Pike traces

[poledark]

I make up my own traces and always used semi barbed trebles No 6 or No8. Lately I have been using No4.

 

Anyone got any constructive thought on which size is/are the best?

 

Den

[Guest tigger]

I make up my own traces and always used semi barbed trebles No 6 or No8. Lately I have been using No4.

 

Anyone got any constructive thought on which size is/are the best?

 

Den

 

 

I'd say it's gotta be down to the size of your baits Den.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I almost always use No.4s. Anything smaller is mickey mouse tackle if you ask me. A good double can bend a No.4 and the only way to play a pike on lighter hooks is to give 'em less stick and that's just wasting time and tiring fish for no reason. Look at the size of the mouth on a jack-pike. Even a pair of No.4s look tiny in their cavernous mouths. I have smaller hooks but even that that, I'd be far more likely to use a single No.4 or a pair of Drennan Specialist Doubles.

[wayne baker]

I tend to try and balance the hook size to the bait i am using, But its very rare i use any less than a six unless i am zandering. Like Andy said theres no point in mucking about with small hooks once you have a hold of the fish you want to get it in with as little fuss as possible not worrying about your hook hold. Eg you dont want to have a mid twenty under the rod tip with a dinky little size 8 z3 to rely on. Best hookem and hold them.

[Neil G]

Size 6s everytime

[Andy Macfarlane]

Size 6s everytime

 

Everytime? What about when you're using a large bait, like a big mackerel or a big livie? Still use 6s?

 

Just asking mind....

[1superken]

Almost always 4,s i have some 8,s i sometimes use it just depends on the size of the bait or the size of the fish i expect to catch i dont like 4,s in small sardines or sprats but i dont wanna be using 8,s & losing baits on the cast its just like in all fishing trying to get the balance right good luck

[Anderoo]

I've never used anything bigger than a 6, and most often use 8s, sometimes 10s for zander. For all my fishing I tend to use the smallest hooks I can get away with. Recently I've caught a few decent chub on size 20 hooks, so I'm not sure that the big mouth = big hook theory is always sound.

[Emma two]

I don't deadbait much, but would use size 10 hooks in a small bait like a 3 to 4 inch sprat, and carry traces made up for just such an occasion, and ones with single size 10 trebles for liphooking small baits like dace. Similarly bigger hooked traces for larger baits, trout, Mackerel and Eel sections. I don't, conciously at least, play a fish differently depending upon the hooks size, I was always advised to consider that there was a firm hookhold and deal with the fish accordingly. For example when playing a lively double figure rainbow hooked on a size 14 buzzer it doesnt do to worry too much that the hook is too puny for the job, and give the fish stick when it needs it. yes, the structure of a Pike's mouth is different, but an 8 or 10 'could' be bedded as firmly (or more so?) as a big one. I can only remember 2 occasions when playing a fish and flapping about the hookhold, the first was a big carp which I hooked in France years ago while catching roach for bait, size 18 hook and 1.5 lb hooklength, I landed it (chucked it back as way too big for bait) and more recently a big double Pike which took a live minnow intended for Perch on a size 8 hook and 5 lb line, my heart was galloping so fast that I had to give myself a good talking to, I was becoming seriously worried that I might have a 'funny do', predictably the line parted, but significantly so far as this thread goes, not the hookhold.

Edited January 3, 2009 by Emma two

[Dick Dastardly]

Yes I select hook size according to bait size.In practice though this breaks down to size 6 for everything other than Trout Res's where I use bigger baits and therefore size 4's.I always make sure I have the same sized baits for each type of water though.

 

I used to use smaller trebles for Zeds but Ive not really targeted any other than very big ones for a long time though so stick normally with the 6's.