Flattie Bites

[nobuzz]

Guys,

I'm fishing Waterfoot (pier and/or beach) at the weekend. I'm anticipating that I'll be getting fairly constant bites from palm-sized flatties.

What would you recommend to maximise hook-ups but avoid the fish swallowing the hook.

Do you use bigger hooks and wait for bites to develop or do you use smaller hooks and strike early?

[twinkle]

if you want to avoid hooking them go for the bigger hook. it wont stop all of them as iv caught postage stamp size on 3/0 hooks. but it might reduce the amount of hook ups if there about in abundance. good luck

[petekd]

If you use a bigger hook, it wont stop the small fish biting, however it will make unhooking small flats that have swallowed it a nightmare and result in excessive damage. You try getting even a size 2 or above out of a <20cm flat without wrecking it and you will see what I mean. Stick to the smaller hooks, just dont give them as long and check out the two threads in the tips and tricks section for how to unhook em.

[jhr111]

minimin size 1/0 hooks and short snoods

[eric]

minimin size 1/0 hooks and short snoods

top advice, you must really understand your qaurry

[petekd]

minimin size 1/0 hooks and short snoods

I dont agree in the slightest, put a 1/0 down a flats throat (and they will) and you face a butchery job to unhook them, there isnt the same room as when you use a smaller hook to invert it and release.

[nobuzz]

invert it and release.

Good point! Just lke bigger fish but scaled down!

Why didn't I think of that?