Changing hook size

[Ravox]

Here in South Florida we are having an annoying wind, kind of wind that mess with fishing, went to my local pond yesterday and due to the wind I was unable to feel the bite, and sadly the bass was gut hooked tried everything to save him with no success, this ruined my day, first time that this happens to me and I blame the wind entirely, was using braid with Fluro leader

 

Now I was using a 3/0 on a texas rigged Senko, going bigger like 4/0 or 5/0 - (maybe heavy wire) to avoid gut hooking is a good idea? 

[galyonj]

Ought to be fine.

 

I know you already know this, but you gotta watch your line, bro. For reasons you've already illustrated, you can't rely on feeling the bite with soft plastics.

 

Even then it's not 100%, of course. But your odds are better.

[Kenny Yi]

you could try it, but bass have big mouths and gullets.  if the bass thinks it's still eatable size than it will get swallowed either way. 

 

this stuff will happen, maybe try a more sensitive rod or be super focused on the line, even in wind. 

[Ravox]

1 minute ago, galyonj said:

Ought to be fine.

 

I know you already know this, but you gotta watch your line, bro. For reasons you've already illustrated, you can't rely on feeling the bite with soft plastics.

 

Even then it's not 100%, of course. But your odds are better.

 

That is what I usually do, and without any issues, the problem here is the wind just too much, as soon as you reel to have a straight line , a huge belly on the line shows up again, and that is exactly what happened with this fish, reeled to make the line straight a wind gust came and at the exact time the fish got the bait, felt anything, just started to feel something when I tried to adjust the line again.

[galyonj]

11 minutes ago, Ravox said:

 

That is what I usually do, and without any issues, the problem here is the wind just too much, as soon as you reel to have a straight line , a huge belly on the line shows up again, and that is exactly what happened with this fish, reeled to make the line straight a wind gust came and at the exact time the fish got the bait, felt anything, just started to feel something when I tried to adjust the line again.

 

Gotcha. There really isn't anything you can do about the line that's billowing about between the surface and your rod tip; and you already know you can't trust what that line's telling you anyway, right?

 

Try this the next time it's windy:

 

Orient where your line enters the water to something stationary behind it -- a stick poking up, a mat, a weed, a dock piling, some piece of structure on the far shore. Just pick something close enough that you can kind of eyeball how the two points relate spatially. If the line changes its relationship to that stationary object at all, set the hook.

 

Incidentally, this is one of the reasons that I only spool my finesse rigs with the gaudiest, brightest color braid I can find.

 

Lastly, in the words of the warrior-poet Captain Jean Luc Picard, "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose." I've had them take the and sit right on the spot it was floating towards, and just munch on it like they didn't have a care in the world. It happens.

 

Edit: Also keep your rod tip down as much as is feasible when it's windy. Minimizes the amount of line that's exposed to the wind.

[Ravox]

Thanks for the advice , checking the line according to a stationary object is a good idea

 

So getting a bigger hook makes no difference them or maybe using a heavy wire? (sometimes a believe heavy wire hooks damages the fish more than regular hooks)

[galyonj]

A larger hook may make it so the entire presentation rattles around in their mouth a little more, and you might possibly feel that a little sooner, but even a small bass is able to gut a massive hook.

[papajoe222]

I go with a heavier weight and low rod tip when it gets windy. Both help keep the bow out of your line and when it's windy, it's easy to miss that line jump/twitch you'd normally see. I also go with a pegged weight. Unpegged, the fish could have it for some time before you feel it.

[txchaser]

 

This works really well. Glenn probably has a video on it too, but I couldn't find it. Almost always just pops right out. 

 

And if you are fishing an unweighted senko on a windy day, it's higher risk for a gut hook. So if you crush the barb down when conditions are like this you are far more likely to be able to get it out this way. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ravox]

This video is really good, and trust me I tried that to remove the hook, the problem is the fish already came to the shore bleeding, and I started to freak out I know that we have little time out of the water to do the "surgery" and the fact that he came already bleeding and I took some time to try to remove the hook caused the inevitable, like I said I blame the wind entirely for that, that is the first bass that died with me... and I'm the kind of guy that remove all the barbs from the hooks

[TOXIC]

Being a guide and taking out a lot of inexperienced clients that I rigged up Senkos for here is my advice...l

 

1. lose the braid.  Braid is very inefficient in the wind on weightless baits and does not carry the feeling of a strike if it is not somewhat tight with the Senko.

2. upsize your hook.  My normal hook size is a 4.0 and I will upsize to a 5.0 if the wind is really whipping.  I had clients gut hooking too many fish with a 3.0, cut it in half by upsizing.  

3. keep the wind either in your face or at your back.  Cross winds are the toughest to fish.  
4. when you cast immediately after the Senko hits the water, put your rod tip in the water.  This keeps the wind from pulling out extra line and making the bow that keeps you from feeling bites.  

[Ravox]

5 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Being a guide and taking out a lot of inexperienced clients that I rigged up Senkos for here is my advice...l

 

1. lose the braid.  Braid is very inefficient in the wind on weightless baits and does not carry the feeling of a strike if it is not somewhat tight with the Senko.

2. upsize your hook.  My normal hook size is a 4.0 and I will upsize to a 5.0 if the wind is really whipping.  I had clients gut hooking too many fish with a 3.0, cut it in half by upsizing.  

3. keep the wind either in your face or at your back.  Cross winds are the toughest to fish.  
4. when you cast immediately after the Senko hits the water, put your rod tip in the water.  This keeps the wind from pulling out extra line and making the bow that keeps you from feeling bites.  

Thank you for the great advice, yes that is my idea on upsizing the hook too, to avoid this... my hook for general use is 3/0  I will change to 4/0 now 

[king fisher]

Next time the wind blows, try a spinnerbait.  Sometimes it is better to take advantage of the wind, rather than fight it.  If that doesn't work, then use the good advice given by other members, on how to fish soft plastics in the wind.  Also, a gut hooked bass and a frying pan make a good combination.

[Deleted account]

23 hours ago, Ravox said:

 I know that we have little time out of the water to do the "surgery" 

No law against doing it while the fish is in the water. Check Texas, just to be sure...

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I understand the logic of going with a bigger hook, but I personally don't think its the best way to go.  A 12' LMB can swallow a 5/0 no problem and once swallowed the heavier wire and bigger footprint just causes more tissue damage. 

I like to smash barbs on high number baits or baits I may be losing contact with. 

Its a good idea to bring a pair of wire cutters just in case you have the opportunity to cut the hook out.

If you land a fish that has swallowed a hook and isn't bleeding just remove the bait if you can and cut the line.  Removing the hook will cause more damage.

Putting a little bit of resistance on a bait if your unsure about a bite wont cause a fish to spit it in most cases, so don't be afraid of that.