Hooks on Tip Ups

[Penn920]

What do you guys use for hooks on your leaders? I've tried the octopus circle hooks and my hook up ratio is about 40% but usualy its in the corner in in the throat  . Lately I tried the sureset hooks by VMC and I went 3 for 6 on flags which is just a little better than the octopus hooks. I didn't set the suresets I just slowly pulled in the fish because I am so use to the circle hooks. Anybody got any ideas of a good hook? Also with the octopus hooks sometimes the hook will turn into the minnow and a fish will just hold on for the ride then let go at the hole  . Also I fish with meduim heavy to large baits like in the 3 to 5 inch range so a big old treble isn't really necessary.

[Wiener]

Don't use circle hooks with tipups.  Skipper can fill you in on this.

Use a quick strike rig.  As the name implies, when you get a bite, you quickly set the hook.

You don't need to try and rip their lips off.  Just a quick jerk will do.

Depending on the fish I am after,  I use hooks from # 8 to #20.


Hope this helps,

Wiener

[Penn920]

A quick strike rig for even meduim heavy shiners. I have good luck with med heavy shiners for large brown trout. A quick strike rig for a 4 inch bait would look kinda weird to a smart brown. I tried to make one with a #6 octopus hook in the nose and a #1 or 1/0 behind the dorsal fin and the minnow just slowly sunk and didn't swim around. To much weight maybe. What does you quick strike rig use for mono or flurocarbon line poundage?

[Wiener]

I didn't see in your original post that you were fishing for trout.

Here's what I use for Browns, and Bows.

a leader of Berkley Transition, #10 lb, usually 2 to 6 feet long.

For hooks on Medium Shiners, I would use  #14 treble hooks.  Tie the hooks about  2 1/2 to 3 inches apart.
Hook one of the trebles into the cheek of the shiner, hook the other in the back just through the skin.
You want it so that if you give a quick yank the hooks will pull free.

You'll have to play around with hook color.  One year, Gold hooks were the Cat's meow, the next the trout wouldn't touch 'em.

Use very tiny split shot on your leader, just enough to get the fish to swim at the depth that you want.

Hope this helps,

Wiener

[Penn920]

Thanks I'll try it out this weekend

[WYeyes]

I use a #8 eagle claw two prong hook instead of a treble,on minnows 3-6". 90-100% hook up rate,miss a few small fish.Mostly fishing walleye but catch a lot of trout also.Use a threading needle, hook tied to a 6-8" leader,start needle into the bait just behind the head and slide it just under the skin coming out behind the dorsal fin. Hook the leader on the needle and pull the leader through the bait, when you get to the hook slide the hook shank under the skin.Your left with a very lively free swiming minnow with the two prongs of the hook riding up, just above the minnows back ,behind the head. Nearly 100% hookup,almost never have a bait stolen. Kind of time consuming and has to be done quickly if its really cold. When done fishing gently pull the leader out of the bait by the hook,i have minnows stay alive for 3-4 weeks after doing this to be used again  another day.Usally they will die after the second time being rigged though. Also sometimes catch 2-4 fish on the same minnow as sometimes they will slide up the leader away from the hooked fish and not recieve much damage,but not always. Just my 2 cents worth.

[JakeJ]

I use off set kahle hooks. Almost always hooks the corner of the mouth.

[Wiener]

WYeyes,

That sounds interesting... Could you post a few pics?


Thanks,


Wiener

[WYeyes]

I'll try to take some pics and see if i can figure out how to post them. Probably take me a few days to get to it.

[hillmann]

I use the smallest trebbel I can find tied to 18inches of 8# or 10# mono and no weights unless I am in water more than 30 feet deep(rare on the lakes I fish) then I put the smallest splitshot in my box about five feet up from the hook, that way the minnow can still swim ofer a fairley large area.  I may loose a couple because of it but I also think that I get many more hits because the minnow looks more natural.

[WYeyes]

I use a #8 eagle claw two prong hook instead of a treble,on minnows 3-6". 90-100% hook up rate,miss a few small fish.Mostly fishing walleye but catch a lot of trout also.Use a threading needle, hook tied to a 6-8" leader,start needle into the bait just behind the head and slide it just under the skin coming out behind the dorsal fin. Hook the leader on the needle and pull the leader through the bait, when you get to the hook slide the hook shank under the skin.Your left with a very lively free swiming minnow with the two prongs of the hook riding up, just above the minnows back ,behind the head. Nearly 100% hookup,almost never have a bait stolen. Kind of time consuming and has to be done quickly if its really cold. When done fishing gently pull the leader out of the bait by the hook,i have minnows stay alive for 3-4 weeks after doing this to be used again  another day.Usally they will die after the second time being rigged though. Also sometimes catch 2-4 fish on the same minnow as sometimes they will slide up the leader away from the hooked fish and not recieve much damage,but not always. Just my 2 cents worth.

The ingredients

Rotate needle eye notch down going into the minnow,up when its coming out of the minnow, so as to avoid catching the skin in the notch.


Finshed bait

I use a braided line on tipup, 5-6' of mono, smallest weight i can use to get the bait down to where i want it,1/4oz or smaller,depending on minnow size,small snap on end of mono to hook to minnow leader. Set the tipup reel drag to just enough to hold the bait up at the depth where you want it,as lite as possible.

[surflizard]

 I use the Lazer Sharp #8 circles on my tipups and I really like them, I don't lose fish anymore, unless in the excitement, I forget to check the leader for frays.

[Wiener]

Thanks for the pictures.

Do you use this on live bait ?

I don't know how long a minnow would live after being skeward like that.


Wiener

[WYeyes]

Thanks for the pictures.

Do you use this on live bait ?

I don't know how long a minnow would live after being skeward like that.


Wiener

Yes, live bait. I have most of the minnows live 3 weeks plus(not all though) after rigging them this way. The trick is to stay just under the skin. I use small trebles under the dorsal fin on small minnows and find they do more damage to the minnow than the lacing method. Just my opinion and what works for me.

[jiml]

That two prong hook rig looks cool.....I may have to try it sometime!  Bu I rely on GAMAGATZU hooks now.  For medium to medium heavy live shiners I use a #4 octapus by GAMAGATZU and they are fantastic!  My hook set ratio went from 1/2 to almost 100% when I switched to these a couple of seasons ago.  They are a little pricy but definately worth it.  Unbelievably sharp and the #4 size is perfect for Largemouth Bass, Big Pickerel and I have also landed many Rainbow and Brown trout using this size hook.  Nick the shiner just under the dorsal and add a small split shot about 12 inches above the hook if you want to fish deep (off the bottom).  For targeting the surface in shallower water (when I go for landlocked salmon) I hook the shiner in the lips and do not add split shot....the angle of the line forces the shiner to swim upwards this way.  GOOD LICK!!!

[WYeyes]

I agree on the Gamakatsu being great hooks. On soft water i use them more than any other brand. Even tie my own worm harneses using them.

[esox slayer]

What do you guys use for hooks on your leaders? I've tried the octopus circle hooks and my hook up ratio is about 40% but usualy its in the corner in in the throat  . Lately I tried the sureset hooks by VMC and I went 3 for 6 on flags which is just a little better than the octopus hooks. I didn't set the suresets I just slowly pulled in the fish because I am so use to the circle hooks. Anybody got any ideas of a good hook? Also with the octopus hooks sometimes the hook will turn into the minnow and a fish will just hold on for the ride then let go at the hole  . Also I fish with meduim heavy to large baits like in the 3 to 5 inch range so a big old treble isn't really necessary.

"Medium" pike bait up this way is a 7-9 inch sucker or shiner.

When we go to the big stuff (in the 12 inch range) is when it gets to be real fun.  I have cheap downrigger releases I attach to my heritage tip ups when we use those.

Either way, a 2/0 hook with a 12 inch steel leader is the only way to go.

[jiml]

Esox Slayer.....agreed..... if you are using 12 inch bait a #4 gamagatzu will NOT work!!!!