Better Hook Ups - Follow up

[PeterMac]

RT - You had a post back on July 3rd, about getting better Kwikfish hookups by removing the stock hooks, and replacing them with a single treble attached to the lure with a bead chain. You were also experimenting with different materials to keep the treble in the strick zone, and not sinking down below it.

Have you, or anyone else, done any further experimentation with this? Any successes?

Thanks
PeterMac

[Net Boy]

I have had great luck by removing both hooks and replacing the tail hook with a siwash hook. I have yet to lose a fish when fishing this method. Also it is very easy to wrap the sardine with no belly hook to contend with.

Good luck and lots of fish!

I haven't yet PeterMac. But I am really excited about this rigup. I do think it could be the answer to the problem of losing many marginally hooked 'Nooks with the stock hooks. I have friends who also use the single siwash at the back Net Boy, but do still lose some fish to hook pull outs. I think it is because of the large back & forth sway of Kwikfish hooks that causes so many marginal hookups. With the stationary large treble hovering right in the strike zone I think we will see better landing rates this fall. I thought of this idea very late in the fall 'Nook season last year and missed most of the springer season recovering from surgery, so I didn't get enough time to test my idea. If the great results I've gotten on this rigup with Warts are any indication it should really work well. Giz gave me some large yellow foam backer rod (similar to the ones used to make steelhead rags). I cut and scewered about a 3/4" piece and worked it onto the treble shank, then used a sharp razor to sculpt it into a torpedo shaped treble float. Can't wait!!! - RT

[PeterMac]

Couple things. What size of treble would you go with, I suppose it would depend on the the size of the lure?? Also, at the risk of sounding totally ignorant, what is a "siwash" hook (rather appear temporarily ignorant, than not know long term!).

New, but learning,

Thanks
PeterMac

[Bait O' Eggs]

RT - When you placed this torpedo shaped piece of foam on the shank of the treble, what percent of the gap (shank to hook point)is not exposed? Are you concerned with having less available hook exposed, because you have a piece of foam on the hook?

Maybe if you replace the foam with lead, and just did away with the lure. Then you would have a fishing machine oh yah thats not fishing.

Petermac - a siwash hook is a single hook (not treble) that has no bend side to side. Almost a perfect J shape. You have a siwash hook on your Dick Night lures you used for shad fishing. RT is only talking a larger version.

[Richter]

A few years ago, they went to single point barbless hooks on some of the Olympic Peninsula streams for Fall Salmon. George Rose, a really nice guy and guide up there, showed me what he used ( I wasn't even fishing with him). He took both treble hooks off the Kwikfish. On the bottom/front hook location he put a split ring , a bead chain, and then the siwash hook. The length of the bead chain depended on the size of the kwikfish. You want the hook right by the tail. He then took a small rubber band and looped around the tail of the kwikfish and beadchain. This holds the hook in the strike zone. When the fish hits, the rubber band breaks easily and the fish only has the hook in it is mouth and can not use the plug to try and break free. Using the bead chain serves two purposes. It gets the hook back to the right spot and when the fish is fighting it swivels around, which makes it difficult for the fish to throw the hook. I was suprised how few fish you lose using this setup, even with barbless hooks. Rich

PS. Use rubber bands about 1 inch in diameter. For about $2.00, I think I got a bag of 500 at Office Max.


[This message has been edited by Richter (edited 08-30-2000).]

'Eggs, use one of the stock trebles on the bead chain. They are plenty big and strong, and the soft foam shouldn't affect the hookup at all. - Richter, I like the idea of the siwash with rubber band. However, it will still be only 1 point that is swaying back and forth. Let's try it both ways to see if the stationary strong treble, with vibration and colored piece of foam, might do a better job. - RT

[Richter]

RT,

I only use single point barbless hooks when I'm forced to.
I use 2/0 Gamo trebles on almost all of my K-15 and K-16 Kwikfish, whenever it is legal. In the past, I used 2/0 trebles front and rear. I now use the single 2/0 treble on the same bead chain setup I described earlier.
Put the rubber band near the back of the bead chain, just in front of the hook. This will place the hook just below the tail of the Kwikfish, and the hook will hang down at about a 45 degree angle depending on current.
When you get a big chinook on this setup, and if you lose it, is usually operator error. Try not to let your buddys put both thumbs on the levelwind when a 40 lb.+ chinook is running. I have a friend that has a hard time with this.

I appreciate all the work you and Jennie put into this board, as well as the good information everyone tries to contribute.

Take Care, Rich

[This message has been edited by Richter (edited 08-30-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Richter (edited 08-30-2000).]

[Hotshot]

i like to run eagle claw trebles on my kwikes if you notice the shank on the eagle claws run straight up and down there is no rounded bend to them like the vmcs or others i have seen them roll right off of them plugs also i have seen alot of people lose fish when they throw the fish slack by standing up and not keeping there tip up!

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