Before the November ice makes fishing from your boat’s deck a problem you may want to consider heading out for a day of bass fishing with a three way rig. These rigs can help you catch huge bass (over sixty pounds) in broad daylight or at night. Standard bait found all over New England such as porgy, hickory shad, cup and eels can help you land a striped bass that could wind up being more than forty inches. Just think of the great tales you’ll have to tell your friends and family. The East coast is rich in big stripers and the methods and tackle to land them are numerous.

Just think – the biggest challenge facing you fishing in this area is where the fish are housed. Bass fishing is so simple that with a few pointers, your grandmother if she’s got enough strength could land a huge fish! A seventy-six pound bass was recorded in Montauk Point, caught by Captain Rob Rochetta. This was one of the heaviest bass ever landed and was as a result of the use of a three-way rig. In New Jersey, a record breaking striper was landed by Al McReynolds at a jetty. This striper weighed in at a staggering seventy eight lbs and also was landed with a 3-way rig. Valiant Rock, Sugar Reef, Plum Gut and the Sluiceway all boast catches between 55 and 70 lbs and each time a three way rig has been the choice of the fishermen who claim these prizes.

Even if it sounds a bit complex, a three way rig isn’t difficult to assemble. It’s merely a three-way swivel to get started, a leader, your main line and a dropper loop. The dropper loop is just what it sounds like – attach a sinker to this loop and it allows the running tide to create a bouncing motion. Your sinker will depend on the area you’re fishing — you may need a sinker as heavy as twenty ounces or as little as four ounces. Your second line should always be a fluorocarbon line leader that is between four and five feet in length. Balancing out your line is critical, combining strength and stealth can be a bit tricky but if you use a fifty pound fluorocarbon you will find that it works great especially if the water is very clear and the day is bright. Maintain the proper balance between strong and stealthy by using the right weight line for the weather conditions.

The measure of the leader is questionable, since some use heavier line when they fish around hazards, like lobster pots. Some prefer 50 lb., as it is a good balance between sneaky and strong. There are days of clear water that make the bass line-shy, and on days like that some use 30 lb fluoro. Terminal tackle is pricey now, and between Seaguar Fluorocarbon, Spro Swivels and Gamakatsu hooks, your rig can get rather expensive. A successful means of avoiding losing countless rigs to the bottom is to employ a lighter line for your dropper loop than the leader. This way, if you get caught, you can snap the dropper loop, losing just your sinker, and still reclaim the rig and your bait. For instance, if your main line is 55, your leader is 50, and that makes your dropper loop around 30 lb.

Choosing your lines for each part of your rig helps ensure the success of the rig. If you use a braided line (best choice) for your main line you will find that the smaller diameter allows you a lot of options. This line is great for keeping within the strike zone – you can’t catch fish if your bait isn’t in the strike zone. When compared to monofilament line, the lower stretch capacity of braided line allows you to feel exactly where you are (in terms of the surface you are on). You can easily identify sandy bottoms, rocky bottoms or even a mussel bed which of course will allow you to determine exactly what you need to do to get your hooks set into your catch. While Fireline, Stren and Power Pro all make an effective braided line, Daiwa is way ahead of their competition. Their braided line is comprised of eight strands versus the four offered by others. An added bonus is that while most complain that braided line lacks that “broken in feel”, Daiwa offers a premier, smooth line that is limp and easy to use.

Striper fishing with live bait can be an extremely fun adventure. To make it more enjoyable, you should make sure you have the right type of reels. Some of Daiwa's most popular reels include: Daiwa Saltiga 30T, Seaborg SB300FB, and Daiwa Viento.