Finesse Heads Then And Now

[dtrs5kprs]

papi and i have been pouring 1/16th and 1/8th mushroom heads on a #1 eagle claw lil nasty sickle hooks by the thousands since the first of the year. we got tired of changing the pins in the silicone mold designed for #2 hooks so we built a new mold. anyhows the 16 1/8th ounce came out on the money but the 16 1/16th oz were .02 over. he decided to make a new 1/16th oz mold that came out nice but we have 400 3/32 oz mushroom heads w/.027 dia. weed gaurds with a #1 lil nasty sickle hook in them. i convinced him not to melt them down till i try them on a ned rig. 3/32 is what Stacey King has ordered from papi for years and the wire is light enough but Dave I was wondering if you've tried a sickle hook yet. the lil nasty hooks are sharp and they are cheap enough but i'm not sure about the gap and getting a good hook set with them.

Jim...I tried the Matzuo Sickles in three sizes in the little head, 6,4,and 2, and 3/0 in grub/dart type heads, and found them to be a very odd hook. All of them are nice and sharp. The 3/0 hooks up fine. The 6 and 4 work fairly well. The #2's cost me a bunch of fish, including a genuine big one in 2012. I do not know if it is due to the hook flexing, or something about the geometry of the effective gap in that size, but it was a disaster for me. I have not tried the new Eagle Claws, just because of my experiences with the Matzuo. It could also be a size problem, and the #1 might be fine. The 3/0 is a good hook. Hard to figure.

I think the "right" hook depends a lot on what you want the bait to do. Ned fishes the Gophers with the cheapest bronze hooks he can get, and fishes them until they rust to pieces. I like a little nicer hook myself, and have dialed in on the Mustad 2x heavy as being about right in terms of durability and sharpness.

Interested to hear how you fare with the 3/32oz heads. I played with them for a year or so, but eventually skipped over them and went right to the 1/8oz heads. To me the 3/32 was kind of like a 16ga shotgun. It did some of what the lighter version would do, and some of what the heavier version would do, but did not necessarily do anything better.

[Sac River Jim]

Jim...I tried the Matzuo Sickles in three sizes in the little head, 6,4,and 2, and 3/0 in grub/dart type heads, and found them to be a very odd hook. All of them are nice and sharp. The 3/0 hooks up fine. The 6 and 4 work fairly well. The #2's cost me a bunch of fish, including a genuine big one in 2012. I do not know if it is due to the hook flexing, or something about the geometry of the effective gap in that size, but it was a disaster for me. I have not tried the new Eagle Claws, just because of my experiences with the Matzuo. It could also be a size problem, and the #1 might be fine. The 3/0 is a good hook. Hard to figure.

I think the "right" hook depends a lot on what you want the bait to do. Ned fishes the Gophers with the cheapest bronze hooks he can get, and fishes them until they rust to pieces. I like a little nicer hook myself, and have dialed in on the Mustad 2x heavy as being about right in terms of durability and sharpness.

Interested to hear how you fare with the 3/32oz heads. I played with them for a year or so, but eventually skipped over them and went right to the 1/8oz heads. To me the 3/32 was kind of like a 16ga shotgun. It did some of what the lighter version would do, and some of what the heavier version would do, but did not necessarily do anything better.

Dave everyone is ordering the mushroom heads with the #1 nasty sickle hook in 1/16 and 1/8th we arent making hardly any regular ned rig heads or mushroom heads w/the #2 hook. I'll have to look tomorrow but i think papis 3/32oz ned rig heads are made with the same mustad hook you use. ive only been throwing the ned for a year or so and by no means an authority on it but i like the 3/32nd head in light wind and on shallow flats that slowly descend into deeper water especially if theres a chunk rock transition.. I.m still trying to train myself to fish it on slack line but i'm getting a little better and having more confidence in it. will let you know how the #1 sickle hook works on it.

[dtrs5kprs]

Dave everyone is ordering the mushroom heads with the #1 nasty sickle hook in 1/16 and 1/8th we arent making hardly any regular ned rig heads or mushroom heads w/the #2 hook. I'll have to look tomorrow but i think papis 3/32oz ned rig heads are made with the same mustad hook you use. ive only been throwing the ned for a year or so and by no means an authority on it but i like the 3/32nd head in light wind and on shallow flats that slowly descend into deeper water especially if theres a chunk rock transition.. I.m still trying to train myself to fish it on slack line but i'm getting a little better and having more confidence in it. will let you know how the #1 sickle hook works on it.

One of many excellent places to throw it. The 3/32 works, I just couldn't justify keeping it in the boat. Add in the fact it confuses the heck out of folks who can't quickly place it in terms of relative size. Normally I have 2 rods with the 1/16 for shallow work or swimming, and 2 with the 1/8 for wind or deeper stuff. I do know Ned uses the 3/32 at times in wind, and it has been the largest size he uses. Then again, he is swimming or "floating" it more in the KS lakes than folks are at TR.

I think there is something about that sickle design that makes it work better in certain sizes. Could be the Eagle Claw hook has corrected the possible flex issue as well. It is a fine crappie hook.