Hook size....

[Bluegillman]

What hook size do u use for bluegills on worms? I'm using #6 and 8 in some kind of short shank but I would want them in long shanks that would be easy to get the hooks out. What do u guys have and what is the easy way to get them out if in too deep? I mostly would just cut the line and let the fish go if it isn't much for the frying pan rather than kill it for the hook.
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[birddogwi]

Sometimes I'll go up to a #4 with just enough crawler to cover the hook (thread it on) .. it helps deter the dinks too but the fish really dictate it. A 6 or 8 is usually the size I'll use and always use Octopus hooks with a modified snell knot.

I always have a few forceps handy to disgorge hooks incase they're the greedy type.
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[tubeN2]

I tend to fancy the Owner Mosquito hooks. #6-10 seem to work well. I also carry some hemostats to help get the deep ones out.[cool]
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[birddogwi]

... and you wonder why I'm not a doctor?!

[][crazy]

"Hemostats.. dang it nurse I meant Hemostats!"
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[tubeN2]

Ha ha. Thats funny Doc.

I was an EMT for many years. I was always in the habit of carrying the "Hemo's" around wherever I go. I usually keep one pair for fishing and the other ones are sterile for emergencies.
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[birddogwi]

I'm no EMT .. 'bout all I'm good for is a few bandaids and some electical tape. []

say tN2, I've had both good and bad luck with buying hemos.. some I've had were sloppy at the hinge point.. bothers the heck out of me. Do medical supply stores usually carry hemos that joe public can walk in a buy?
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[tubeN2]

Hemos are in alot of medical supply as well as emergency preparedness or emergency supply stores. They are actually a type of forcep so you are not that far off.

Word of advice!! Stay away from the ones made in Taiwan, China or Pakistan. You will not find any from US available to the public but you can get some good quality ones if they are made in India.

There seems to be a better quality control over there. If you are lucky, you can get the ones with the small bandage scissors too. They are good enough to cut spectra/power pro type braided lines.

Look for the Rankin Kelly forceps. I can PM you a link to one of the Medical sites. Actually just put the proper prefix to this one Allheart.com. Just look for the section for EMT tools and follow the link till you get to Hemos, forceps and clamps.[cool]
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[Bluegillman]

[size 1]hemostats.... I have that too and it is not that easy getting the point out of the tunnel. I seem to be trying to push the hook down and turn the hook then try to fish it out but it seems to me I'm hooking it in another spot. I end up cutting the line to let it go.[/size]
[size 1]I try to jerk the rod when I see the line move to hook the fish as soon so the hook ends up in the lips instead of all the way in. I win some and lose some.[/size]
[size 1]Owner Mosquito hooks I looked it up and it looks like a half moon shape are they better than the ones I use "Tru-Turn" hooks that has cam actions?[url "http://www.truturnhooks.com/"]Click here: TruTurn Hooks[/url] [/size]
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[tubeN2]

It takes some practice with Hemos. Shimano put some out on the market a few years back. They are stainless but not the 406 stainless like you can get at the medical supply places. They are actually 300 series stainless which is slightly magnetic. (rust out quickly in the salt water)

I like the med supply ones because you can order curved tip ones which allow you to see where you are grabbing at the hook. This does less damage to a fish that you are going to C&R.

With the Mosquito hooks, I cannot prove that they are better than the true turn hooks. Mosquitos have there function and benefits and the Tru turns have theirs too.

Mosquito hooks are lighter, thinner, stealthier and sharper than most hooks on the market.

I also like the TruTurn hooks. They are excellent of using plastics. I have been using them for Bass for quite some time now. I like the ease in setting the hook especially when the Bass could be a light bighter sometimes.
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[birddogwi]

thanks for the info tN2. I'll stop in and take a look next time I'm in the area of those supply stores. I have 8-9 of the things floating around in the boat, truck and in different tackle bags, but only 4 of 'em are worth their weight.


about the hooks. Thats one reason I like to step up in hook size (if I can) to a #4 Octopus (Gamakatsu or VMC Fastgrip Octopus) the shorte more compact shank allows for more room to work the hook from their mouth.. but as bluegillman stated .. you win some -you lose some. [unsure]
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[tubeN2]

I keep a few pair around myself. They always come in handy.

The Octopus hooks are actually pretty good too. I use those in a few different sizes. In some cases, I will actually favor the Octopus hook over the Tru Turn hook for some of the Bass fishing I do.

Like I said earlier, each hook has it's advantage and divantage. There isn't a single hook that is perfect for all occasions. Although there are some that are a little more universal they could still be substituted for something more suitable on certain situations.[cool]
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[bassngal]

[] I was bream fishing yesterday and using Tru Turn #4 hooks (actually crappie hooks). I was catching big Bluegill and Redear with them. I didn't have any problems getting the hook out.
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[Bluegillman]

[url "http://www.truturnhooks.com/products/hooks_868.html"]Click here: TruTurn Hooks - Products - 868 - XLONG PANFISH HOOKS[/url]

this sound more like what I wanted to get. I'm gonna check to see if he has them in his store and try them side by side with the reg. one.
I did have those in red and plain, I didn't see any difference in catches. How was your rate on red and plains?
Bream fishing as it is called in the south sounds like ya from the south too? Once down there at my sister's I asked my brother-in-law "lets go bluegill fishing" guys around there would look at each other on what I was talking about. I learned that name "bream" while there too.
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[bassngal]

[cool]I have used both, but personally I like using the red. We call them bream too, but when you say you want to catch some gills you know they are talking about bluegills. I live in Louisiana. I have friends that use the plain. I figure if the bream are biting crickets, they don't know what color the hool is.
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[tubeN2]

That is a good indicator with the fish. If they don't even care about anything but the scent then why bother with giving them the more expensive hook.[cool]
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[bassngal]

[] We went yesterday after work and caught 16 in about an hour. Started pouring rain so we went home. We were fishing from the bank. Have to clean them this afternoon. We caught bluegill and redears.
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[tubeN2]

Oooooh Yummy!!! What time is Supper??? ha ha. Please be sure to check out some of the Panfish recipes from the recipe board. [cool]
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[Tarpon4me]

Looks like you got some good inputs there bluegillman, so I figure i'll add a little more. My hook preference, depending on bait and size of fish i'm targeting, ranges from a 4 to a 10. I'll use an 8 or 10 with waxworms when i'm trying to catch smaller bream for catfish bait. I'll use a 6 or 8 with crickets and I like a 4 for Crappie. I like the neon yellow Lazer sharp hooks because they are flashy and because I think they look really cool with my yellow braid. [cool] I also just purchased a new type of hook i'm going to try. It's a micro-sized circle hook.



It's made by Daiichi and I think it will do very well. The only thing about using this hook is you're bound to loose a few more fish. When you use a circle hook, you have to set the hook opposite the direction the fish is traveling, or else you'll pull it right out of his mouth. It's not always possible to do that when you're panfishing because there is no telling where he'll end up heading once he has your bait. LOL I'll give it a try and let you know how it works. [cool]
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[davetclown]

for blue gill, I use nothing bigger than a number 6. used to use a number 5 but they dont make them any more. I did get one in a pack of 5's a few weeks back. someone must have been scrapin the bottom of some bin to make quota one day...LOL

shank size dont matter to me,

style, octopus, snell, arberdeane, eagle claw, circle, long medium or short shank,

color, as long as it dosnt offend you it wont offend the fish. just so long as they are sharp and not rusted. ya dont want to give them gills lock Jaw from them rusty hooks.[laugh]

Its kind of hard to give a fish a tetness shot...[angelic]
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[MinnowMagnet]

I like to use size 12 and 10.
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