Being disabled does not allow me to throw jigs and plugs with the stamina I once had. 5 minutes of jigging and plugging is about all I can do, so I fish cut bait, pogies and mackerel.
I did notice something when I went fishing last week (my back is paying for it now, shots in the back this morning, thanks doc). And another thing. I wont be using Gamagatsu octopus hooks any more. I lost 2 big fish using them last week. They hook very well, but did not hold the big fish (I was using 7/0 size). I did manage a 38 " but after loosing those 2 (they were big) I changed over to kerbed Mustad 8/0 (hand sharpened) and cought a 40". I noticed that the wire diameter on the Gami hooks was somewhat smaller than the Mustads and that they "pinch" the metal at the shank and the gap of the hook (further reducing the actual width/diameter of the wire (strain hardened). Over the years, I had noticed that I had also pulled the hook on a couple other good fish using Gamigatsu octopus hooks, chocked it up to bad luck. As a positive note, Gamagatsu hooks have hooked me some fine fish, but (sometimes) not firmly in the mouth, just on the lip, sometimes the fish were just hanging on by a thread. I never hooked up like that using Mustad hooks. I'm thinking the wire diameter reduction of the Gami's allows the hook to pull easier (please don't tell me I got the drag set too tight, when a fish dumps half the reel, and the hook pulls, theres something wrong).
OK, well my ranting is done.
Oh, do you fish cut bait ?
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