Ika - too fat?

[rboat]

I have tried this bait and love the action, however, I can not get a good hook into a fish. I use 4.0 EWG Gammy hooks but the bait still seems too wide to get a hook into them. I run the hook through and skin hook it on the other side, rigged skirt up. Is this correct? Any other hook work better. please help.

[BD]

owner rig-n-hooks work well too, but it sounds like you're not setting the hook hard enough. reel the slack up and pop the line!

[Infidel.]

Yeah, what BD said.  The Owner is good but it is heavier than the Gammy.  Depends on the fall rate you want, but almost any wide gap 4/0 should work.  Use a low strech line and stick'em hard :]

[Dan:]

i usually don't really even have to set the hooks with ikas, it seems like the fish usually hit them so hard that they impale themselves!

[CrazedL.IFisherman]

For me its like using live minnows, it seems the line always starts shooting out and you all most never have to set the hook

[fishbear]

I have had the same problem,, watched my line go ripping across the water, set the hook and nothing.. except the thought you better duck cause here comes the lure...  .

Yes, I have been skin hooking it as well, and I have been using 5/0 EWG hooks... that is one reason I want to change line,, need something with less stretch in it for sure.

[NJfishinGuy]

i use 4/0 gammy and trilene mono line that stretches i have no issue with hooksets once i feel a tap i lower my rod reel in the slack slowly and then lay into him  almost every fish ive got a hit from ive hooked. only lost maybe 3 out of 30 fish on them

[illini]

try some gammie g-lock hooks.

[roadwarrior]

The 4/0 EWG Gammie is fine. The fish you are not hooking up with are probably small. The texture and taste of the bait causes bass to hold on, even when they are not hooked. When you get a bite, lower the rod tip and reel down QUICKLY until you feel the fish, then snap your wrist. You should keep the butt of your rod steady and hook the bass from the rod tip. I call that a snap-set. This hook-set will work about 100% of the time, trust me on this.

[fishbear]

RW,

You have become one voice on here that I absolutely trust when it comes to fishing with Fat Ikas,,

I definately need to work on my hook sets, I know that I still have the big salmon hook set in my head,,,, my dad used to say I ripped more lips off of trout and kokanee than he could imagine,,  ;D ;D

[scott000]

The 4/0 EWG Gammie is fine. The fish you are not hooking up with are probably small.

yes i agree

the small ones just nibble like sunnies do to a worm

[OnyxWulf]

I had this problem too for a while.  The Ika's are my go to bait and I ALWAYS have a rod with one on.  

The trick for me that helped my hookup ration incredibly was a simple cut down the length of the ika.  I would take a razer blade and cut into the ida length wise about half and inch.  I will then use my Gammy 4/0 hook and rig it normally.  The key with this is not to cut it the entire lenght, just the middle part.  Also you have to remember that you want to cut the side that is opposite of where you pull the hook through at the top.

This simple modification made a HUGE difference in my hookup ratio and didn't effect the drop, the cast or the durability of the bait.

Hope this helps.

[GAMEOVER]

I dont recommend setting the hook vertically with them, ive always had a higher hook up ratio when setting the hook from the side.

If its a Largemouth size dont really matter, ive caught 1 and 2lbers on Fat Ikas.. they just inhale it.

[dodgeguy]

sometimes the ones that run with it aren't bass.they are pannies and don't get the hook in their mouth.

[Guest avid]

The fat ika takes a good bit of hook.

I use the owner riggin hook in 4/0.

The rigging hook has a fatter, rounder gap than an EWG.

I use them alot in my weedy home lake because the offset is not 90 degrees (or worse like a "J" hook) so I pick up fewer weeds.

dont give up on the fat ika.

[JT Bagwell]

When I fish the Fat Ika I use the 4/0 Daiichi Fat Gap bleeding bait hooks (the Red ones). I also use PowerPro fishing line with no leader. The line doesn't stretch at all and it allows me to get a good hookset.

JT Bagwell

[Guest avid]

the owner riggin hook is shaped very much like the daichi fat gap.

the owner has a heavier gauge steel

I'll use the daichi's sometimes when I want to slow the fall a tad.  Not much of a difference but some days even the little things make a big difference

[Fatman1267MM]

I searched for the right hook and tried several different ones this year and the best one I have found is the Owner Wide Gap Plus.  I usually use a 5/0 or 4/0.  This also has the z-bend shoulder and that seems to help keep the ika from tearing as much.  It also makes a good frog hook.

[lubina]

When I fish the Fat Ika I use the 4/0 Daiichi Fat Gap bleeding bait hooks (the Red ones). I also use PowerPro fishing line with no leader. The line doesn't stretch at all and it allows me to get a good hookset.

Same here but with Sufix braid.