Hook sizes?

Just wanted to run this by you guys, since i'm still learning the west coast.

I've always used 7/0 Gamagatchu Circle Octopus hooks when I live lined macs/pollocks for stripers, but the guy at the bait shop who seems stoned off his ass told me to use 1/0 Mustad live bait hooks, I don't know if its me, but for big trophy fish like Yellow Tails and WSB, 7/0 doesn't seem at all to small. Whats your suggestions?

[The Kid]

bahahahahahahhahahahahahaha holy crap 7/0!!!

Ok ok whew! No those hooks are going to be way to big out here. You will have a really hard time catching the exotics with as large of a hook as a 7/0. The fish around here are extremely shy and wary of boats, fishing line, hooks, swivels, weights, braid, and basically anything out of the norm. All the pressure that these fish see makes them very picky and the bait on this end needs to be presented with the most natural movement. 1/0 size hooks are great because you can hook everything on a 1/0 around here. For finbait I use Owner ringed offshore 1/0s, and for squid, can't beat a 5/0 Aki twist.

Damn! So even these 3/0's are to big? !!!!!

[coxtanker421]

unless ur on a charter

[Handymansd]

um... ya.
1/0 and 2/0 as the biggest is usually a better bet.

[coxtanker421]

jk drake . im just trying to get a few chuckles. .im a rookie on yak

[taggermike]

Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Catching your own macks for bait can give you a variety of sizes but usually you'll get 6-10 inch baits. 2/0 to 4/0 will cover most of the baits you'll catch. I have noticed from reading fishing mags for years and from living and fishing on the east coast for a year that east coast anglers tend to use much more complicated rigs than west coast guys. Swivels, beads, shiny little flasher blades, multiple treble hooks stuck all over the baits, popping attracters, little brass rattles, wire leaders even for fish that don't have teeth, shock leaders. We don't really use any of that stuff out here. I have caught most of my LJ yellows slow trolling a live mackeral on 25lb line and a 3/0 owner light wire mutu circle hook. Some times I'll use a bit of fluorocarbon. I used to fish 1/2 and 3/4 day boats often in the summer and my "arsenal" consisted of one 9' surface iron stick with a handfull of tady 45s and C's and a 25lb bait stick with a box of 2/0 cheepass mustad hooks. Worked for me. Mike

[coxtanker421]

818 486 0120 .having trouble contacting. thx for others input.

Originally Posted by taggermike

Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Catching your own macks for bait can give you a variety of sizes but usually you'll get 6-10 inch baits. 2/0 to 4/0 will cover most of the baits you'll catch. I have noticed from reading fishing mags for years and from living and fishing on the east coast for a year that east coast anglers tend to use much more complicated rigs than west coast guys. Swivels, beads, shiny little flasher blades, multiple treble hooks stuck all over the baits, popping attracters, little brass rattles, wire leaders even for fish that don't have teeth, shock leaders. We don't really use any of that stuff out here. I have caught most of my LJ yellows slow trolling a live mackeral on 25lb line and a 3/0 owner light wire mutu circle hook. Some times I'll use a bit of fluorocarbon. I used to fish 1/2 and 3/4 day boats often in the summer and my "arsenal" consisted of one 9' surface iron stick with a handfull of tady 45s and C's and a 25lb bait stick with a box of 2/0 cheepass mustad hooks. Worked for me. Mike

Thanks for this, I agree that things get way to involved ont he east coast, like fish finder rigs, tube and worms, blah blah blah

Here, I'm going to stick to a tried and true Carolina rig or fly line. I've got some research to do when it comes to Irons though, since I've never used them lol