Can a hook be too big?

[Saltheart]

Been fishing a long time. One thing I find interesting is that as the decades go by , I find myself using bigger and bigger hooks. I was once a firm believer in 4/0 hooks for eels. then I went to 6/0 and now I like 8/0. maybe its cause I can see the hole in the eye better but i think its just responding to success.

Anyway , looking for thopughts and opinions on hooks and where you think you might go too big on a hook.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Salt.. for eels I have done the same... up to 8/0 Gami Octopus hooks... hook up % hasnt changed, but I rarely if ever hook a fish anywhere but the corner of the mouth.... usually A short (3sec) count. sometimes less if its a small eel; rarely longer than 4-5sec if throwing a horse eel...

[Goose]

Depending on how big they are most of the time I'm going with 5/0 or 6/0....maybe I try 7 on the bigger ones this year.

[tlapinski]

uh oh, not the my hook is bigger than your hook debate.

i use 4/0 and 5/0 gami big game bait hooks for eeling. no reason except that it works for me.

[Jenn]

doesnt it all depend on the size of the bait??? bigger the bait.......the bigger the hook the bigger the fish???

[Strider]

So Jenn, you are saying that based on your experience, size does matter

[fishaholic18]

Up to a few years ago I was using 5/0 hooks then I went up from there. Now I use 7/0 pretty much all the time.

[fishweewee]

If you're targeting bucketmouth stripers?

I don't think so...if you're talking chunking. You can always bury the hook in a little deeper in a larger slab of meat.

What's nice about using bigger hooks is that theoretically there is less risk of gut hooking a fish.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Tackle Slut.. I mean WW... thats my feeling... most bass that can swallow a 15" eel can take the 8/0 gami no problem..
I actually use 19/0 gaff hooks for my eels... but I'm using 4' congers...

[fishweewee]

I would pay serious $$$ to see a striper deep-throat a 4' conger eel.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Was that Striper or Stripper?

[RI Popper]

Wee Wee. What are you thinking??? I've seen 28" striper with a 12" to 13" scup stuck in it's thoat. I can't believe it was trying to swallow that thing suicidal striper.

[fishweewee]

I'm thinking it would be kinda raunchy to see a twenty-eight inch striper deep-throat a FOUR FOOT LONG CONGER EEL.

[striprman]

Originally posted by Saltheart
Been fishing a long time. One thing I find interesting is that as the decades go by , I find myself using bigger and bigger hooks. I was once a firm believer in 4/0 hooks for eels. then I went to 6/0 and now I like 8/0. maybe its cause I can see the hole in the eye better but i think its just responding to success.

Anyway , looking for thopughts and opinions on hooks and where you think you might go too big on a hook.

Maybe you use bigger hooks hopeing to catch a big giant fish?

I use 8/0 hooks pogie chunkin', they work

[Crafty Angler]

Mike -

I've always used a 5/0 or 6/0 Mustad bronze live bait hook but with a straight point, not the kirbed one - I forget the model number (early onset Old-timer's Disease, I guess).

I use a 30" 50 lb flouro leader with a clinch knot with a 130 lb Spro swivel to the running line - I never snell.

[RIROCKHOUND]

"I'm thinking it would be kinda raunchy to see a twenty-eight inch striper deep-throat a FOUR FOOT LONG CONGER EEL."


You be a sick puppy WW... but thats why we all likes ya i s'pose

you think about 28" bass... I think about 58"...

so from that I draw the following conclusions
Bryan = Extreme dreamer/optimist
Ben = Realist (and tackle slut )

[macojoe]

7 to 8/0 for eels here!!

[Raven]

as each decade goes by your brain starts shrinking more and more until your eyeballs start getting tweaked from implosion pressure and thats what makes the hooks look smaller and smaller....

[BigBo]

Used to use 6/0 all the time eeling. Now I use 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus. I seem to have better luck with the7/0's for some reason.

[Jenn]

So Jenn, you are saying that based on your experience, size does matter

No not really. havent we all caught the smallest fish on a larger bait and think "what was that fish thinkin??"

I use a very detailed technique for matching hooks and bait (ahem) if I look at it and it LOOKs stupid to me I go for a larger or smaller hook! ok...not so detailed but I figure if I have a huge hook that doesnt look right to me it certainly wont look right to a fish!!! I hardly ever use over a 6/0.

[chipwood]

Big striper, big mouth, hard mouth, big hook. 10/ 0 for chunks, 8/ 0 Octopus for eels. I don't know about waiting 3-whatever seconds after getting hits on eels, your reading too many magazine articles. I hit that fish as soon as I feel the bump. Everytime I've ever paused when fishing eels I never got the fish hooked. Chunking is about the only time I wait to hit a fish.

[DaveS]

4/0 is perfect, short shank

[fishin]

I use size 5 for chunking and elling no problems

[fishweewee]

While we're on the subject of eel hooks, I can't say that bigger is always better. I have yet to find a better live eel hook than this (in terms of bang for buck)...a stinky Mustad 94150 6/0 tuna hook.

It's not the size of this hook that I like ... it's the BARB.

Keeps the eel on much better than some of the more expensive Gamakatsus I used to use (I hate the Octopus for eeling).

-WW

p.s. they rust ... which can be a good thing or a bad thing...

[Goose]

I luv that Gami's are sticky sharp and they hold their point. also, the gauge of the gami's are smaller which makes for better penetration.

[Slingah]

I like to use 4/0 gami live bait for the fact that's what I always have used and never a problem....seems like the perfect fit
wraps around the slimey's head just so

[tlapinski]

Originally posted by Slingah
I like to use 4/0 gami live bait.....

holy cr@p. someone that uses the same thing as me! that might be a first.

[rocketman]

I had a 22/0 that I bought from Herters when I was a kid. I think if I can find it I'll save it til my eyes are worse than Salthearts.

[NIB]

I remember putting 6/0 hooks in some molds thinkin the where pretty big.Now I wish I could find 94185's in 9/0 for the jigs I throw today I 've gone as far as to fashion a sinker eylet in the mold with a 3407 9/0. I just think that a bigger hook has a better chance of snaggin some piece of the mouth on the way out of a closed stripers maw.with the new braids i think u feel the fish alot sooner than with the mono.So by the time He feels the hook I'mm settin up.I think thats one part.I don't know if its me I think older hooks where alot stronger than they are today.so I feel I have to go up in size to increase the strenght.Another by product of braid fishing.

[John E]

I use 7/0 Gami's regardless of the size eel I'm tossing. I'd rather not hook a small bass because the hook was too big instead of a big fish due to a small hook.