Hooking herring for livelining

[Saltheart]

What's peoples opinions on hook placement for livelining herring. Some guys like to come up through the snout. Some guys like to hook through the eyes. I especially like to hook them in front of the dorsal fin but thats tough unless you are letting them down from above as from a bridge or boat. Any thoughts? Also what hooks do you like. I like 6/0 live bait or 6/0 Gama Octopus. Some peole prefer thinner gauge hooks saying they are easier on the herring. Opinions?

[eelman]

Hi salty ! I aggee with the 6/0 hook.I like to hook them right thru the nose! if you need to get them down deep,I like hooking them in the vent.

Sometimes when alot of bass are chasing the herring they like to stay near the top(I would too) The other way I fix this problem is to cut the pectoral fins off the herring with scissors.They can try all they want!! But they will end up meal in no time and cannot swim back up!Im ready!! Lets go!!

[Saltheart]

I like to hook them in front of the dorsal fin. That seems to keep the alive best and give them the best freedom to swim. However you can't cast them good when hooked that way. My next choice is through the nose. Thats what I do at say the Narrow river when fishing from the bank. For the Canal I switch to hooking them through the eyes on the advice of Mike F. He says they saty on better and he's right. Got to be tough on the herring though. GBiggest problem I have with hooking the herring is the point of the hook ending up back in the herring instead of exposed to get the bass. Tough problem. Suggestions wanted!

[JohnR]

I have been hooking them thru the nose. What do you think for live-linning herring at the Canal?

[Mike P]

They're coming, boys, they're coming. TimS and I found some better fish than the early-season dinks on Friday, including my first keeper of the new millenium. Put an edge on those Mustads and make sure the pump is working, they will be there any day now.

[Saltheart]

John , I do better hooking them in the eyes at the canal except at the fishing pier. There I can put it ahead of the dorsal fin. If I put it in their nose at the canal , I end up casting them off after a while.