Regulations between states vary, but according to guide Dan Utley, South Carolina anglers have taken the lead from the North Carolina requirement when fishing for bull redfish in the inlets around Hilton Head.
“A lot of people use the Lupton Rig, where you use a very short leader and the hook is going to be the biggest circle hook you can get ahold of. The idea being around the slacker tide water, that the fish are going to take the bait and the sinker’s going to bump him in the nose and he’s not going to swallow the hook and get gut hooked,” said Utley
In order to make the Lupton Rig, which was designed by Capt. Owen Lupton and is required in some North Carolina waters from July 1-Sept. 30, you’ll need a 2- or 3-ounce egg or flat, no-roll sinker, an 8/0 to 14/0 circle hook, 8 mm beads, 80- to 100-pound monofilament leader material, a 90- to 100-pound barrel swivel, and a No. 1.0 barrel crimp.
• Snell your circle hook with the leader material, making sure to leave enough line to make the test of your rig.
• Add the crimp, then add a bead between the crimp and the tag end of the line. Thread the weight on to the line. Add another bead, then thread one end of the barrel swivel onto the line.
• Thread the tag end of your leader back through the bead, sinker, bead and crimp. Pull everything tight and make sure the distance between the sinker and hook is less than 6 inches.
• Squeeze the crimp flat using pliers or a crimping tool.
• Squeeze the barb of the circle hook flat. That’s a North Carolina requirement.
“If you can get fresh mullet, that’s good,” Utley said. “Even wide, small fish like pinfish, croaker, grunts; that’s good stuff too. You can use them either dead or alive with this rig and it’s it’s a lot easier on the redfish.
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