Live Bait Hooks for Albies

[Cornfed]

After this year (my first year ever tuna fishing), I am completely addicted to the sport and need to fill out my tackle box. I also got to witness the most savage death of an anchovy as it got inhaled by a crazed tuner, 5 ft from the boat.

With that said, I have a few questions and would appreciate the dog's thoughts....
1. What live bait hooks are best? Owner, Gamakatsu, Mustad?
2. What model? circle or not?
3. What size should the hook be?
4. Should the live bait hook have a ring to improve anchovy swimming mobility or is that just added weight that the chovy has to struggle against?

Special thanks to TowerTodd for showing me THE WAY! I think we were using #1, and 1/0 Owners, weren't we Todd? At a first glance, I thought they would be too small (what did I know???), but they worked great and they stuck in the fish.

So what do you think, SALTY DOGS?

[Pilar]

I like the ringed #1 owner live bait hooks for 5" anchovies. Good luck finding them .. permanently sold out around stumptown.

[Seelicious]

What John said...those 1's ringed or loop tied worked well.

[Chrome Bumper]

#2 extra strong if the bait is on the small size. But they all work pretty darn good.

[KillerBeee]

#4,#2, or #1 owner flyliner ringed or unringed. Gamakatsu live bait hooks in the same size. Hayabusa also makes nice hooks. I've used plenty od Mustad hooks on charter trips too. The nice thing about the more expensive hooks is the sharp points penetrate the bait much easier and do less damage letting the bait be more lively which is key.

[KeyWest]

I use #2 Owner ringed hooks. Englund seems to carry them. Buy them in December and your good to go.

[Cliff D.]

John. Have you checked Englunds?

[StickFish]

Ya the ringed #1 owners (NOT 1/0, but #1) work great. If you can get away with #2 what the heck.

Out of westport we used #1 Mustad and just killed the fish (no ring) they suggested that we use a palomar knot as well

Something else to toss in the the box is a large supply of 3/8oz twist on sinkers, sometimes you need a little weight to get past the darn sharks.

[OuterLimits]

I use #2 owner flyliner ringed or unringed hooks.

[Pau Hana]

1/0 Gamakatsu/Owner/Mustad hooks for me- preferably in circle vice J. I think #2 is way too small, and #1 is barely adequate. Great idea on the twist-on sinkers; I use rubbercore, or a small egg sinker.

Palomar knot is great- fast to tie, and 95% strength. It's good to be able to tie a hook on in about 15 seconds during a hot bite......

[Rooster1264]

Originally Posted by Pau Hana

1/0 Gamakatsu/Owner/Mustad hooks for me- preferably in circle vice J. I think #2 is way too small, and #1 is barely adequate. Great idea on the twist-on sinkers; I use rubbercore, or a small egg sinker.

Palomar knot is great- fast to tie, and 95% strength. It's good to be able to tie a hook on in about 15 seconds during a hot bite......

Pau, Back when I was just a pup in Cali all we had were 4-5" choves and we had to drop down to 15 lb and #4 or even #6's to get bit. Don't under estimate the power of a small hook!!! I've caught hundreds of Albies and Bluefins on small hooks, and not once did I back off from pulling as hard as I could. Next year all I'm fishing with up here is 15 lb and Avet SX's. Have some fun!! That's why they call it SPORTFISHING.

I use 1/0's and 30 lb for fishing at Guadalupe when the Yellowfin are picky in the afternoon. Those fish are in the 50-70 lb class. I have great success fishing with that set up. Last year I caught a 103 lb Yellowfin on a 3/0 and 40 lb in 12 minutes.

Try it, you might be suprised how hard you can pull.

Just my

[Pau Hana]

Not discounting small hooks at all- just my preference and experience. Like you, been doing to private boat tuna thing for many years (since the late 70s in Socal/Hawaii/PNW) and have caught plenty on both smaller and larger hooks. I realize that you should match the hook to the bait size; at the same time, none of my trolling rigs (cedar plugs, Rapalas, Zukers, various clones, FishTrap swimbaits) use small hooks.

I figure that if I can convince an albie to suicide itself on a cedar plug with a 4/0-6/0 hanging off the back, then a 1/0 dragged by a 'chovy is just fine. Been pretty successful so far- check the avatar!

I think we (fishing addicts) can get too caught up in the 'scientific' debates of tackle and technique, rather than enjoying the sport.


Good hunting on the big blue!

[Booja 1]

I use 1/0's and 30 lb for fishing at Guadalupe when the Yellowfin are picky in the afternoon. Those fish are in the 50-70 lb class. I have great success fishing with that set up. Last year I caught a 103 lb Yellowfin on a 3/0 and 40 lb in 12 minutes.



12 min,,,,,,,Wow!! Did the Tax collector chew off the motor? :smile: Just kidding.

Fish up here just seem so much more aggressive than down below...never seen a pick bite up here with the live stuff. 15 lb w/ #4 or 6 hook,,more power to you...

[okie man]

i'm with rooster on this one . save your money and quite buying those designer hooks. good old mustad 2-6 size livebait hooks will serve 99 percent of the fisherman on the west coast. pick the hook size based not only the size of bait but the health as well . it does no good to take a big beatup bait and pin a 3/0 hook in it and think you'll get bit. my go too albacore set up is a reel that will hold 250-300 yards of 15-20# line with a good drag, a rod rated 15-30# 7-8' in length and a quality 15-20# mono. leave the floro at the tackle shop and learn to fish a bait properly.

[Rooster1264]

Originally Posted by okie man

i'm with rooster on this one . save your money and quite buying those designer hooks. good old mustad 2-6 size livebait hooks will serve 99 percent of the fisherman on the west coast. pick the hook size based not only the size of bait but the health as well . it does no good to take a big beatup bait and pin a 3/0 hook in it and think you'll get bit. my go too albacore set up is a reel that will hold 250-300 yards of 15-20# line with a good drag, a rod rated 15-30# 7-8' in length and a quality 15-20# mono. leave the floro at the tackle shop and learn to fish a bait properly.

Here weeee goooooooooo..

[Rooster1264]

Originally Posted by Booja 1

I use 1/0's and 30 lb for fishing at Guadalupe when the Yellowfin are picky in the afternoon. Those fish are in the 50-70 lb class. I have great success fishing with that set up. Last year I caught a 103 lb Yellowfin on a 3/0 and 40 lb in 12 minutes.



12 min,,,,,,,Wow!! Did the Tax collector chew off the motor? :smile: Just kidding.

Fish up here just seem so much more aggressive than down below...never seen a pick bite up here with the live stuff. 15 lb w/ #4 or 6 hook,,more power to you...

The Tax Collector... I love that phrase!!! He didn't chew off the motor. But he was coming fast. Got lucky he just had lunch on the port side a few minutes before mine reached color. Gotta love the people that cant pull!!!

[cosmo]

Circle hooks are outstanding in this application, whatever brand you go, try out the circles. All corner of the mouth hookups, limited wear on the mainline, virtually never a deep hook that results in a breakoff.

[Booja 1]

Originally Posted by okie man

i'm with rooster on this one . save your money and quite buying those designer hooks. good old mustad 2-6 size livebait hooks will serve 99 percent of the fisherman on the west coast. pick the hook size based not only the size of bait but the health as well . it does no good to take a big beatup bait and pin a 3/0 hook in it and think you'll get bit. my go too albacore set up is a reel that will hold 250-300 yards of 15-20# line with a good drag, a rod rated 15-30# 7-8' in length and a quality 15-20# mono. leave the floro at the tackle shop and learn to fish a bait properly.

Ez Okie Man,,,,,breathe directly thru your nose............BTW....well said!!

Rooster,,is that the nice YFT in your avatar? Looks like it could be the 'Lupe in the background.

[Rooster1264]

Originally Posted by Booja 1

Ez Okie Man,,,,,breathe directly thru your nose............BTW....well said!!

Rooster,,is that the nice YFT in your avatar? Looks like it could be the 'Lupe in the background.

YUP

[Chrome Bumper]

Ringed hooks are nice. #2 and smaller pull out pretty easy. Whatever size you use get plenty. If you want to keep a bite going you have about 10 seconds to gaff, cut the line, tie on a new one, re bait and cast/flip.

[Booja 1]

Originally Posted by cosmo

Circle hooks are outstanding in this application, whatever brand you go, try out the circles. All corner of the mouth hookups, limited wear on the mainline, virtually never a deep hook that results in a breakoff.

If you're using reg J-hooks, when bit, throw the reel in gear and gently lift the rod while turning the handle, refrain from actually swinging and lots of time the hook will perform just like a circle and be stuck right in the corner of the mouth.

If possible have a few extra bait rigs ready to go (to save time retying) land a fish, grab another outfit and get back in the water. Don't forget to toss a bait or two over the side before you recast to keep the fun going as long as possible.

[Tinman]

I agree with Rooster and Okie-Man. Plain old Mustad live bait hooks, bronze finish, cheap by the box of 100. My goto size was #4 although I moved up to #2 or down to #6 frequently. Tie them directly to 15# mono and you can cast the bait 40 feet with a good reel.

[Rooster1264]

Originally Posted by Tinman

I agree with Rooster and Okie-Man. Plain old Mustad live bait hooks, bronze finish, cheap by the box of 100. My goto size was #4 although I moved up to #2 or down to #6 frequently. Tie them directly to 15# mono and you can cast the bait 40 feet with a good reel.

OLD SKOOL ROCKS....Mustad 9174's

[Mark Mc]

One good thing about using the ringed hooks is that....now you can tie a great knot to the ring (like a San Diego Jam, that is ~95%).

whereas, with the non-ringed hook to get the good action you need a loop, an the loops do not have as high a knot strength.

[Cornfed]

Hey Mark Mc...Do you have any good tutorials on how to tie a San Diego Jam?

[BaitStop]

Originally Posted by Cornfed

Hey Mark Mc...Do you have any good tutorials on how to tie a San Diego Jam?

Try this site it has many knots & tutorials for tying.

http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html


9174O'Shaughnessy Hook Forged!