for red snapper for sure down there in the gulf, especially around rig/big structure fishin

 

[sundrop]

I stink at this....really.... I have gone through 20 ft of line and all I can make is a mess...LOL

 

[LiveBait]

I stink at this....really.... I have gone through 20 ft of line and all I can make is a mess...LOL

Sundrop,

You can use a simple overhand knot that is just as effective for dropper loop bottom rigs, and livebait rigs depending on the line size. I use this method with anything from 30# - 150# leader material and I have never had a problem with it. I have landed some pretty stout Amberjacks with these rigs. Below is a link to good instructions on tying dropper loop rigs with a simple overhand knot.

Fishing The Carolina Coast - About The Knots: - How To Tie Bottom Riggs

 

[sinker man]

Live Bait, that is pretty funny. It is the same knot. Used a little differently granted but the same knot. If I am not in a rush, I make my light rigs with a dropper loop. If I want a single line I just clip one end. As for using doubled 200 lb mono... I don't think Sundrop would fair to good when he went to the pier LOL
Sundrop, stretch you out another 20 ft It is the easiest knot in the fishing world. Don't let something so simple whip you. That knot is very useful. You can even make your own speck rigs using it. Tie a loop one foot out from the end and attach jigs to both ends. You can even tie the jigs on first and put you a quick loop in so that your jigs will be on uneven length drops. Use the same method to put a hook on top and a jig on bottom for flounder. The same can be done with two hooks for use carolina rig style. The latter rig allows the sheepshead to steal your baits twice as fast.

 

[sundrop]

I'm not giving up! I just won't get my Eagle badge...LOL

 

[sinker man]

Maybe I should try to explain the knot a little better. This is the right handed person's version. Left handed people just tie the same way using the opposite hands. 1. With your left hand grasp the doubled line right behind where you want the knot to be. 2. with your right hand bring the end of the loop in a circle back toward your body and cross under the double line in your right hand. 3. grasp the strands where they cross with your left thumb and fore finnger. 4. with your right hand wrap your original loop over the line you just crossed 2 times (wrapping away from your left hand toward the right end of the newly formed loop). 5. lubricate and cinch it up using both hands to keep it pulling up even if necessary. With just a little practice you can position and size your loops with greater accuracy. Pics coming.

 

[LiveBait]

I agree sinker man. Just a similar variation. I use it for just about all of my rigs. I have been known to put up to 4 loops on one rig. That is great fun when the B-Liners are thick and you hook 2-3 at the time, or blues in the surf. I don't use anything heavier than 150# and that is only for grouper, cobia, amberjack, etc. For smaller inshore stuff I mostly use 30#-50# and have used as small as 15#.
200#+ would be hard to work with.

 

[sinker man]

Pics added. Sorry for the delay. The camera batteries died and I had to recharge them.

 

[sundrop]

oK I GOT IT !!!!! Tackle monkey lost a little ground on me today!!! I figured it out. So now I am plowing through my bulk tackle packs and making rigs, wrapping them on pieces of milk carton and bagging them up !! I have used various lengths of spread between hooks and now I wanna get fancy and add some glow-beads... Now I need to find a good source for lead and start making sinkers !!!!

 

[sinker man]

Bo, you need any wire to make your own hooks? GMBO

 

[sundrop]

Bo, you need any wire to make your own hooks? GMBO

I'll just keep heating and bending safety pins, like always....

 

[LiveBait]

I'll just keep heating and bending safety pins, like always....

Somehow I almost believe it.....................LOL!