Been trying to come up with a way to keep bait from hooking themselves without having to use some kind of stop. I like to use circle hooks and they seem to be worst of all. Sometimes I’ll go in the mouth and out in front of the eyes, but that can be a PITA, especially with baits on the small side.
Spent lunch at work today to experiment and I’m thinking this should work? Tightly wrapped some thin wire around the shank, then soldered it in place leaving a bead of solder I’m hoping will stop the bait to slide far enough up the shank to allow the hook to stick back in it.
Bass pro sells bait buttons that are little red rubber disks. Come in a dispenser that makes them really easy to put on the hook. Also saw where Walmart sells little rubber stops to hold earrings on. I have been using the bait buttons for a while and the work great.
Go to Hobby Lobby an look in the bead section, there are lots of things that will work! I have been using there beads for years. Any color, about 250 for $3.00
Tim look up my Facebook page at the live video I did on Tuesday night. I covered this topic. I know you don’t want to use a stop but I use a hole punch and a Pringles lid.
I don’t like the idea of heating up a hook specially at the bend I know you’re not heating it up much to melt the solder but you’re still heating it up and I could see that hook breaking where you heated it on a big fish.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
Chip, I do something similar to what you do when using hooks with a tendency for foul hooking the bait. I was just playing around trying to come up with a way to have something I could do one time up front to the hook and never worry about it again.
I prefer the first method you described, Tim…In the mouth and out in front of the eyes…not perfect, but far fewer foul hooked baits than with hooking through the nose holes…
Team Shad Up & Fish
If you’ve had fun catching fish on the transom bait, you are welcome…
I’ve spent about 85% of my life’s wages on fishing, the rest I just wasted…
I prefer the first method you described, Tim…In the mouth and out in front of the eyes…not perfect, but far fewer foul hooked baits than with hooking through the nose holes…
Team Shad Up & Fish
If you’ve had fun catching fish on the transom bait, you are welcome…
I’ve spent about 85% of my life’s wages on fishing, the rest I just wasted…
Woody, that was always my preferred way as well until I started to have to put my reading glasses on every time to bait them that way. Also, depending apon who’s on the boat, particularly kids, seem to take an awful long time getting the hook in the mouth and half the time come back out too far into the head.
I only tried a couple of hooks like I showed above and seemed to work fine. Will try it on all my hooks next live bait trip.
Might be good to leave a little of the wire sticking out at an angle to act like a barb. I like the idea, something more permanent than the rubber band/pringle lid
Might be good to leave a little of the wire sticking out at an angle to act like a barb. I like the idea, something more permanent than the rubber band/pringle lid
Been trying to come up with a way to keep bait from hooking themselves without having to use some kind of stop. I like to use circle hooks and they seem to be worst of all. Sometimes I’ll go in the mouth and out in front of the eyes, but that can be a PITA, especially with baits on the small side.
Spent lunch at work today to experiment and I’m thinking this should work? Tightly wrapped some thin wire around the shank, then soldered it in place leaving a bead of solder I’m hoping will stop the bait to slide far enough up the shank to allow the hook to stick back in it.
Hoping to do a test run tomorrow evening.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
Bait Buttons do the trick. Also use these for keeping stingers up the hook shaft.
I’ve been using the Bait Buttons on down rods for 2 summers with mixed results. I think it depends a lot on bait size. They seem to work better on smaller baits than bigger ones. The herring I’ve been getting from Ned (Better Baits) have been good sized & they tend to work the buttons up the hook and end up foul hooked. Not much of a problem with the smaller baits. I may try the hot glue trick on a few hooks & see what happens.
On a side note, I guess I lost the remote to my I-pilot in the lake last weekend. I think it slid off my dash/console somewhere between the east side of Jake’s cove and the shallow hump near the swimming area. Just a long shot, but if you find one, there’s a good chance it’s mine. I’ve got a new one ordered (to the tune of $150.00), but it won’t be delivered till sometime between the 27th & Aug 2nd.
I guess it’s drift fishing this Sunday.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Bait buttons are OK, but like Bob said still occasionally slip with bigger baits. Like I said, I’m just playing around with coming up with a one time fix I can do up front and never think about it again.
Going to try something sort of similar to what Tom suggested at lunchtime I think may work well.
Bait buttons are OK, but like Bob said still occasionally slip with bigger baits. Like I said, I’m just playing around with coming up with a one time fix I can do up front and never think about it again.
Going to try something sort of similar to what Tom suggested at lunchtime I think may work well.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
Anyone ever try a drop of superglue to hold a bait button in place?
Sorry about your remote Bob!.. On the hook doctoring, I may be off target, but I would opt for bait buttons, Pringles lid punches, or rubber bands. You could also opt for smaller hooks. In my opinion, if you use a fixed wire or glue bead, the bait may not foul. However, when you hook a big fish, you could be wearing a bigger whole in it’s jaw in a lengthy battle which increases the chance of losing the fish. That’s my reasoning behind the other choices. But great things come from folks trying to solve problems. I appreciate what you’re doing Tim!
I use the hole punch method as MM does but my stock is from old bicycle inner tubes. They work great and keep a strong bond on the hook where you want them to stay.
“My biggest worry is that my wife (when I’m dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.”
