04-20-2023, 02:19 PM
I often use 2 hook rigs for cats. I tie them myself on 40# leader using two snell knots. Typically a 4/0 or larger front hook and as you mentioned a 1/0 rear hook, all circles. I try not to call them stingers because those are usually trebles and I avoid putting trebles on for cats. Fishing a 1/0 circle out of the gullet is bad enough. When it is really bad I cut the rear hook off and I feel survival rates are probably higher with a single than a treble.
I did use some trailing hooks last summer at Strawberry on the back of tube jigs. I had about the same success you described. Better than half of the fish had the main hook in their mouths, but some only the back hook and I broke off a couple of back hooks. I had tied those on directly to the main hook with 8# line.
I would guess that I end up landing about 1/4 of my cats on the back hook and I feel good that those didn't get away. It seems second hooks do the most good during the transition between the active feeding and the "leave me alone" periods.
Recently I've tried what Justin (see Kayak Catfish on youtube) calls stinger flies. I use a 1/0 size bright colored fly. They do catch some fish, but I can't tell that they catch more than I would have gotten with just a 1/0 back hook.
At Ut Lake, an added benefit of the 1/0 trailing hook is that it catches quite a few white bass over a season and I always love fresh bait. I've had a few whites that were so starved that they managed to get hooked on a 4/0 circle, but not many!
I did use some trailing hooks last summer at Strawberry on the back of tube jigs. I had about the same success you described. Better than half of the fish had the main hook in their mouths, but some only the back hook and I broke off a couple of back hooks. I had tied those on directly to the main hook with 8# line.
I would guess that I end up landing about 1/4 of my cats on the back hook and I feel good that those didn't get away. It seems second hooks do the most good during the transition between the active feeding and the "leave me alone" periods.
Recently I've tried what Justin (see Kayak Catfish on youtube) calls stinger flies. I use a 1/0 size bright colored fly. They do catch some fish, but I can't tell that they catch more than I would have gotten with just a 1/0 back hook.
At Ut Lake, an added benefit of the 1/0 trailing hook is that it catches quite a few white bass over a season and I always love fresh bait. I've had a few whites that were so starved that they managed to get hooked on a 4/0 circle, but not many!