Hooks and Sizes?

I went back to a post in Sept of last year, asking about hooks.

I’m set up on my circle hooks, but as one of the posters said “with larger baits, circles are too small”.

When I go to a store looking at hooks, the array is dazzling. I can’t tell much differance between a 4/0 and a 7/0, which is kinda hard to find in a store by the way. Looking online is worse! The pictures all look the same!

So, spring is getting close and I’m working hard on getting things together.

For suckers from 7 to 12 inches, what kind and size hook should I be ordering?
Can someone explain the thought process on hook size? Try to keep it at a third grade level.

Last question, If I hook a sucker say 12″ further back towards the tail, can I use circle hooks and still count on a hook up?

Thanks guys!

Briank…catfisherman wannabe

spring’s coming soon??? really??

anywho……if you wanna actually touch and feel the hooks you’re going to buy, cabela’s has what you’re lookin for. i couldn’t tell you what sizes are best, but i always heard the bigger the better as cats aren’t hook shy……..some of the hooks cabela’s had were way bigger than anything you’d want to use around here. they had a few that would hang on to any 3rd grader out there, no problem.

Mustd makes a Big Gun Cat Hook up to 7/0. Its a Ultra Point hook. They actually make them up to size 11/0 but after 7/0 they are marketed as a salt water hook and they price goes way up. After 7/0 they are hard to find to. Its a good hook though. I think Cabelas sells them in 25 count packs up to 7/0.

Mustad also makes a 92671 in 10/0 that you can buy by the 100. Not a Ultra Point but a good value.

I like Gami Octopus hooks in a 10/0. Pro Catfish Tackle Shop has them.

For bullheads and suckers the size you’re talking about a 10/0 hook is good.

Each Company has a bit different size, so a 10/0 in Mustad isn’t quite the same a a 10/0 Gami. Close though.

For how much I love circles with cut bait and channel cats I haven’t had the same success with circles, live bait, and flatheads. If you find something that works let me know.

Last, but not least, some 80 lb Power Pro tied to them there hooks will haul in the big boys

Thanks guys!

Dirk, last year not knowing any better, I was using 4/0 circles and (about) 5- 6 inch suckers. After the three times I was out the final score was two misses and two kisses. I was skunked on one trip.
Pretty hard to tell, I know…but wouldn’t that sound about normal for circle hooks? I know you miss more with them…
Ps I did practice not setting the hook on them…I save that for third graders….

It’s 2 pm…Super Bowl Sunday…I know who’s not into football, beside me!

I cant explain your misses on the circle hook but your hooking ratio overall should be better with circles than standard hooks. Thats the only reason I use em. Did the rod you use have a limber tip or was it a stiff pool cue type rod. The pool cues are definately not the way to go for circles in my opinion. Oh ya, NO setting the hook with circle hooks. Thats a big no-no. Wait till they set themselves.

Beware of circle hooks if the fish are coming towards you. My buddy missed a good one last summer that way. I tend to stay away from circles if I am fishing straight down during the day. At night Circles rule.

Hi guys.

Brian, An 8/0 gama octopus is about the size you are looking for. It’s a very large hook. I’m not sure what you have, but mustad’s are very small for the number. I have some 11/0 or so mustad’s and the 8/0 gama’s are much larger than that.

Cat’s heading for you…? Ok, I give up! How can you tell a cat is moving toward you or not? Line goes slack?

Joshbjork, Welcome to the board and thanks for responding!
Sounds like you have some cat blood in your veins!? Where do you fish…which river?

Jake…I thought spring was coming…not so sure anymore!

Yes…..If you have a taught line…and it goes completely slack ..most of the time a Cat (or whatever is eating your bait) has picked it up and is swimming direcly towards you..

Brian, yeah I do a lot of reading and wishing. I live by Des Moines, right by the DM river. My father in-law lives in Lacrosse, and I visit a few times a year, but I haven’t gotten a chance to fish there yet. Where I am there is a lot less river and people are very secretive about flats because the river just doesn’t hold as many as the big water does. For instance I’ve heard about “fishing for months” to catch one decent fish.

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“fishing for months” to catch one decent fish

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Hmmm, sounds like me on the Croix this year for walleyes…we’ll, maybe not quite that bad. More channels in your river than flats I would suspect?
If you have ’em post some pictures of last years catch…we all need a bigger itch for spring!

Actually, The Mississippi is loaded with Flatheads. You may have to work a while to get a 30 plus pounder but 10 pounders are everywhere. If you are fishing for months with little success you aren’t fishing in correct areas, you are using the wrong bait(bluegills are best in my opinion), or wrong time of day. You should look to the weedlines. Spend some time scouting your area. Find the deepest water around. They are there during the day. Once you find the deep spot Stand up in your boat and find the nearest weed line. Right about dark be parked there right on the weed line in 5-10 feet of water. The fish will cruise the weedlines looking for shad and other small fish. Don’t be afraid to put a bait in 3 feet of water right where the weeds stop. They are much more agressive feeders at night. Have discipline and stay the course. Flathead fishing is a lot like deer hunting. Those that maintain their stand always get the big bucks. Maximize your success by using as many lines as the law allows.

Brian,

Coming towards you. You hear you bait clicker click a few times, watch your line. It will go slack somtimes swim under your boat or past it up stream. If you have a circle on don’t try to make contact until it passes you. If you are reeling in when the fish is facing you, the circle hook will come right out of that maw. Circle hooks are designed to hook the corner of a fishes mouth. If no corner is available they do not hook up. Usually good advice to let them run a ways. If anyone is interested in doing a little catting. I usually have problems finding mates willing to put in the time. PM me if you find yourself near Lynxville, WI.

Thanks Whiskerkev, the fishing for months thing was in the Des Moines river. But your info was good non the less. My mind is stuck on wing dams and large sand bars on the Croix for flats…when you start talking weed lines…well, I now have a few more place to try this spring…

Did I mention it’s only 45 days until spring!?

As far as the little buggers swimming towards you, well how the heck to you see your line go slack in the dark? I guess that’s what I got that little LED headlight for.

I guess I’ll make a seperate post about finding a net….

Thanks again….PS I don’t get down that way much, but the same holds true up here by Hudson WI.

I would definately recommend gamakatsu…..8/0 circles is what i use, and i use big baits…..if your not shure about circles….go with the gamakatsu big river bait hooks in a 10/0 there big enough for any bait, and sharp……..I use these hooks when i want to set the hook, fishing close to cover or just cant let the fish run with the bait long

Thanks Mike!

You fish the Miss or the Croix?

No…I fish the Tenn. River Lakes……Im just buttin in on yall’s board i guess…….but i like to see what other people are doing and saying…..and i havent been catfishing in awhile……so im about to go crazy

Mike…I must correct you! You’re but’en in on your board! And we’re glad to have you. In fact, I would bet that if you could get some interest going down there, James would start a forum just for your area. But that’s his decision.

You still have ice down there? Couple more weeks and you should be making us jelous by posting your reports!

Hope to hear more from you!

Briank

no..we havent had any ice….but the water temp is still cold, for these southern cats….i usually start around the first of march….fishin usually peaks in May for me…ill be sure to post some of my outings

Mike – I’d like to welcome you to the website but you give me a cause for concern. This picture was taken from your guide website. That picture of the pickup truck with all the dead catfish in the back kind of scares a catman like me. I don’t believe in killing cats, especially nice big ones, unless you are going to eat them. I hope that pickup load fed a lot of people because otherwise it is a waste of a very precious resource. I don’t mean to be so judgemental on your first posts but if you are a guide then you must realize that those fish are your livelihood. That pickup picture reminds me of the mistake some early hunters made when they harvested buffalo like you harvest cats.

Thats a older pick……..about 3 years old…..that is from one weekend of fishin….I just put that picture in there to show what some trips produce….I practice catch and release now with anything over 20 lbs……but yes all of those fish were eaten…….not by me personally…..but they were not wasted……however I dont believe keeping those fish even put a dent in Wilson Lake, on the TN river…but if everyone caught and kept fish like that out of there, it eventually would…….I am a strong supporter of catch and release, and all my tournaments are catch and release, no dead fish are weighed, 5 fish limit…..but however i don’t believe you can judge a person by a picture…you also have to realize im from Al. and this is not illegal and a common practice with allot of folks still…and yet we still have the best catfish lakes in the U.S.

What are your daily and posession limits on Channel Cats down there??

Gator Hunter

My two cents worth…I was fishing Walleye a couple years ago on Horseshoe Chain by Richmond, MN. The DNR guy came by, (Doing a survey) and asked what I thought of all The Catfish in the lake. Seems as a lot of the Walleye, Bass, and Crappie fishermen resented the Catfish in the lake. We also have lots of commercial fisherman on pools 12 and 13 that take huge amounts of Catfish out to sell. My favorite food is fish. When I’m on a fishing/camping trip I eat lots of fish. I always release the larger Bass, Walleye, and Northern as I feel big fish reproduce big fish and little fish reproduce little fish. As far as having a pickup box of fish when it is warm enough to have green grass, that STINKS. I always try to keep my catch alive or on ice until I clean it.

there are no limits of any type in Alabama…..gator……and yes those fish were kept on ice in coolers, except for the time it took to take a few pics…..I have been releasing all the big ones for the last 2 years……last year I released 6 over 40lbs including a 68lb blue and a 73lb flathead….this is the release pic, and it doesn’t do it justice, because the pic was took from to far away.

Nice flathead – Mike. A 73lb flathead would be a new state record in MN. Our current flathead record is 70#. I see the Alabama record is 80#. You are closing in on the AL record with a 73lber. Did that thing like to pull you out of the boat?

Jim, I was raised about 40 miles south of New Richmond and I hear you when you talk about Catfish in the lakes.
Personally, I figure if they can co exist with the other fish…I don’t have a problem with them. My Dad on the other hand gets all fired up when you mention the DNR or Catfish in the lakes. One CO told him that they stocked them in one lake to experiment with. Wrong answer! As most people know all the lakes in that area connect to another lake. The lake he was refering to connected to at least 7 other lakes which all (now) have channels in them. I’ll have to look for the letter the DNR sent me to explain their reasoning for planting them…

With Mike’s picture on his site, well, let’s not burn the guy at the stake. There is differant attitudes about many differant things across the country. As far as we know, that picture could have been taken in the spring or fall with an outside temp of 40 – 50 degrees. Mike guides. So if he had 4 or 5 people on his pontoon…all with a 5 fish limit…well, that’s the bottom of a pick up full of cats. All legal. As far as we know, the area he’s fishing maybe as thick with cats as the eye’s on P4 in March.

Or of course you could think that he went out with a stick of TNT and that’s all he could scoop up in his net in a few minutes…

My opinion…(again) is that Com did Mike a favor by bringing that picture on his site to his attention…because of the attitudes across the country are differant and he maybe losing business because of it.

All my opinion…not asking you to agree with it…just putting it out there.

B

Boy I take a long time to post…two up while I was doing mine!

Mike…no limit? Is TNT still legal?

You can tell I don’t get out much…

Very nice Cat Mike. If I was looking for a guide that PIC would get my business not the pickup load. From what I seen on the Horseshoe chain, your lake may be so loaded with those critters, that you are doing good by taking them out. I caught a lot of four to six pound cats throwing a red spinnerbait with a huge red blade. I was trying it for Northern and the Cat must have thought it was a Craw. Welcome to the Site Mike.

That flathead did pull like a bulldozer…..I caught her on a Medium action American Premier Nite Stick Pro with 50 lb Power Pro…..the bad thing was, I was by myself and the fish would not fit in my net…..so that was a challenge…I appreciate the comments about the truck pic, and it dont make me mad at all….I will find a better pic…no there is no limit for sport fishing on catfish in AL. there considered non-game….no TNT is not legal, nor shocking….these fish were all caught in MAY in the rain……….most of em on sunfish… I encourage people to take all the 1-10 lber’s they catch home….but have a catch and release policy on my boat on anything over 20lbs…unless its a stripe and then they can keep there limit of those

I should have know about the TNT…because….

An old friend of my dad’s (for protection, well just call him Jake) lived and fished all of his life in AL. He was what you would call a man of few words and a shady type of guy in his fishing and other activities. The local CO was a friend of Jakes but thought he was fishing in ways that were againts the law, so the CO asked Jake if he could go fishing with him.
A few days later, the were on the lake and Jake motored up to a secluded spot. The CO was a talker and didn’t stop talking until Jak pulled out a stick of TNT and tossed it out of the boat. As the muffled boom sounded and hundreds of fish came to the surface belly up. The Game Warden asked Jake in a very stern tone “Jake! You know you can’t use tnt to fish with.” Jake took a long swig of jug in a brown paper bag and said hmph. He collected his fish and went to a differant stop on the lake. Jake repeated using TNT. The CO was fuming. Jake! If you do that again I’m hauling your rear off to jail! Old Jake just sat there, letting the CO continue to yak about all the reasons you can’t use TNT for fishing.
Jake motored up to a third place lit the TNT with a little shorter fuse, handed it to the CO and said “Are you going to talk or fish?”

Now wasn’t that worth the wait?!