Lately I’ve had a lot of fish swallow the hook when fishing live or cut bait. I’m using 2/0 light wire Owner circle hooks so I don’t see what’s going wrong. Should I use a larger size or change hook styles???
17’ Mako
Take a close look at the hooks. I’ve had some that were slightly offset and were horrible about gut hooking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIGrwso0F1s
Boat drinks, Waitress I need 2 more boat drinks!
Me too. Might try a different brand of circles.
quote:
Originally posted by Too BusyTake a close look at the hooks. I’ve had some that were slightly offset and were horrible about gut hooking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIGrwso0F1s
Boat drinks, Waitress I need 2 more boat drinks!
Thanks for the help!!! I checked the ones I’ve been using and they are certainly offset… I will have to bend them and get new ones next time.
17’ Mako
Shorter leader, fixed weight, tight line. Look at it this way…take the average length of the fish you catch, in inches, make leader length one third of that with a 6" max. Non offset circle.
I use OFFSET J-HOOKS 99% of the time and almost never gut/gill hook fish with a 4" leader.
quote:
Originally posted by dparker677Shorter leader, fixed weight, tight line.
And too much belly or slack in your line. Tighten up and you’ll virtually eliminate gut hooking
I’ve used them quite a bit and those Owner Lite Circle hooks come in both offset and inline versions. The inline hooks will say “Tournament Approved”, or something like that on the package.
Those hooks always seemed to me to be more of a hybrid than a true “circle hook”. Besides the other suggestions, you may want to try more of a true circle hook like a Gamakatsu Octopus circle.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
quote:
Originally posted by dparker677take the average length of the fish you catch, in inches, make leader length one third of that with a 6" max.
I tried this and got a “divide by 0 error” on my calculator…
jk
good advice here!
quote:
Originally posted by Hoppyquote:
Originally posted by dparker677Shorter leader, fixed weight, tight line.
And too much belly or slack in your line. Tighten up and you’ll virtually eliminate gut hooking
X2
I feel, and good portion of gut hooked fish are caused by people not paying attention. Like fishing with too many rods. People seem to get distracted easily when on the water. And Stop using rod holders and feel the bite.
I posed this question a couple years ago, and one tip I was given was to use loop knots when fishing a Carolina rig. I saw an immediate change.
quote:
Originally posted by dparker677Shorter leader, fixed weight, tight line. Look at it this way…take the average length of the fish you catch, in inches, make leader length one third of that with a 6" max. Non offset circle.
I use OFFSET J-HOOKS 99% of the time and almost never gut/gill hook fish with a 4" leader.
So just to be clear, the longest leader I should ever tie under the swivel on a Carolina rig is 6"?
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”
quote:
Originally posted by Black BartSo just to be clear, the longest leader I should ever tie under the swivel on a Carolina rig is 6"?
How long does it need to be if you’re trying to keep bait on the bottom? The set-up I use for big Reds has only about a 4" leader. They don’t seem to mind the rest of the rig smacking them in the face when they try to swallow it.
Back before I got over my Largemouth Bass addiction…well almost over 
, I would use a carolina rig for dragging plastic worms in deep water. Sometimes the leader would be up to 36". I just see a need for long leaders in saltwater targeting bottom feeding Drum.
IMO