Hookin' fleas

[BubbaBlue]

I must have sand fleas on the brain today or something.;)

Just curious what's your favorite method of hooking fleas.

I've read up what's been posted on here and lots on the web like Sue Fosters. Most of the picture links on here are so old, they're dead.

It appears that folks either like to insert the hook from the top and leave the point imbedded in the flea meat... or from the bottom partially sticking out the top.

The reason I bring this up is that I had a hard time getting a hookup last weekend with them. Had plenty of hits but most of the time I brought back a half a flea. :rolleyes: The bite diameter was about the size of a small blue but the size of the blue we were catching on bunker were much bigger. Never saw one small enough to match the bite diameter of the flea remnants. Starting to think something else was hitting them.

This was on AI in Maryland. Fishing right behind the wash. I grew up on the panhandle of Florida and we used to use fleas for pompano a lot. Hooking method wasn't important. You had a flea... you hooked him... you threw it out... you brought in a fish.

This weekend, it appeared that the fish could tell where the hook was and was biting it off right behind it.

I tried top to bottom, bottom to top, little and big hooks, circles and J's. Still no joy. I was about ready to get out some trailers or trebles. Was getting frustrating bringing in half a flea. :rolleyes:

Any thoughts?
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[Catfish713]

I would try kahle hooks (coffee colored)

[BubbaBlue]

Thanks.

What size hook and how do you hook them?
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[surfchunker]

I was taught to use a circle hook and hook them thru the bottom to the top start the hook at the tail/body section ..... He also said to never use the biggin's ... medium size and softshells are the choice ones ......

[BubbaBlue]

I need to experiment some.
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[TreednNC]

Watched a guy catching sea mullet last october off ramp 55 in hatteras up to 2-2.5lbs....monsters...on the biggest ones he could find, hookin with a #6 hook frm the bottom up through the top near the back of the shell....and of course used softies when need be

[Shoeless]

I recently read a report of kingfish (sea mullet/whiting, depends on locale) in the surf in DE, so more than likely that is what was cheating you at AI.

[BubbaBlue]

Yeah it was probably kingfish. The bite radius would fit. When I was getting the bite offs, I was using too big of hooks for them. (Was fishing for things black.:p )

After thinking about it, it makes sense. I was using the wrong rig for kingfish... I was using a fixed double dropper. Should have tried a single hook with egg sinker and let it roll in the wash.

With the flea fixed on a dropper, the king had all day to figure out where the big hook was. That's probably what was sucking off my clams too. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the feedback. :)
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[Sea Level]

[QUOTE=BubbaBlue;290564]Yeah it was probably kingfish. The bite radius would fit. When I was getting the bite offs, I was using too big of hooks for them. (Was fishing for things black.:p )

After thinking about it, it makes sense. I was using the wrong rig for kingfish... I was using a fixed double dropper. Should have tried a single hook with egg sinker and let it roll in the wash.

With the flea fixed on a dropper, the king had all day to figure out where the big hook was. That's probably what was sucking off my clams too. :rolleyes:


Bubba,

I don't believe you were using the wrong rig. The double dropper rig is the standard rig here in NE Florida for Kingfish and Pompano using Sandfleas as bait. Whether they are Northern or Southern Kingfish (referred to as Whiting here and Sea Mullet on the Outer Banks) that rig will catch them. I believe your hooks were probably too large for those fish. Or as likely the Whiting were just the smaller fish of 6-7". They can "hollow out" the Sand Flea pecking away at it, leaving just the carapace and a few legs on the hook.

I normally use a 2/0-3/0 size hook (Eagle Claw L197 or Mustad C71SS - both circle hooks) for all purpose surf fishing here. Sometimes I drop down a hook size or two when what you described is happening. I then start catching those smaller Whiting and Surf Perch.

When I go back home (near Ocean City) for a visit, I use that same terminal tackle as here when I'm targeting Kingfish at Assateague.

Good fishing to you,

[BubbaBlue]

Bubba,

I don't believe you were using the wrong rig. The double dropper rig is the standard rig here in NE Florida for Kingfish and Pompano using Sandfleas as bait. Whether they are Northern or Southern Kingfish (referred to as Whiting here and Sea Mullet on the Outer Banks) that rig will catch them. I believe your hooks were probably too large for those fish. Or as likely the Whiting were just the smaller fish of 6-7". They can "hollow out" the Sand Flea pecking away at it, leaving just the carapace and a few legs on the hook.

I normally use a 2/0-3/0 size hook (Eagle Claw L197 or Mustad C71SS - both circle hooks) for all purpose surf fishing here. Sometimes I drop down a hook size or two when what you described is happening. I then start catching those smaller Whiting and Surf Perch.

When I go back home (near Ocean City) for a visit, I use that same terminal tackle as here when I'm targeting Kingfish at Assateague.

Good fishing to you,Interesting. So much for me having it all figured out. :rolleyes: I was using 3/0 Daiichi or Gami circles and 1/0 J's when I was getting in half a flea. Didn't see too many empty shells sucked clean. They were either gone or half there with a very clean bite radius.

Yeah, if this happens again, I'll experiment with the hook type and placement.

At the time I didn't realize the kingfish were in yet and I was wanting (hoping) for something bigger.

add a small piece of the "fishBites" artificial bait to your sand flea...we like the red bloodworms & shrimp the best...but you will find what "flavor" works for you...not only does this help the flea stay on the hook, avoiding bite-offs...it increased our catching by at least 2 to 1 odds-deadlyfor pompano ....mullet ...spot ....croaker...& the occasional red drumYeah, those FB are great but the water temp was still a little cold for them to be very effective. A few more weeks and then that's going to be the kingfish goto bait fersure. :)


I've been fishing in Maryland for 25+ years but I still have a hard time calling them "kingfish"... they'll always be "whiting" to me. IMHO, the word "King" should always be followed by the word "Mackerel". :rolleyes: :D
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[BubbaBlue]

fishbites has a new product for colder water temps under 65 degrees-altho sometime the warm water baits still work in colder water ck. their website--the worms are more "jelled" looking www.fishbites.comI've been hearing about the cold water version, or "Fast Acting", for a while now but I haven't seen any for sale yet. Would like to try it during the spring striper run whenever I can find some.

Talked to Randy about them the other day and he's having a hard time getting it too. :rolleyes:
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[SFarrar]

Alot of people also call the fish roundheads,atleast in VA. and NC.

[striperswiper]

try the gulp sandfleas caught up some seamullet and pomps on pea island last year they work great ant they cant eat the middle out ;)

[seajay]

I like to hook mine by running the hook up thru their tail which they will have folded up againest them then on thru the their body and out their back with a circle hook that is big enough for them to fit in betwen the hook gap. Pinning them thru the tail will help prevent them from burrowing down in the sand.

This a post from Toejam from the Fla. site and this is the typical hook set we use in Fla.