Pirks

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paulocallaghan · #1 Post by **paulocallaghan** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:02 am

what do you think are the best pirks on the market, either available in ireland or mail order for jigging for the usual cod, pollack and coalies, im new to the world of pirking so trying to get a decent set up,

thanks
Paul

#2 Post by **donal** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:34 am

i dont know what the best are but the cheaper the better as the are esally lost for eg. ilost 4 on my last boat trip luckly i make them myself

Fri May 18, 2007 12:41 pm

Ebay is usually good for those types of things.

If you look for Causeway tackle from Portrush/Bushmills he sells lead moulds for small sandeel types pirks etc and is not hard to pay either. 8) :lol:

I know people who used to use chrome pram handles cut to different lengths filled with lead for pirks. :shock:

Steve

#4 Post by **rapalajoe** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:14 pm

How bout a diffrent style and action of jig thats not available arround??
[url]http://www.plat.co.jp/english/lure/top.htm[/url]
Nice and proven deadly,not sure for the local species.I ve read somewhere that some brits angler have successfully using them for big cod and pollack.Use with fine braid to cut thru current,and a single assist hook for a better hook up and reduce the chance of hooking a snag.

#5 Post by **kieran** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:23 pm

chromed tube

select diameter

cut (on the diagonal) to size, drill holes for rings to take swivel (top) - etra hole if option of assist hook - and lure saver rings bottom for hook, ideally not a treble. Plug one end with a wood block and fill with molten lead - I heard of someone filling them with small stones with blue tac on either end - fine if fishing off a boat, i.e. no casting.

Simple, effective, and available in a multitude of sizes!

FWIW

#6 Post by **donal domeney** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:57 pm

If you plan to buy cheap change the hooks. Used cheap perks earlier this year had no problem with catching fish but the hooks kept snapping while retrieving the fish. Buyer beware.

Mr_Green · #7 Post by **Mr_Green** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:09 pm

are pirks an effective way to catcxh fish in competitions, by obviuosly changing the treble.. but to have that as a weight instead of a hook, would it be worth a try?

#8 Post by **donal domeney** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:30 pm

At this stage the word pirk can be define in two different ways.
1. The pirk that is shaped like a fish and comes in different colours and sizes and is fitted with a treble hook. These are best used in water deeper than 100ft, on their own they will catch cod and pollack while baited the can be a killer for ling.
2. The pirk as defined by a Corkman, been a piece of chrome bar usealy about 4" long and 3/4" diam and filled with lead. This is usualy fitted with a 8/0 hook attached and baited with mackeral and used to catch conger often seen attached to a 50lb. class rod and penn6/0 reel loaded with 80lb. dacron. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Some will never learn

jw · #9 Post by jw » Sat May 19, 2007 8:19 am

pirks have a number of disadvantages. If its made from stones it is not much denser than water and will not sink well. Even the manufactured metal ones sink much worse than a lead of the equivalent weight and are harder to get to the bottom and keep there in deep water.

A lead pirk is still worse than a lead with a muppet, jellyworm of shad above it because you can attach the lead with a rotten bottom. Pirks have caught a good few cod and ling for me, but i'm not sure they are better than a lead with a plastic lure above it.

Rockhopper · #10 Post by **Rockhopper** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:26 am

I agree with Kieran....self made chrome tube is the way to go, if the bottom structure is snaggy and holding fish, then your going to loss a lot of gear.

Years ago I went on a wrecking trip about 40 miles offshore into the North Sea with my son who was about 12 yrs old then (now 31 yrs) we were next to this guy who had these funny looking pirks, he called them "murderers" I remember saying to my son "keep out of his way, he's a Muppet" these things were round lead bars (about 8" Long X 1/2" Diameter) with a hole drilled through the top and a heavy mono loop to attach it to the main line....they had another set of holes drilled through about 1" up from the bottom and another drilled about 6" above...these 2 sets of holes had heavy mono (about 300lb) going through with a 6/0 hook on either end, beads and a knot in the mono stopped it from jamming in the hole.....so you have mono going through the bar at the bottom and the same higher showing 4 single hooks in total.....they looked naff........when we arrived over the wreck and made the first drop, this guy was the first into fish....2 or 3 on his first drop, same on his second and again and again.....more than anybody else on the boat....he gave me and my son one each and since that day they have always been my first choice for wreck fishing.....very easy to make your own mold too....all you need is a couple of drill bits....one about 12mm and one about 15mm and two blocks of aluminum about 12mm X 50mm X 240mm.

BTW....the hooks are fished without any bait or muppets.....and they do catch fish easy.

Edit...I have just added a drawing...hope ip has uploaded 8)

Tom.

Rockhopper · #11 Post by **Rockhopper** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:21 am

Drawing that wouldnt upload into my edit.... was to big....hope this one works

I've drawn the knots on the wrong side of the beads :lol: :lol:

Tom.

#12 Post by **mickeyfish** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:48 am

a fantastic drawing

Rockhopper · #13 Post by **Rockhopper** » Sat May 19, 2007 12:36 pm

Thanks Mickey.....here is an older (hand) drawing, I couldnt find it before, it shows a bit more on how to make the thing....

Sat May 19, 2007 2:12 pm

Something similar to a copper lure I was given recently......You use the narrow copper tubing that is used to take oil from your oil tank to you boiler. It's only 5 or 6mm thick. You cut 6 or 8 pieces to the length you want to use with a hacksaw and clamp them into a vice with a piece of wood at the bottom to stop the lead escaping. Fill each piece of tubing slowly to the top and let it cool. Then hammer each piece of tubing until approx 2 - 3 mm thick. Round the ends over with a file... Drill a hole each end to take a split ring. At approx 1 inch from each end slightly kink the lure in opposite directions... to give the lure some movement... in the holes then attach a swivel at 1 end and a treble/single hook at the other end. You then have a cracking lure that casts well and can goes for miles, is as cheap as chips to make so if you loose one it's not a fortune of money and are really effective for sea trout, pollock, bass etc....Another tip is when hammering your lure flat and when you get it close to the diameter you want, use the edge of your hammer, it gives the lure a scaley look to it. If you know any plumbers you can usually get there off cuts for nout which is even better! :wink:
8) :D

Steve

#15 Post by **rapalajoe** » Sat May 19, 2007 2:24 pm

Just wonder....how do u fish it?? How bout their action???Jig slow/fast??Never see such thing.I think the total idea is diff from the modern jig that mostly design for an action when drop down (fluttering fall) and dart when jig up in the fast pace,whc is mostly evolve around the shape design of the jig and accurately place weight to produce a diffrent action when drop and jig up.

jw · #16 Post by jw » Sat May 19, 2007 6:47 pm

Rockhopper wrote:, this guy was the first into fish....2 or 3 on his first drop, same on his second and again and again.....more than anybody else on the boat....
Tom.

Tom,

I'm not sure I understand, three cod every drop on just one eight inch pirk?

jw

Mad Mo · #17 Post by **Mad Mo** » Sat May 19, 2007 7:09 pm

Tom,

Correct me if i'm wrong but they were called rippers, and are still used today on the wrecks off the North East.

Some info:

http://www.castandcatch.com/forum/viewt ... fff313ec25

Rockhopper · #18 Post by **Rockhopper** » Sat May 19, 2007 7:42 pm

Mo,

The "Rippers" were made of chrome tube with a large treble hook at the bottom, mostly home made....they would flaten one end, pour the lead in to just below the top and then flaten that too.....drill a hole either end, then insert a small split-ring....off you go.

A point Rapala Joe asked about...the action of these things.....the one thing most people would want, is for them to sink very fast...the reason being....some of those wrecks were in very deep water, with current and wind against you, once the skipper shouted "let them drop now!" you wanted to get down as quick as possible while over the wreck, to slow and you could miss it all together as the boat drifted away.

JW....I have had 4 double figure Cod on those things lots of times, 2 and 3 is normal, in fact, I stopped putting the top 2 hooks on and just using the bottom 2, to make it more sporting....a comment made by lots of guys who tried them and got 3 or 4 on at one time was....how easy the big Cod would come up....place the point of the gaff through the loop at the top and lift the whole lot onboard.

Tom.

#19 Post by **donal** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:21 pm

just wondering is there any thing i could put between the threebal hook and my pirk sothat it breaks before the line eg. a small pice of 30lbs line or is there somthing better for the job

#20 Post by **thebigman** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:48 pm

donal wrote:just wondering is there any thing i could put between the threebal hook and my pirk sothat it breaks before the line eg. a small pice of 30lbs line or is there somthing better for the job

Try some of the small cable ties, they break around 20lb.

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