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g day so much info on net regards hooks,thought id ask the experts.ive got some red mustard octopus size 1/0 and some mustard big red size 2,i just got them,im shore based.its confusing reading all the net experts can someone suggest the way to go with what ive got or any new suggestions.im trying to catch bream or some flatties.
regards john
From what I posted in your other thread which was posted in the wrong section.
Hi John,
When chasing Bream with baits such as bread I use a size 6 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. This doesn't mean that the hooks you currently own are too big for Bream but try and hide it using the bait, for example I wouldn't use a bread bait on a 1/0 hook I would lean towards using a whole Prawn or a piece of Mullet.
When targeting Flatties I use slightly larger hooks than what I use for Bream, these may include 1/0's and 2/0's depending on the size of the bait being used, for example if I am using a live 10CM Poddy Mullet I would pin a 2/0 through it's back but when using smaller baits for instance a Whitebait I'd use a 1/0. Vise versa..
It sounds like you are up to date but try and get a bit more variety, size 4 hooks to size 1 for Bream and 3/0 to 1/0 for Lizards.
Good luck,
Tom
I use size 1/0 and 2/0 Owner Mosquito hooks with 1/2 of a peeled bannana prawn, mullet fillet or even hardy heads. My hookup rate has improved significantly since I moved away from long shanks.
I use a hook that is a bit of a compromise. It is a Mustad 92247, has the gape, set and point of an octopus, but has a straight rather than a turned in or out eye, slightly longer shankn though not a long shank, bait holding slices. sizes I carry are no 1, 1/0 and 2/0......so i can match it to the bait used. If I am using live fish as bait I use either a 9555B or an Octopus/Suicide. I have used 4202D's ganged in the smaller sizes when using pilchard filets or larger whitebait or small froggy's. There are dozens of different patterns of hooks you can use quite successfully, these are just my preffered hooks (I know they dont let me down....but i do tend to fish light for bream, so if you are going to be using heavier tackle I would avoid the hooks with the bait slices....that can be a weakness). I also account for many other species on these hooks...including flathead, jew, whiting, trevally, tailor.
Cheers
Greg
have a look at kahles in #4 or #8 ( you cloud go bigger) they are also called wide gape or shinners.
They are similar to a circle hook and get snagged far less than other hooks.....realy bury the hook in a softish bait like peeled prawn... a decent fish will take it hook and all... and youll have the fish in the corner of the mouth.....no need to strike.....give the fish some line....let it take it away.....then lift and wind.
cheers
A good point Oldboot. These hooks are so deadly when using live prawns, just thread the last two segments of the prawn onto the hook and it will kick and carry on ot attract the fish....prawns stay alive much longer using this method (I rarely use live prawns....cant throw a cast net.....but used to use them when scoop netting prawns in NSW years ago.
Greg
About 6 month ago I bought a pack of 'suicide hooks' (can't remember the brand and the bloody shop has shut down) -- but they were the 'saltwater version' of the suicide hook, about 1.0 or maybe 2.0 I think. Probably easy to find as they were twice as expensive as the silver Mustard suicide hooks and they are distinctively grey with a slightly longer shank. They stay sharper longer and don't get the horrible surface rust. I will never use anything else (hope I can find them again.) They will catch big bream, small bream and even caught a few big tailor on them. Tailor will bite off a bream line in a heartbeat, but with bream I've always waited until they do thier 'death run' -- not just bites and pulls, then I sink the hook. I guess with the design of them being a bit bowed at the end you virtually pull the hook from deep in the mouth (which can be easily spat out) hooking the side of the mouth. So if a tailor hits I do the same. I'm restricted to the beach now, but the bream there love half a cooked venamai prawn -- peeled of course -- our Port Stephens fish have refined tastes. Someone else here might know the brand and where to get them.
Port Stephens, My old stomping grounds. I use to work on prawn trawlers as well as drop liners on the sea mounts. I would love to go down there again for a couple of weeks but marine parks have placed a few spanners in the works as the areas I normally fish is now one big marine park...the bastards.
Land based anglers have been shaftered big time.
Peter
you could speculate for ever on this, and everyone has their own special "triple black, thermo nuclear sharpened turned down eye hook" but in reality almost every hook cheap and dear will catch a simple old Bream, bait presentation/skill and location will outfish a "special" hook every time, the plain old Mustad "French" hook (I think the number is 540) in size 1 is cheap as chips, works as good as anything, quite strong and you can get them anywhere.
I like to chase the bigger bream around the rough country of rocky headlands and breakwaters so I go a bit heavier than most when chasing the bream. My preferred hook is a 2/0 short shank French pattern (and I still catch plenty of undersize bream on them). When using large yabbies in the estuarine situation where I might encounter bream, flathead and bream I use a No 1 long shank.
Cheers Freeeedom