Drop Shot... Hook.... Heck.... Help!

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Just a matter of personal preference, but it's always surprising to me how big folks go on DS hooks (or most tackle for that matter.) I usually use a size 6 or 8 and boat many 5+ pounders on them. They've never let me down, and I can't really remember losing a fish on them once the hook's been set. My 2¢.

[Nitrofreak]

Just a matter of personal preference, but it's always surprising to me how big folks go on DS hooks (or most tackle for that matter.) I usually use a size 6 or 8 and boat many 5+ pounders on them. They've never let me down, and I can't really remember losing a fish on them once the hook's been set. My 2¢.

 

It's not personal preference it's the conditions in which you fish, for example if I am using a 2 and I am catching some larger fish, I know there is a chance to catch bigger fish, #2 may be too small for me at that point and I will change the hook to a larger size, big mouth's and small hooks just don't equal to a huge success rate.

 

Preference has a lot to do with the situation, it's not the standard of what we all choose to do.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

It's not personal preference it's the conditions in which you fish, for example if I am using a 2 and I am catching some larger fish, I know there is a chance to catch bigger fish, #2 may be too small for me at that point and I will change the hook to a larger size, big mouth's and small hooks just don't equal to a huge success rate.

 

Preference has a lot to do with the situation, it's not the standard of what we all choose to do.

That's understandable, and by no means would I ever question a persons hook choice if they're catching fish. For me personally, I've found that I have a higher hook up ratio when using the smallest possible hook for the size of fish I am targeting. Admittedly I am a overtly finesse oriented, and I also tend to downsize baits more than most (so this is definitely a quirk of mine, and not the norm.)  

[Nitrofreak]

There is nothing wrong with being an overly or overtly finesse type of fisherman, you will catch more fish that way and will usually find more fish than the rest of us during frontal conditions...ie , it's a good thing lol !!

 

I am normally swinging for the fences myself, my baits tend to be larger by choice, I want to seek out that big bite and I will miss out on catching scores of fish, but the fish I do catch are generally good size fish.

 

Sometimes I will get lucky and find a school or two packed up on the bottom of a piece of structure somewhere and have a great day, others not so much, we all have our ways of doing things, I think thats why I love this site so much, we all learn something from each other and it's a lot of fun picking up on new things to try, and even more fun having fun with each other.

 

Glad to see you posting !!!

[Snakehead Whisperer]

There is nothing wrong with being an overly or overtly finesse type of fisherman, you will catch more fish that way and will usually find more fish than the rest of us during frontal conditions...ie , it's a good thing lol !!

 

I am normally swinging for the fences myself, my baits tend to be larger by choice, I want to seek out that big bite and I will miss out on catching scores of fish, but the fish I do catch are generally good size fish.

 

Sometimes I will get lucky and find a school or two packed up on the bottom of a piece of structure somewhere and have a great day, others not so much, we all have our ways of doing things, I think thats why I love this site so much, we all learn something from each other and it's a lot of fun picking up on new things to try, and even more fun having fun with each other.

 

Glad to see you posting !!!

Nothing but respect for the big fish hunters. I have a good friend who I fish with pretty regularly, and he always pulls out the big irons. While I typically do better in numbers, he has caught some of the biggest fish I have ever seen in his pursuits (including a 14lb. 3oz. Virginia bass.)

 

On the other hand, I have caught some real dinks using large baits. I've caught plenty of bluegill on a XL Minus 1. 

 

While it's counter-intuitive, I have caught most of my biggest fish on small baits. I caught my largest bass of 2012 (7.5lbs.) on a 1/16oz. jighead tipped with a 1.5" grub while crappie fishing. Go figure.