Big M Area Report

[Terrierman]

Cross them, bust them, stick them. I usually pop brown fish a couple of times. Hard.

Interesting.

[Guest]

I don't know, my hook setting technique I use with the Ned has been pretty effective until today, let them load up and then give it a pull, not a cross their eye type set. Seems like if I do the all-out hook set, it pulls the Ned out.

It sounds like you're doing it right, if you're using braid. If not, you might start crossing their eyes.

[Fish24/7]

for what it's worth here's a tip Greg Hackney shared with me about fishing jigs , finesse or heavy .

"If you're NOT using offset or kirbed hooks you're not catching as many fish as you should be".

I make my finesse heads with offset Eagle Claw lil nasty hooks.

They are 90 degree hooks and I have NO trouble hooking up.

you can make about any hook "offset" reversed or kirbed by bending the hook point 3 degrees to the side, left or right

kirbed hooks have better hook up ratio because the point does not get deflected by the hook shank

[Hazbin]

Quill, Take a pair of pliers and bend the front of the hook to 60 degrees and you will see the difference. With that Ned Rig you are using a floater and will hang level and dragging the bottom it doesn't matter. Do your own physics test, put the hook between your fingers and pull straight up and you will see what I mean, a backward rotation of approximately 90 degrees before forward penetration.I learned this from crappie fishing, losing a lot of fish and lots of shallow mouth hooking.I started using a small rubber band to clock the jig to 90 !degrees and when the bite came it would uncock back to 60 degrees and a lot deeper hook set.You can buy those rubber bands at any medical supply and they simply pop up the line on setting and then I just reset it on the next drop. Works real good for me for all parallel presentations. As you see I have no use for 90 degree hooks!

[Fish24/7]

Quill, Take a pair of pliers and bend the front of the hook to 60 degrees and you will see the difference. With that Ned Rig you are using a floater and will hang level and dragging the bottom it doesn't matter. Do your own physics test, put the hook between your fingers and pull straight up and you will see what I mean, a backward rotation of approximately 90 degrees before forward penetration.I learned this from crappie fishing, losing a lot of fish and lots of shallow mouth hooking.I started using a small rubber band to clock the jig to 90 !degrees and when the bite came it would uncock back to 60 degrees and a lot deeper hook set.You can buy those rubber bands at any medical supply and they simply pop up the line on setting and then I just reset it on the next drop. Works real good for me for all parallel presentations. As you see I have no use for 90 degree hooks!

put the hook between your fingers and pull straight up?

ouch!

[Hazbin]

for what it's worth here's a tip Greg Hackney shared with me about fishing jigs , finesse or heavy .

"If you're not using offset or kirbed hooks you're not catching as many fish as you should be".

I make my finesse heads with offset Eagle Claw lil nasty hooks.

They are 90 degree hooks and I have NO trouble hooking up.

you can make about any hook "offset" reversed or kirbed by bending the hook point 3 degrees to the side, left or right

kirbed hooks have better hook up ratio because the point does not get deflected by the hook shank

[Hazbin]

for what it's worth here's a tip Greg Hackney shared with me about fishing jigs , finesse or heavy .

"If you're not using offset or kirbed hooks you're not catching as many fish as you should be".

I make my finesse heads with offset Eagle Claw lil nasty hooks.

They are 90 degree hooks and I have NO trouble hooking up.

you can make about any hook "offset" reversed or kirbed by bending the hook point 3 degrees to the side, left or right

kirbed hooks have better hook up ratio because the point does not get deflected by the hook shank

I tried that too and had a lot of side mouth hooking in that real thin tissue and in most cases the hook would rotate on its side and in some cases the fish would not get hooked at all, they would simply open their mouth and fall out and be flopping in the boat, if you were lucky enough to get it in that far.

Donna, Don' you try that physics test with the shape your thumb is in!!

[dtrs5kprs]

Quill, Take a pair of pliers and bend the front of the hook to 60 degrees and you will see the difference. With that Ned Rig you are using a floater and will hang level and dragging the bottom it doesn't matter. Do your own physics test, put the hook between your fingers and pull straight up and you will see what I mean, a backward rotation of approximately 90 degrees before forward penetration.I learned this from crappie fishing, losing a lot of fish and lots of shallow mouth hooking.I started using a small rubber band to clock the jig to 90 !degrees and when the bite came it would uncock back to 60 degrees and a lot deeper hook set.You can buy those rubber bands at any medical supply and they simply pop up the line on setting and then I just reset it on the next drop. Works real good for me for all parallel presentations. As you see I have no use for 90 degree hooks!

In theory the 60 degree deal works out. It does for sure on big jigs that lay flatter on the bottom. The drawback is this...because that bait stands up, a 60 degree or flat eye hook ends up putting your knot in every rock. With the 90 degree you get a little buffer between the front of the head and the line tie, and just a little upward lift instead of shaking your knot into the rocks every throw.

Some folks like the sickle style. All I can say is they did not do what I wanted them to. They are very sharp, it was not a sharpness issue. Now those were the Matzuo hooks, not the new Eagle Claw hooks. Could be their wire has less flex.

I have been through a lot of different hooks and heads...

If it is braid, try running it on straight FC or mono next trip.

Could also be we are making waaaay too much out of some lost fish. Some days they just come off. Some days with elaztech they will hold the tail, fight halfway to the boat, and let go because they never were hooked. K's are the worst about it. Have watched a few do it. Once in a wile you can catch a little one (under 10") just clamped down on the tail that never was hooked (see the "Elaztech vs. Bass Teeth" video). Might look at your tail for a lot of teeth marks.

[dtrs5kprs]

It sounds like you're doing it right, if you're using braid. If not, you might start crossing their eyes.

And when in doubt, bust them.

Don caught me swinging and missing one in that video he put up last April, and that was with a 7'6" stick. That little line is tough. You are only apt to break it if you don't check your line often, or the fish gets it around something sharp. Don't know that I have broken any off that I could pin on the hook set.

[fishingaddiction]

QB sure is quiet with all these recent posts over lost fish and hooks. I bet there will be another report late this afternoon from the BIG M. Too nice a day to not be fishing!

Darn work, can't live with it or without it.