I have been traveling the last couple of weeks but am back home now. Ready to start my buff quest again. Read on this forum, I think, that you can fish with range cubes. Please share how this is done. Mostly they break on me when I try to drill a hole large enough for the hook, the one or two I did get drilled, seemd to completely overpower my # 6 hook. Couldn't see the hook under the cube. Being a rookie isn't for sissies.

Thanks

Mike

you need to use the hair rig to use range cubes. make a hair about a inch to 2 inches, drill a 1/16 hole in the cube, then use a baiting needle to thread the hair thru the hole, then put a small bead or a piece of maize on the bottom of the cube, with a bait stop.

here is a video on how to make the knotless know aka hair rig.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqtfW9ucHkE

What he said. It wont work without a hair rig. A 1" cube should do OK, but you dont have to use cubes. A hair rig on the other hand is almost a necessity the way that buffs bite.

Thanks Chris. I will pratice these rigs this afternoon, and try them this weekend.

Mike...I am in the same frame of mind. I have not caught a buff yet but am trying everything I can to get me one. I changed all my rigs and tackle just to try a go at one those awesome fish.

in my experience if u make the dough bait right and you just use it weightless and slack lines and when they bite they messs with it for a minute then it will take off like a carp does i have caught many buffs doing this the way 2fish4everything taught me

Thanks again for all the help. I am going to go to the lewisville barge tonight and fishing strictly for buffalo. Planning on using the information/tips that have been posted here. Say hello if you see me, I will be the old guy in a blue unform shirt with my name on it.

Mike

Just found out I am not going to make it out tonight. Something came up. Will try again tomorrow evening.

Mike

The Original Range Cube on a Hair always needs to be credited to Paul Swider.

If you're crazy, you can do it like me:


I typically use a smaller cube with a piece of Maize (real or fake) to hold it on.

Some guys use longer hairs (kinda like the one in the picture), and drill the cube long-ways through the ends. Mess with a bunch of them in different sizes, hair lengths, and peripherals (types/sizes of corn, etc.), and see what works for you. I really suggest getting a bag of cubes and sitting down for an hour or so one day and just drill out a Wal Mart bag full of them so that they are ready to go for your session.

Chad

Been working on hair rigs. Now I have another question. What do you put in the small loop, after you have the bait on, to keep the bait from sliding back off? I am using broken pcs of toothpick, which seem to work. Any drawback to rigging them like that?

Thanks

Toothpicks are fine for holding your bait on the hair. All the carp tackle sites have bait plastic bait stops you can buy for about a buck. I prefer the barbell shaped ones.

you can use anything really, piece of a tooth pick, grass, stick, anything. most use those little straps you get with a fire extinguisher.

i use these. http://www.bigcarptackle.com/store/product.php?productid=18244&cat=396&page=1

you can find those at shipping stores i think cheap

Thanks Chris. We have something very similar at work. I am going to grab a hand full of them. Hope to try the lake on Luna road this week. Should be buffallo there.

Fished for buffalo at the Lewisville barge carp well on Sunday morning. Used several of the dough bait recipes you guys have shared with me. Had some bites, caught a few channel cats on worms, but still haven't managed to hook/catch a buff. It is frustrating, but I do enjoy fishing at the barge and the visiting with other fisherman. I feel like I am doing the right things, except for not paying as much attention to my lines as I should. Today I am going to pratice tying a hair rig with a range cube, until I am comfortable rigging it up. Thinking of making several in advance and taking them along. Won't have to spend time re-rigging when I do catch one. I was right across the well from Cody, that posted in the catfish section, and watched him and his dad put together a nice stringer of channel cats. Enjoyed visiting with them.

what size hook are you using? iv had good results up there going to a smaller hook then a size 6. remember to set the hook on every twitch, your gonna miss more then you hook up, but sometimes them buffs bite like a perch then again they will tap it and then sit on the bait.

Chris, once again thanks for your input. I have been using a #6 hook, but will go down a size. Sometime I see the pecks, but am uncertain if it really is a bite. Won't hesitate in the future. Guess if I thought about it, most likely my dough bait isn't moving on it's on. Do you set the hook with a jerk, or a sweeping motion?

Thanks

i would set the hook like im trying to rip its lips off, fast and straight up, sometimes slapping the roof there haha!! have you tried to balance the rod on the rail yet? once you get it to where the weight is on the bottom but the rod is balanced with the line kinda tight, you will see every bite, movement that happens. be sure to tie a string to the rail and to your rod, just in case it slips or goes over you wont lose it.

Chris, I have learned to balance my rods. I am using a bait slightly smaller than a ping pong ball. To large? Heck with pratcing my hair rigs, I am going to make more bait and head back out there in a few minutes.

Thanks

I am heading out the door for the fishing barge. If I catch one, I will post a picture.

Mike

i would use a ball no bigger then a marble or skittle.

Mike just landed that buff that's been tormenting him. Had the pleasure of sitting across the well from him when it happened. He had just said he has been getting frustrated about not landing one, then not a minute later he did. Congrats mike it wasnt a monster, but you'll get a bigger one soon I'm sure.

good stuff mike WTG!

Awesome job man I also have yet to catch me a buff...what did you end up catching him with?

Congrats on your 1st buff Mike. Now you need to head to the cliffs and catch a big one.