# Bigger



## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

Cast netted on lousy mullet today, carried all the way to end of jetty, put it on hook, cast it, bye bye fishy..it flew off my hook. Wonderful! I had a huge fish on my line. I wish I knew what it was.....finally just came of my hook. No more of those #1 cirlces..way too small. From now on about a 2/0 or so. Also, since I got some frozen mullet, none of that no more either...it's mush when it thaws, and does the same thing...flies like a bird away into the sunset.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*If*

you are hooking the baitfish thru a hard area, then you can really load up on the cast. But when casting livebait or even cutbait, i don't load the cast too much...I do more of a toss with it, if you try to load then snap the rod at the end. You will loose bait 90% of the time, again all this comes with feel. Instead of snapping the pole at the end of the cast with just your arms...use your whole body, and follow thru with your pole and arms.....you should finish with your pole and arms down toward the water.....And if you do it right, you should still get enough distance on your cast.....Think long smooth cast, instead of ripping the pole thru the air and snapping at the end.....:fishing: again this isnt for distance!!! but it should still get your bait in the zone, when fishing from a pier or bridge....:fishing:


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

*Baiting Hooks*

I understand, and this is what i strive to do all the time...i give myself a little hop with my feet even just to "swing" the pole rather than snap it. I have a heavy "beef stick" rod, made by the manufactures of U-G-L-Y. Ok, let the comment begin.........


jettypark28 said:


> you are hooking the baitfish thru a hard area, then you can really load up on the cast. But when casting livebait or even cutbait, i don't load the cast too much...I do more of a toss with it, if you try to load then snap the rod at the end. You will loose bait 90% of the time, again all this comes with feel. Instead of snapping the pole at the end of the cast with just your arms...use your whole body, and follow thru with your pole and arms.....you should finish with your pole and arms down toward the water.....And if you do it right, you should still get enough distance on your cast.....Think long smooth cast, instead of ripping the pole thru the air and snapping at the end.....:fishing: again this isnt for distance!!! but it should still get your bait in the zone, when fishing from a pier or bridge....:fishing:


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

I cant see how a bigger hook would help, unless the hooks you were using prior were too small to get the barb all the way through


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

Bigger fish, bigger hooks..


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

you match your hook to the size of the bait not to the size of the fish you catch.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

kingfish said:


> you match your hook to the size of the bait not to the size of the fish you catch.


exactly...a 6" finger mullet is going to look awful goofy to a 40" red with a 10/0 Owner poking through his lips


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

Can you suggest what size of hook (circle, since that is what i like to use) for targeting Reds?


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

depends on the bait youre using...the famous statement everybody in Florida likes to hear is "well at the OBX..."...most use 8/0-10/0 owners, gamis or mustads...my personal choice is the owner 10/0...most are targeting 40"+ fish...but from my understanding, most reds targeted down there are pup to yearling size and require a smaller hook and generally take smaller baits....so if you could give us a little more info on the baits youre using, thatd be great


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

I'd usually be using a finger mullet or a pinfish.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

TreednNC said:


> but from my understanding, most reds targeted down there are pup to yearling size and require a smaller hook and generally take smaller baits....


Just because a lot of us target slot size Reds, don't think that there aren't monster sized Reds down here in Ponce:














































Many, Many more pics here: 
http://www.fishing-guy.com/gallery/index.htm

However, if you are going to target big fish with big baits, then you should definitely use a larger hook than a Size 1. I would say at least 3/0 or bigger. Also, what's the compelling reason for using a circle? Are you soaking bait, or actively fishing your bait?


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## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

For a 6 inch mullet for bait,i would use at least a 5/0 cirlce,,,,, hook em right under dorsel fin with the hook gap explosed!


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

Ok, hook size is determined by the bait. Reds like shrimp, I understand. Shrimp are small bait. Am I going to hook a 40" inch red on a small hook just as easily as a large hook?
Kodiak...I'm an active fisher..hold the line at all times.


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

Ok, hook size is determined by the bait. Reds like shrimp, I understand. Shrimp are small bait. Am I going to hook a 40" inch red on a small hook just as easily as a large hook?

Yes


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

The majority of the big reds in the pics above were NOT caught on shrimp. They were caught on bigger baits like mullet, pins and pigs using larger hooks. If you are going to fish with shrimp, don't overdo it, and don't expect too many monsters like that either. Not saying they won't hit it, but the big fish in Ponce hit big baits, typically bigger than shrimp.


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## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

me and Frank caught all these one night on shrimp at Perdido Pass,,, smallest 26 inch, largest 48 inchs. the largest I've ever caught , 54 inchs, was on shrimp and 2/0 hook ,,, Shrimp pretty good Red bait,,, use them whole -shell on....


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

..back to my original post. Have been using #1 circles. What size do you normal use with shrimp? I'm going to start using the 2/0. Some have bent my hooks (#1's).


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Don't make*

it harder than what it is, i have caught my fair share of monster reds on shrimp. But most of the time they were caught on "Jumbo shrimp" ...yes they can be caught on regular shrimp...but the nor is when fishing for big reds/fish you need big bait...(Thats the nor not the rule) Hook size depends on bait and also how you are trying to present that bait if you are freelining a bait, then you have to go to the smallest hook possible. The reason is for the bait to be able to move!!! with a 8/0 hook in his head he would just sink to bottom and die. If you are just soaking Large bait on the bottom, then you use large hooks...if you are using a fishfinder rig with a live bait, you still try to use the smallest hook you can get away with....Because you are trying to keep that bait alive and moving on the bottom.....bait 101 you match the hook to your bait, and how you are going to fish it....don't over think it....Oh and i have to also agree we get our fair share of MONSTER Reds down here, and we do it at times in our intercoastal river in a couple of feet of water........Shrimp are smaller then our baitfish (most of the time) and i use 1/0 and 2/0 circle hooks depending on the size of the shrimp, if you are trying to keep them alive on your fishfinder rig....it going to he hard with a big hook and big sinker....now if you are going to just soak them on the bottom. Then fish away....But for most parts shrimp are suppose to be fish, with the less gear you can have on the line.....if you have a 4oz sinker and leader and a whole dead shrimp on a 5/0 j hook....can you say tourist   Pat you have done enough fishing, that you should have gotten this down already....Don't take this wrong, but you have to try and quit overthinking this....it really isnt that hard. If you are still losing bait on your cast, then the problem is in your cast...Not in the hook or sinker or even bait.....You have to go back and see what you are doing wrong....i have lost my fair share of bait on the cast.....And it was alway me, not the other way around.....break your cast down and see what your are doing wrong....At times we think we are doing something, a certain way and when we watch our selve in a video...we say WTF!!! and anybody who has ever video themselve, will agree with me....what you think you are doing, and what you are really doing, don't match up... again don't take this in a wrong way, i just think you are overthinking this way too much....opcorn:


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

The #1 circles I've been using for so long get bent and I loose the fish sometimes. I just think that putting priority on the hook size is more important in this case. As I can see, most of you are telling me to go up in hook size, even with a shrimp on it..to about #2/0 or bigger, which sounds like the answer I'm seeking. One question remains though..with a larger fish such as a red, doesn't a larger hook with the large gap hook him better than a smaller hook, or is there no difference at all?


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Zach I never said you guys didnt have them. Ive seen the pics. Just saying that most target slot sized fish for the kitchen. Ahhh this place is getting like Red Drum Tackle's Forum with the bickering and argueing lol....especially after I was just bragging on RDT forum about how peaceful this board is lol


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*What are*

you doing in our region anyway    compare to other forum, we are kind of low key. And other thing i like is, You can always find new threads started or older ones being talk about....heck in other forum..there might be a reply to someone, from last year and some threads never get replys.....we are doing good, and debates no matter what they are about are, are good for forum....Trust me i have been in forum....where you get cuss out, yes no holding back at all, they spell it out the way you would say it on the streets....  guys threating each other, and wanting to meet somewhere...to handle it face to face  now thats stupid...i only go in them, to check on somethings, then i get out FAST!! before i can pull into it   Pat i hope you got your answer...opcorn:


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Pat*

look at this video, 
Http://nickaway.com/video/unite.wmv

this is the type of cast i am talking about. I do this with livebait fish, and as long as i don't stop my hands from moving forward (causing a snap) then bait is okay. I also do this on a pier, just have to watch what is behind you When i am throwing Live jumbo "Shrimp" i do a side arm cast, making sure to follow thru pointing my rod at my target area....You can also throw live shrimp with the cast in the video, but i just slow the whole thing down. It become more of a overhead Toss....this should keep your shrimp/baitfish on...Oh thank "surf" for the video i found it under one of his reply in distance casting....opcorn:


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

The video no longer exists..i clicked the link.
But also, my bait actually WAS very mushy because the frozen mullet came off my hook if i pulled on it very little. It's not just my casting.
I wish there was some good cut bait that was solid, when I cannot get hold of any live baitfish.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*You*

are right what the heck happen, i just finish watching it this morning....i mustve miss a letter or something, i will try and find it again...Maybe "Surf" will post it here, if i cant get it to work...


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