Best Siwash?

[fisheromen]

Okay, I have to admit it, I like to fish for chum. We have our annual trip planned for November to Hood Canal. Last year we started fishing a pink steelie type spoon with a stock siwash hook with incredible results. Problem was, we'd lose 3 out of 4 fish (and these are clearly head-shaking mouth hooked fish). I was thinking that better hooks might help and I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

[Thumper]

Just back from Alaska, where we cought a couple hundred silvers, all on pinched-barb siwash-rigged spinners. Rarely ever lose one. You might go up a size.

[jokester]

I agree with you...the first thing I would do is to make sure you change out the stock hooks on your spoons/lures! I know a lot of people who don't change them and still catch fish, but personally, I don't trust the hooks that come with them :hoboy: You'll find many different opinions on this subject, but as for myself, I like Gami's or Owners. Hooked quite a few fish with both. I'm not saying you'll land every one you hook, but from the sounds of things, I don't think it will hurt your chances of landing them! :grin: Both are definitely sharp, strong hooks!! Give them a whirl and see how that works. Good luck!

- :dance: jokester

[ 10-08-2003, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: jokester ]

[TideRunner]

modify your siwash....first, bend the shank and the hook point towards each other a bit, so instead of the hook being a perfect U-shape, it circles in more. then, 'twist' the hook point so the point angles to the side, so it's offset. made a night and day difference for me.

Good luck

[dampainter]

use gami`s...bend the hook to the side just a little.

[StinkyH]

Originally posted by TideRunner:
modify your siwash....first, bend the shank and the hook point towards each other a bit, so instead of the hook being a perfect U-shape, it circles in more. then, 'twist' the hook point so the point angles to the side, so it's offset. made a night and day difference for me.

Good luck <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Would that then be similar to the style of the Gammi Octupus?

StinkyH

[boater]

Originally posted by StinkyH:
] Gammi Octupus

StinkyH <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">thats what i use on my plugs on beed chains

[Born to Fish]

I'm a firm believer in replacing the hook on spoons and tail hook on plugs with a good barrel/ball-bearing swivel and siwash hook. I've been using Gami's siwash simply because that's whats available to me, but I've been happy with them so far.

The reason for going this way is three-fold:

1. you really need this to deal with the tendency of some of these fish to do alot of rolling - especially as you get them closer to the boat.

2. I believe that it is alot easier to unhook a single versus treble hook and I don't think the deference affects the hooking ability.

3. without this modification light/thin spoons such as the Coyote and Pro-King take a heck of a beating because without change theres alot of pressure put on the spoon directly through the hook/split ring stock combination. If the spoon doesn't get bent out of shape by the twisting of the fish during the fight, it certainly can get bent during the process of attempting to unhook the thrashing fish - particularly if it is a nate that you're trying to unhook in the water beside the boat.

[ 10-08-2003, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: Born to Fish ]

[fisheromen]

Thanks for your responses.

Doesn't anyone make a siwash with the point offset a little? I've seen the circle hooks and I can understand how they have better holding power but don't you miss hook-ups?