When buildibg squid or cedar plug daisy chains, do you put them inline or on short laterals off to the side? How much distance between each? How much weight on the squid? Thanks. Appreciate your input.

I am not exactly sure what you mean by "laterals" . But this is what we do;

Cedar Plug Dasiy Chain --Cut your leader to length desired and rig last cedar plug as a stinger with 9/0 hook. Slide down a single sleeve crimp on the leader and crimp it so the 2nd cedar plug is about a foot ahead of the stinger, continue stringing crimps and cedar plugs up the leader. We use four plugs and a stinger.

Spreader Bar -- depends on if you want to rig for light weather or heavy weather. We do some of each.

Light weather --with titanum bar We use 200 lb test line and space 9' squid in the color and pattern desired. Slide a spadefish cork bobber in the squid and use a large bead and single crimp to hold for spacing.The action is far better with no weight at all. Keep the bar slightly out of the water and squid will run like snakes. I use 14 squid per bar

Heavy weather - same except substitute an egg sinker instead of the cork. This thing will be very heavy, so good outrigger clips are required if running in the long or short position.

Just a note -- we hate fishing spreader bars with stingers because they are a such hassel to handle the fish with, but the bars make incrediblely good teasers. We run four of them at a time in our tuna spread -- then put baits all around them. You will be surprised how many multiple hook-ups this yields. We have tuna strike the teaser bar all the time -- some times two at once and then drop off and hit a ballyhoo swimming next to the bar. Be prepared to repair the bar as sometimes tuna will not let go of the squid and if the drag on the teaser reel is tight they will break the line and steal the squid. Fun to watch.

Probably more info than you wanted but hope it helps.

Marlin maniac is the man you want to talk to. He is the jedi master !!!

George is busy meditating before our tuna expedition Saturday. His Jedi stregth is being reserved for Roll Tide.

Eric

Let me rephrase the question. I have seen daisy chains with all the lures spaced apart on one piece of leader, in-line if you will. I've seen other daisy chains with an 8" piece of leader crimped onto the main line for each cedar plug. Each lure is on a short piece of leader off the main line. I was wondering the advantages or disadvantages of each. Thanks. Also asking about recommended spacing between each squid or cedar plug.

As I recall it is better to rig it with a short piece of leader 8" or so.. That will help it look like it is swimming independant of the other plugs. I think it is better to
use a double barrel crimp such that the leader off of the main line starts off in the direction of the boat then does a 180 turn so it will seperate slightly from the main line. So of the 8" of leader the 1st inch will face towards the boat then it does a 180 degree turn and the remaining 7 inches faces away from the boat. If that makes sense.

Tom

The Plugs cannot work their dance without being on each their own line. Squid chains and bird chains, those can be inline.

Now how far apart and how far back the hook bait, that I just guesstimate each time.

Eric

I don't know if I can possibly live up to such a complement from Captain Fatbeard himself, but I'll try. You're on the right track. The swimming daisy chain of cedar plugs can be a huge fish attractor, especially tuna. You use double barrel crimps about every 2 feet, with the leader drops for the plugs running back up toward the rod tip. You may have to experiment with drop length because it varies with the size/weight cedar plugs. The last plug is attached to the main line, is a different color and has the hook. When it's rigged correctly, the plugs dart side to side real quick and it almost looks like a swarm of angry bees. I've had real good luck with red/white plugs followed by a dolphin color with the hook. Now the in line chains are different. I don't use them with cedar plugs because the have no action or splash. I'm more likely to rig squids in that configuration because they splash as they move through the water. Hope this helps. Tight lines and may the Force be with you.

George's recipe for the Cedar Plug chain presented at the Meet and Greet this Spring is the ticket! The individual "droppers" for each of the cedar plugs are about 9-12" long and crimped off the main line facing forward. That way when the lure is pulled there is a natural arc formed off the main line for each plug and gets them working as they are pulled. The 'stinger plug is the last, crimped on the main line and is set back 12-18 inches from the last of the 3 danglers. That makes it look like a stragler in the group. We have pulled these and raised fish each time! Good luck, and thanks George for the inspiration!!!
Tight lines.
Dave

Thanks one and all. That is the info I was looking for.