OCMD LEGASEA report from Sunday...pulling hooks, need some feedback

[SharkJP]

Ok, I debated posting this because I def made my way to the barn Sunday night with my tail between my legs. We had a decent day action wise, but I simply could not keep a hook in a fish. We started at the dog and had a 40-50lb yft in the box pretty quickly and then hooked up with another shortly thereafter. Fought the fish for 10 min or so and pulled the hook. It got crowded at the dog so we trolled east. Got some good reports and decided to run to the Balt and put lines in about 90fa on the 225 line. I had some decent marks and worked a 1/4 mile square and had a shot at 3 whites in about 2 hrs. Hooked the first one as he piled on the left long and pulled the hook after about 30 seconds. The second I couldnt get off the spreader bar and he wasnt seen again. The 3rd came in hot on the right short, good drop back and hooked him up. Got a couple jumps and then he came unglued. Stopped back by the dog after the boats left and had 4 bites in about an hour n a half. TONS of bait and birds and only 2 other boats with me. We hooked all 4 fish and pulled hooks on all 4 fish. One was almost in gaff range when I saw the hook pop out...the other we pulled off after fighting anywhere from 5-15 min.I know there will be days like this, but I cant help but be all kinds of frustrated. Lets leave circle hooks out of this discussion for the time being. I am using 7691dt mustads. My 50s have 14lbs of drag at strike and my 30s are about 9lbs. Very rarely will I push the drag past strike, especially with an inexperienced crew. WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?! I could use the boards feedback or suggestions on why Im pulling so many damn hooks.

[SharkJP]

Ok, why are my line spacings not showing up??? Lets tackle that question first...lol. I think the post is a little easier to read when there are line breaks and spacing.

[Hucklebuck]

When I'm having one of those days I always pull back on the drag. Although your drag settings are right on the money I prefer lighter drag unless necessary. I've found that the harder I pull the harder they pull back. What size hook were you using? You gave the number but not the size. Definitley drop back the drag on the whites to 4#. Maybe your hooks were too sharp? Do you file a knife edge or just the point. I'm not sure if that hook is one of those chemically sharpened ones or not.

Or you could just chalk it up to one of those days as I dont think I've said anything here that you dont already know. We went 9 for 21 on whites one day using 6/0 eagle claw circles hooks. We had hooks in 18 and were jumpin them off left and right. Overnight I changed everything to 7/0 VMC's and we went 7 for 7 in the morning.... go figure?

[SharkJP]

When I'm having one of those days I always pull back on the drag. Although your drag settings are right on the money I prefer lighter drag unless necessary. I've found that the harder I pull the harder they pull back. What size hook were you using? You gave the number but not the size. Definitley drop back the drag on the whites to 4#. Maybe your hooks were too sharp? Do you file a knife edge or just the point. I'm not sure if that hook is one of those chemically sharpened ones or not.

Or you could just chalk it up to one of those days as I dont think I've said anything here that you dont already know. We went 9 for 21 on whites one day using 6/0 eagle claw circles hooks. We had hooks in 18 and were jumpin them off left and right. Overnight I changed everything to 7/0 VMC's and we went 7 for 7 in the morning.... go figure?

You are right, I did forget the size. I am using 8/0 on medium ballys. Also, I had 2 guys that we no calls and no shows in the morning so I had 2 very inexperienced people on the boat, but really they did a great job following instruction so I really cant use that as a reason...hooks were sharpened to a knife edge.

[Hucklebuck]

Hook size was fine but sometimes sharpening to a knife edge with heavy drag will actually blow open a big hole. Add in heavy tackle (heavy action rod tip) and a few inexperienced anglers and your losing sleep at night. Next time you have a few no shows dull your hooks just a bit and see if your odds dont change.....

[SharkJP]

Thanks for the tip...now Im shaking my head a little bit as I was thinking my hooks were a lil dull and spent some time the night before sharpening the whole rig bucket...lol. You can learn something new every day.

[SeaMent]

you got 14lbs and 9lbs at strike, how many lbs you got on the bite ? back em off a little for the bite and then put the heat to em as needed !! if you got an inexperienced crew on the boat and them broomsticks pop up back there , get your a$$ in the pit post haste !!

[Captain Fred Archer]

This kind of thing is a pain for a privateer...to a charterboat in a competitive venue, every one of those "missed and lost fish" trips can have a dramatic, negative effect on the bottom line. We basically eliminated it by long ago going to the circle hooks that are being poo-poo'd here.

Having been down this road a long time ago and having seen huge numbers of fish fall to the circle hooks (ours and those of others) for about two decades since we learned how to fish them, of course, makes the poo a bit tough to hear. Frankly, it cause one - at least this one - to wonder how great an effort and how much experience was gained actually trying the circles...and while at it, trying them right. It takes experience with anything new to perfect it, and that includes hooks. And by experience, I'm not talking about trying something once or twice, likely or possibly doing it wrong, then writing it off as "it don't work".

In the final analysis, circle hooks in trolled baits would probably be almost unknown if it weren't for the stone cold fact that tournament billfishermen were forced to accept and use them...only to find that they are indeed great hooking hooks IF you learn how to use them right...and that ain't rocket science!

The true shocker will come when whatever it will take to force lure fishermen (other than some really sharp ones), to switch to circles happens. I have been here to see the beginning of that one, but probably won't be around to see it "come full circle".

One man's opinion...based on one helluva lot of experience. And no matter what any potential boo birds have to titter about, with no vested interest whatsoever in whether others buy and use circle, j, or square hooks. As I say in my books, I don't give a damn what kind of hook anyone uses or where they buy it. I know what I use, why, and pass that information on to those interested. And, remember not too long ago when the idea of being forced to use circle hooks had the naysayers all up in arms and running around shouting, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"? Well, that has changed to a great extent, especially for those who learned to fish the circles like circles, NOT like J's.

Okay, I'll wander back over to my corner and start spinning around in circles and mumble stuff to myself about fishermen forming strong opinions about things that they haven't actually bothered to learn about and how to use them right in the first place, and how some seem to have such a hard time accepting what others have learned and try to pass on to them, etc., and so on...blah, blah, blah.

Hey, whoa! Cool! We're having a fishing discussion and the controversy here is basically harmless and impersonal.

[BTH284]

Well you have switched to Shimano's from Penn so that is not the problem.
I got don't know what to tell you John. Sounds like you got all the bases covered.
With the exception of the whites, your season up there is like our Spring down here.
14 lbs on the 50's is spot on. The 30's are ok to IMO. Maybe try to put some dink rods and hooks into play if the whites stay around. But as soon as you do the tuna will maul those setups. I know you what you said about circles. But try one on a pitch. I know you YOU know what you are doing on the drop. So hooking one up will not be a problem for ya.

Sometimes they just do not stayed hook. Anyone dropping the rod tip during the fight
Other than that I would maybe back off a hair on the drags and put a little more time on the file to form a cone point with no knife edge. The 7691 DT in 8/0 is my goto meat hook as well.

[oftenn]

John, You have the perfect setup. You got the bites next time you will catch the fish. Dont change a thing and keep your hooks sharp.

I am glad your back on your game.

Ernie