Big Hooks =Big Fish.....Small Hooks = ??

Just wondering what size hooks most of you guys prefer...I always stick with a 2/0 on top snood ...3-4/0 on bottom snood...reason being if perchance i got stuck into something big I know the hook will do the job.
Also have you ever seen the mouth on a tiny codling :shock: I've got them on huge crab baits on 4/0 hooks.I do appreciate the matchmen scaling down to size 1's and 2's etc for competitions but this is purely for pleasure angling !!

i never use over a 2/0 when pleasure angling, i'd 90% of my traces are tied with size 4 hooks, a few with 2's and a couple with 1's.

Eric,

Would a size 4 hook hold a big Ray or Codling ?? Also I would find it difficult to mount a large crab bait on small hooks..or is there a knack to it ??

Also by using small hooks do you find you catch a lot of small fish which you normally wouldn't using larger hooks ??

Hi
I have had ray up to 7lbs and cod up to 3lbs on size 4's and size 2's with no hassel



fintan

Does anybody else find it difficult to but a large bait on a size 4 hook?? is it harder to hook a bigger fish on a big bait mounted on a size 4?

thats my point ( excuse the pun ) KK ....Or is it easier to present a large bait on a bigger hook.ie Crab,Sand eel,Mackeral,Cocktails.

I have caught all types of very small fish on 3/0 Hooks.
So what would be the advantage of using very small hooks like No 4's ??

of course its better to use bigger hooks targeting bigger fish,whats the point taking chances of fish being lost,its not a course angling were you trying to hide the hook not to scare the fish....different is on comps,were you present smaller hooks so its easy taken by smaller fish. Big bait and small hook-just doesn't work,never come across the need to do so..

i use small enough baits on the hooks and have still caught big fish on them


fintan

i find when your using small hooks you need to scale your baits to suit the hooks

Im sure small baits with small hooks catch bigger fish but some fish just like big juicy baits. ie cod, bass so from now on no more size 4 unless its very quiet and scratching is my only option not to blank!!!

and also large baits I would imagine leave a bigger scent trail and are easier for the fish to find !!!

I used to fish 2/0 on all my rigs. Moved down to 1's and 2's recently on most of my rigs (was missing some bites which turned out to be flats). Still landing bigger fish - had a 6.5lb bass with no problem on a size 2. If I wanted a big bait on I'd use a bigger hook, but I can get a whole razor on a 2 if I really want to. I'd only scale up these days from the boat for ray/conger etc, but even that isn't a problem - ask petekd about his huss and conger on the SAI MA trip out in Cork harbour.

i have had bass of up to 12lb 6oz on a size 2 fine wire crab hook.

bait presentation is a skill, that i am slowly getting to grips with, it is possible to mount a whol crab bait on a size 4 hook, but why bother?

its far more comfortable to use a 1/2 crab on a hook that size.

have also seen ling in the region of 8lbs take on a size 4 hook on the boat.

it depends what fish yo are targeting to be honest, i generally use a size 4 or 2 if flatty fishing or scratching and 1 or 1/0 for doggies and ray etc but againit depends on the fish that are present at the venue!

Eric,

Would a size 4 hook hold a big Ray or Codling ?? Also I would find it difficult to mount a large crab bait on small hooks..or is there a knack to it ??

Also by using small hooks do you find you catch a lot of small fish which you normally wouldn't using larger hooks ??

most of the beaches i fish woudln't hold decent rays or big cod. ive had bass to 5lb on size 4, if i where targeting smoothies or ray i would use a larger hook, but most of my quarry is small, fish for whats there not for what should be there, i'd rather catch tiddlers than nothing. as regards to bait presentation, crabs mussels and large fish baits can be a problem, but i just scale them down so they fit.

Thanks for the input lads...So is there any advantage to using small hooks as against bigger Hooks ?? :?

yes......more species. also a small hook is much more discreet.

i would now rarely consider using anything bigger than 1/0. you would be surprised how much bait you can get on a hook if you present it right.

the mustad silver worm hooks are very strong and would have no trouble at all in dealing with big fish.

Alex

Match the hook to the bait you want to use. Thats how you get good presentation and catch. Its not about using small hooks that are easier to get in their mouths as if the presentation is wick cause of it they aint gonna put it in their mouth in the first place.

Marty

yes its no problem to say ...i had big fish on a small hook... its luck to land one,because its have less chance to be hooked properly

Following on from Lee....

Had no problem bringing in a 13lb Huss on Shamrocks Bleeding Gloworm rig which I believe is tied to short shank size 4s, also had conger on that rig on the same day. I have scaled down hook size for the most part in general fishing unless I'm specifically targetting Bass and Cod with the exception of all others. Still get plenty of bass and cod on 4s and 2s too though but the bigger hooks usually keep off nuisance fish when pleasure fishing like coalies and whiting. Doesn't however stop them ravaging the baits.

When using smaller hooks for fishing, as said above, your bait presentation is absolutely paramount. Hook points need to be absolutely clear and baited in such a way so as it cant slide down and swamp the point. This definitely means scaling down bait size