Trouble keeping Chinooks hooked

[reelbigfish72]

Recently I've had some problems landing chinooks. One trip I went 1 for 4 (not too bad) then went 0 for about 10 on the next trip (many of the fish were only on for a few seconds). I'm thinking maybe bigger hooks? I use 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsus drift fishing. On those trips the rivers were pretty clear and I was thinking I'd do better w/ smaller hooks. Any other ideas? Maybe I'd hook less w/ bigger hooks, but land more? Or am I just being unlucky, it can be tough sometimes to land 'em bank fishing in fairly fast water. Thanks for any help

[rags]

I use 4/0 hooks and 30lb. test line for fall chinook when bobber fishing or backbouncing eggs. I don't think they are leader or hook shy even in clear water. I think you are going to lose some fish no matter what you use. I was 4 for 6 and 8 for 12 the last two trips. The longer you let them bite your eggs the more hookups you will get. Make sure your hooks are razor sharp. Even when running wrapped plugs and letting the fish bury the rod we still have some come unbuttoned.

[rock bottom]

I was having the same kind of luck bobber fishing 4/0 gami hooks. I jumped to a 6/0 gami and all of my problems went away. We also were fishing 40lb leaders and the water was fairly clear. I dont think thay care.

[3riversBob]

I agree! I went to a 6/0 and even at times 7/0 and drastically improved my hook sets. Don't be afraid to set the hook hard either. I will even set it twice at times to be sure. Good luck!

Bob

[Akuracy503]

who drift fishes for chinook with 1/0 in fast water? what length leader you running?

Can I suggest a different approach for targeting these fish?
backbouncing is a good approach if you like fishing bottom.

and of course float and bait is the number one method for catching these kings.

[Akuracy503]

but then again your method sounds impressive 0 for 10 but 10 fish on.. alot of fish to be had.. maybe you should post a tech tip. are you running bait?

[ChinookSlayer]

2/0 is the smallest hook you should use for anything. The other item to watch when drift fishing, is the size of your corky to the hook gap. Too big of a corky, keeps the hook point from getting in deep. Don't be line shy either. I usually run 20lb leader, but many run heavier, especially for cases when the fish can chew on things for a while. Their teeth can pop through mono very quickly. The last point, is to make sure you hook them in the mouth. Drift fishing sometimes gets the hook someplace else, which later on comes out. Learn the feel of a good hook.

It also can just depend on the day. A week ago, I was out with a friend. Between the two of us, we hooked 13, and lost everyone for one reason or another. This last weekend, we hooked only 5, but got 3 in to the bank.

[reelbigfish72]

Thanks alot for the info guys. Yeah, the 1/0 hooks were probably ill advised, I had 2/0 also. I grew up drift fishing, it's what I'm comfortable with and I've never really had problems like that. As far as hooking them in the mouth goes, I'm pretty sure the majority of the fish were hooked fair, I'm not one of those guys who flails away at every bump, there were lots of fish around and I had some nice Ammerman cured eggs. I was using small corkies, small hooks, small baits, and somewhat light leader (I only broke off one fish). I really think that, plus knowing where the fish lay in the hole I fished helped me hook up. The small hooks may have been a a negative though, I suppose.
I really appreciate the feed back, maybe someday I'll feel good enough about my bobber fishing ability to do that with confidence.

[Grandpa Lynn]

I've been landing about 50% of the fish I hook while drift fishing for Fall Chinooks. I use 3/0 Owner Cutting Points with 20lb leaders, most of the time. Most of the lost fish are ones where the hook comes out, for some reason or other. Only had 1 break the leader, and it actually left a flat spot on the leader where it had apparently bit the leader and pinched it off.

Hope this helps..

[judyfish99]

I agrees with Grandpa Loves To Fish. I swear by Owner SSW Hooks with 20lb P-Line flourocarbon. Size 5 and 6. I wouldn't got that little hen in Tillamook if I didn't use Owners. They were so sharp, the trailing hook on the leader was stuck to her side(the other one was inside her mouth). So know wonder she took off peeling line!! judyfish99

[rola76]

3/0 is the absolute smallest I'll go for nooks, whether it's drift fishing, bobber fishing, diver and bait, or whatever. I actually use, pretty much exclusively, 4/0 or 5/0 depending on water conditions and the size of baits I'm using. My percentage of "landed" fish has definitely gone up over the years after going with the big daddy hooks!! :grin:

[FishingNewbie]

we have pinched the barb down on the hook. it gives it a chance to get further into the lip.

[fishtat]

It looks like those of you who really know what you're doing have already answered this question pretty well. I'm with you, Chinookslayer, some days it just seems impossible to get a fish to the bank no matter what you do. I, too, have had polar opposite experiences from one day to the next in regards to landing ratio. It seems I tend to fish a little smaller hook than most of you on a regular basis. I've been drift fishing half my life and have always used a little smaller hook than most. I typically run 1/0's & 20lb. I'd say with that rig I'm at 50% or maybe a little less most of the time on hook to lands. But you guys talking about bobber fishing are dead right. You sure can get away with heavier terminal gear running a float. I can figure out a drift in the slowest deepest slots though, so I tend to stick to drifting. And yeah, a guy can tell the difference on a line bump and a take. I like the comment about dudes ripping the hook on every bump. Had some jerks like that next to me kill a bait bite quickly last weekend.

Fishtat

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Try gammies, your hook up to land rate should significantly improve, the cutting points put to big of hole in the fishes mouth and the hook will fall out with a loss of pressure. I did some expirementing fishing for socks on the kenai, 3/0 hooks with owners (cutting points) and gamis, about 60% hook to land rate on owners and greater than 90% on gamis (hook popping out only). The cutting points have to wide of barb, espicially in smaller hooks to get good penetration and when they do, the bore out a hole that makes the hook come out easier.

[weekend warrior]

You can still use owners if you like, they do make a style called super needle point which is what I use. I have seen and had gami's straighten out to easily for my liking so I switched to owners a few years back. I've been using 7/0 owner SNP for bobber fishing with #30 p-line leader, and for bbing I've been using 6/0 owners with #25 p-line.

Since I switched up to 7/0 on bobbers I've only lost a couple(2). We've only lost one bbing and that was because my buddies glove got stuck in the spool and it broke the leader.

If I was you I would drift fish with no less than a 3/0 but most likely a 4/0. No less than a #20 leader preferably p-line. I used to be a bankie until a year and a half ago so I know were your coming from.

Hope all the info you get helps
PS don't listen to WRO, He's wasn't fishing for biters, the fish were being bit. So take his info with a grain of salt :grin:

[BC Steel]

Man, you guys are serious about using these big ass hooks! I think that if I used anything over a 1/0 on the Vedder, I'd get flogged off the river and labled a snagger for life :blush: Maybe when I get out to some little fished flows I'll give the big guns a go

[Reel Head]

5/0 Owners cutting point

[PapaHog]

5/0 Owner Cutting Point

[reelbigfish72]

Again thank you all for the great info. I likely won't go higher than 3/0 for drift fishing, but I'll probably stay away from the 1/0 when going for nooks. Sounds like hook size could have been a main issue. I'll get some 3/0 for my weekly trip next week and let you all know how that goes!

[fishermanjosh]

I have always used size 1 or 2 and never had any problems. (gamakatsu) I landed a 40 pound chinook on a size 2 gamakatsu hook and 10 pound leader last fall. Just loosen your drag and play the fish, don't force it to do anything.