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Set ‘Em and Forget ‘Em
Northland Fishing Tackle’s Predator Rigs™ seal the deal on water wolves and more
Whether you’re fishing a deadstick, tip-up or rattle reel, the right rig is paramount. That’s where Northland Predator Rigs™ enter the running by eliminating line frays and prevent bite-offs. They’re seven inches of no-nonsense leader, pre-rigged for convenience with the right components, whether you’re fishing for savage strikers or spooky biters.
“Quick Strike Predator Rigs are key pieces of my ice fishing tackle,” says Team Northland® pro staffer Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson, a hardcore ice angler who plies the wilds of Canada for massive northern pike, elusive walleyes, hard-fighting lake trout and other species. “When you’re out in frigid temperatures, howling winds and blinding snow, hopping from hole to hole to locate fish, you can’t afford to mess around trying to tie up component rigs with cold, numb fingers. I just grab the right Predator Rig for the situation and I’m ready to catch fish.”
Single Wire Predator Rigs are constructed from Blood Red, 36-pound-test Stainless Steel Leader to withstand the sharp, slicing teeth of big pike and muskies. Each has a 90-pound-test, #5 Crane Swivel and heavy-duty leader sleeves to withstand shock and abuse, and faceted red beads for added attraction. They’re ideal for fishing large live or dead baits, suspended beneath either a tip-up or a float. Just nip your minnow lightly below the dorsal fin with one tine of the razor-sharp treble hook, and you’re all set.
Fluorocarbon Predator Rigs are made from 15-pound test Bionic® Fluorocarbon Leader, providing a clear option for fussy fish like walleyes. They feature a 30-pound-test, #10 Crane Swivel, plus a Super Glo® soft plastic attractor bead just above the premium treble to help focus the strike at the bait. Fluorocarbon Predator Rigs are lethal for fishing below tip-ups, floats and rattle reel setups.
Two-hooked for added big fish hooking potential, all Quick Strike Predator Rigs feature alluring Baitfish-Image® Attractor Blades to draw fish in for the strike. And, should you opt to add a second treble hook to the setup, the blades ensure they are legal for use in states and provinces where multi-hook quick strike rigs are not allowed.
Northland pro staffer Brian “Bro” Brosdahl is a big fan of Predator Rigs for his big fish forays. “Predator Rigs are a smart idea for people who are tired of missing fish. A Quick Strike Predator Rig or Mini Predator Rig is a two-hook system that branches out so you can put a treble hook in the tail and a treble hook in the nose of the minnow. So, whether it’s a pike or a big walleye, when you go over to a deadstick or a tip-up you can immediately set the hook. The nice thing about setting the hook right away is you don’t have to worry about the hook being swallowed, especially if you’re on a slot lake where medium walleyes have to be released.”
Bro adds: “Also, with pike, you want to hook them in the corner of the mouth and the Quick Strike Predator Rig or Mini Predator Rig is just a great way to do it. You’re not going to miss as many fish and it’s a quick hookset without any drops. Sometimes even the biggest pike will swim and drop the bait. With the Quick Strike Predator Rig or Mini Predator Rig, when a pike runs with it, you just lift the tip up, set the hook, and you got ‘em.
Northland’s Mini Predator Rig™
Like it’s big brother, the Mini Predator Rig is insurance for proper hooksets in the world of tip-ups, deadsticks and rattle reels but, designed in a more diminutive format for all species of neutral or fussy fish, including monster panfish.
Mini Predator Rigs are available in 36-lb Surflon Stainless Steel Wire and 15lb mono in the following combinations: 1/8-ounce Weighted Mono, 1/8 ounce Weighted Wire, Unweighted Mono and Unweighted Wire. Available in Glo White and Glo Red, there are three hook sizes (#12, #10, #8) for a total of 18 different fish-catching options.
Each pack contains (1) Weighted Mini Predator Rig or (2) Unweighted Mini Predator Rigs per card.
Bro remarks: “The Mini Predator Rig is great for small suckers, shiners, even large fatheads or rainbows. This will sting even the sneakiest perch that’s trying to steal your minnow when you’re walleye fishing. There are a couple extra hooks without all the hardware and it comes with a little sinker on the top. Where the two hooks branch out there’s a sinker in fish-attracting colors. The Mini a smaller quick-set version of the larger Predator Rig and perfect for walleye, perch and mongo panfish. It has a sticky-sharp hooks and has really become a go-to for me, especially when I’m deadsticking.”