Hook type and fish
Submitted by br3nno on Wed, 2022-01-05 12:42
Hi All,
Was wondering what everyone's go to hooks are?
Specifically bait fishing.
Personally I keep it simple... (Varying sizes)
Long shanks = whiting, herring, garfish, skippy etc
Mustad big gun = demersals and other large fish
Gang hooks = tailor, surf fishing, drift bait
So what does everyone use?
How much does it matter? Is there a one type fits all?
____________________________________________________________________________
BC
sunshine
Posts: 2600
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Amazed no mention of circles
Particularly when bottom bashing, sound side of mouth hook up making hook removal easy and avoids gut / gill hooking
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Circles
I am from old school. cannot catch a thing on circles. The impulse is there to automaticly bury the hook the moment something grabs the bait, can't resist it. I know you must let them hook themselves but it doesn't happen. Take the circles off and put tarpons on and hook up every time.
sea-kem
Posts: 14972
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I'm with Carnarvonite,
I'm with Carnarvonite, Tarpons all the way especially up north. But I do mix up with Hoodlums on my bottom hooks down here for Baldies.
Love the West!
BlueKiaser
Posts: 422
Date Joined: 22/04/15
My choices
Whiting - smaller the hook the better. Recent years I have been using small sized sabiki rigs with small baits (slithers of edible squid tube).
Herring/Skippy - standard J-hook, but find the more timid herring like a light weighted lead head with a minnow sized soft plastic (sinks quicker).
Long shanks when likely to catch and release = eg. Bream.
Large Circle hooks (eg. 10/0 preferably with one large fillet hanging) for Dhuies or when fishing up north where fish are more abundant.
Smaller 5/0s snapper style hooks (eg. big guns) snelled for Snapper and Baldies.
Ganged hooks with a treble on the end for Tailor.
And (sorry for going off-topic) for jigging - I look for solid assist hooks because I typically fish heavier mainline and leader than most and have lost too many good fish from assist hooks straightening.
I also often run 2 pairs of assist hooks on the top of the jig ... better hook ups without snagging on the reef (which is more common with assists on the bottom of jig).
I don't use them, but I have seen plenty of people have success with the smaller mustad Tainawa circle hooks.
They can catch all sized demersals. King George up to large Dhuies.
davewillo
Posts: 2400
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Have caught sailfish on
Have caught sailfish on circles but never demersals. It's amazing the tiny circles they use for sails off Broome!
I used to use long shanks for whiting until the late Doug Clegg showed me his KG rig using Shiners or big gap hooks and that converted me.
Ganged tarpons for mulies etc.
Big gun/Live bait hooks for livies up north.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Brock O
Posts: 3224
Date Joined: 11/01/08
I changed to Circles a few
I changed to Circles a few years back now...all I use, except for small butter species then its the small long shank
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
Hooks 101
If ya wanna set the hook on the bite, any J hook is good.
If you're a lazy bugger and wanna feed the fish a bait or unattended (hope ya get sprung ya crook dog hahaha) then go an offset circle.
Most amateurs forget to consider the hook wire gauge which is just as important as hook type. IF YA FISHIN HEAVY DRAG DON'T USE A THIN WIRE HOOK THAT'S GONNA TEAR A WHOLE THE SIZE OF YA MUMS IN THE FISHES GOB!!! The hook will fall out like ya dad used to hahaha.
Sounds like common sense but so many noobs go too hard with stiff gear and end up rippin a big gash in the lips. All over after that.
Cheers
Rod
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
wagyl
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 08/03/09
I'm an old fart
Tarpons for everything, size 4 for whiting, 6/0 to 7/0 for dhuies and snapps etc
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
KISS at work
The 7766 approach is a much better option than a box with 600 different sizes and styles. Don't remenber ever losing a fish on a bent Tarpon - probably the best allrounder. Just need to touch up the tip occasionally - I need the same from time ta time hahaha.
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
twicther
Posts: 202
Date Joined: 31/12/11
Tianwana 22
Commercial grade circle hooks the pros use. Won't straighten these babies.
Have used them on metre plus ruby snapper in 240 metres of water, didn't straighten 1. Locked drag on 8000 dog fight.
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
Good hook.
Very effective pattern. Once saw a bloke wrap one around the bone on the lower half of his thumb. Fair to say it didn’t come out easy - 3 blokes, 2 pairs of pliers and some bourbon - that was enough proof for me. Always a good laugh when it's someone else
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Tuna circle
Step son was wetling with son on his boat about a minle away when I got the call that he had got a tuna circle in the palm of his hand. They sailed over so I could have a quick look, one glance was enough, doctors on Dunsborough it was. Told them to take another circle hook in with them as doc probably hadn't seen one before.
Took them a couple of hour sailing in and sure enough doctor hadn't seen a circle hook before, after looking at it for 5 mins and working out you can't push it through , it had to be cut out, 4-5 stitches later it was back in the dinghy onto to the wetliner then back out around Naturaliste and back into fishing again
Remember, if someone gets a circle hook in take another the same shape with you to the doctor
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
7766 ?!?!?
7766 ?!?!?
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
"Wetliner"
Google "Mustad 7766"?
Are you actually a wetliner fella?
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
davewillo
Posts: 2400
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Yep they're a great hook
Yep they're a great hook especially for ganging.
PGFC member and lure tragic
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
Chemically sharpened 6/0
Chemically sharpened 6/0 -9/0 offset half circle ( owner my fave) will catch anything demersal and just about most things with a bill.
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
Chemically sharpened 6/0
Chemically sharpened 6/0 -9/0 offset half circle ( owner my fave) will catch anything demersal and just about most things with a bill.
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
Nah , but I've done a bit
Nah , but I've done a bit boy
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
About 10 years , that enough
About 10 years , that enough
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
And the bloke that said
And the bloke that said tianawa 22 is on the money , probably the most effective demersal hook ever made
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
They are a good hook and
They are a good hook and quite cheap as well compared to most out there. Generally I try to use them or circle
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
wetliner
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 15/03/13
And the bloke that said
And the bloke that said tianawa 22 is on the money , probably the most effective demersal hook ever made
cruzy111
Posts: 274
Date Joined: 08/10/13
They are crap now. Ive used
They are crap now. Ive used them forever but now they are shit. The ends of the circle bends and the actual hooks bend. I loved these hooks and thought it may have been a bad batch but i recently tried some fresh ones and first one bent like a banana on a smallish bluebone.
anypuddle
Posts: 597
Date Joined: 22/01/12
7766d. 4/0 tarpons. Landed
Size 1 baithoder straight shank for bream. Mullet fillet bait choped onto 3 baits. with a half hitch. 7766d. 4/0 tarpons used hundreds, easy to open with side cutters and close with fishing pliers. Landed big mullas and sharks on them. 4x 4/ 0s are my go too tailor hook. Touch them up with a file and super sharp. Big gun 6/0 for offshore. About the only thing that handles my personal style of fishing off the boat..
Anywhere anytime
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Tarpon quality
When started using tarpons out of a box of 100 I would expect to snap the eye on 6-7 hooks due to them being so tough but now using same method you can nearly straighten the eye out and close it again without breaking it. Also you wouldn't be able to straight en them out on a fish or snag but now different story as the quality has dropped dramatically
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
I haven't used them for
I haven't used them for years but that's a bit shit if they're softer - although I never had issues with the eye being brittle and snapping?
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
Da pirate
Posts: 1561
Date Joined: 03/05/15
Fishing??
You haven't been fishing in years did
you say brutha stroker ? Cheers primate
davewillo
Posts: 2400
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Are the offset circles
Are the offset circles better at hooking up? I've only used straight circles for catching sailfish.
PGFC member and lure tragic
ElGuapoPelagico
Posts: 20
Date Joined: 15/12/21
thinkings outsiy circel to hok fesh
moss noobs they only think muss let fesh hook him self on ciicrle hok wen the secret is to strike down (not up). thass why you only catch potatoes cod in 4m swell!!! here how:
fesh he nebble bate. wen you feel him nebble bat flick alvey over to free spools and MAK SURE you boat at top of swell lumps. this mak you sinker to pull cirlce hok roun in his mouth until BANG FISH YOU ME NOW!!!
if only you hav 3m swoll then you need stan on gummel or fly brij firs then when he neebils dive in water but muss wehr rope belt and have deck bitsh you trust no like nefew Bryan who tow me from alkimops reck to ocen reef
What do you call a fish with 20 eyes?
A FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH
little johnny
Posts: 5359
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Only new to fishing
But you can not go past gamy big gun circles . ( double snell) always have line from front of hooks for circles . Always have line from back on beak hooks . Only guessing off coarse .
Rod Stroker
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 09/06/18
Stop freebasing
Dood, what you on with the "gamy big gun circles" bro?
Salty old Seadog that needs putting down.
Westy74
Posts: 225
Date Joined: 23/11/13
I will only use owner
I will only use owner circles 7-8/0 snells when drift baiting for snapper. Let the fish take the bait, count to 10 and wind it in. Haven't lost one in two years since making the change
little johnny
Posts: 5359
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Had a few bend westy
I use to only use them also . brilliant hook up rate .i had a few failures on them . Never bent gamy big bait . Gamy octopus bend and snap.
Scotte
Posts: 1145
Date Joined: 07/12/06
I was using them mustad big
I was using them mustad big reds for dhuis I think in 8/0.
Can get 200lb thru the eye twice and they are unbreakable.
They do lose thier sharp edge after a day but can touch them up with a stone or what I do is use them for snapper fishing once they are bit blunt.
little johnny
Posts: 5359
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Not many hooks
Pinks won’t ruin. VMC French hook where bloody good for pinks . Box of hundred cheap as . Haven’t seen them for many years . There x3 trebles good . Very similar to big reds pattern ,style and strength