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| It took no time at all to make about 20 snaggers with this Do-It Snag mold. Snaggers are suddenly difficult to find and are expensive. |
Nearly all the great striper fishing in Narragansett Bay this year has been on bait. That bait has been menhaden or adult pogies. Whether you use them live, dead or chunked, the key to success is getting the bait first. And, that usually involves snagging pogies.
There has been such a big number of fishermen going after this bait that snaggers are difficult to find in most tackle shops. Call it a snagger shortage! And, if you can find them, the price is high, usually about three bucks a snagger. Well, like everything else, these are going up in price also. With the big numbers of bluefish hanging around those schools of menhaden, you could lose 4 or 5 snaggers an outing due to cut-offs when a bait is snagged. I was not worried about the cost, but finding replacements for the lost snaggers was getting to be a problem.
I decided I was going to make my own rather than drive around looking for them. I bought a Do-It Snag Mold from Barlow's Tackle online. This mold makes 1 1/2 ounce snaggers (ideal weight) and takes an 8/0 treble hook (mustad 3551). I bought the hooks from Barlows also. Note that I bought bronze hooks (all they had). The tinned version would be better, but they are nowhere to be found. Maybe a shortage here also?
In no time, I made about 20 snaggers, good to hold me for a while. More importantly, I've got a supply of snaggers when I need them in the future.
