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Jig/Hook Question
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(11-27-2021, 05:38 PM)joatmon Wrote: I noticed on a recent ice trip, that one of my jigs often didn't result in a secure hook up, and I eventually traded it for another kind.  It could have been operator error, but wondering about hook angle compared to the jig head and eye location/orientation and overall balance and how those affect hook set when jigged vertically.  That particular jig seemed to be similar to the other one that was working better, so not sure why.

Anybody have some thoughts or experience?

I would check two things with everything else being equal -- Hook point and hook gap. After being used for awhile hook points dull and/or roll over. Check sharpness by pulling the hook point across your fingernail or carefully run your fingertip past the point and it should catch, not drag across the nail or skin. They also can be bent while being removed changing the gap and alignment. Make sure the point is parallel to the shaft or bent slightly open.

Some jigs are designed to hang horizontally (typical tube jig, Rat Finke) and some vertically (CJ&S Shrimpo, Northland Forage Minnow Jig). Both work very well, you just have to tie them on so they perform the way they are designed to fish.

You don't push a nail into a board, you hammer it in! That analogy is great for wood working, not so much for setting hooks. A fish’s bone structure is more cartilage-like than solid bone. Also, we’re working with small, fine needle point hooks, not a 16 penny nail. Setting a hook is much more comparable to pushing a pin through cardboard or inserting a needle in your arm. If you have never done so, take your favorite hook and see how easily it penetrates into your finger with relatively little pressure, just kidding, don’t try it! But it should be similar to a hypodermic needle. If it doesn’t penetrate easily past the barb, I’d say you need a replacement or a better brand of hook not a “bigger hammer” so to speak.

In ice fishing, we typically are dealing with fish less than 20" in length and most hooks are between size 12 and size 6 and lines are between 1 lb and 6 lb test. If you are using quality hooks, they will penetrate to the barb with very little pressure. No bone crushing, back breaking hook sets needed. Hard hook sets usually end up bending hooks, breaking line or tearing large holes in fish flesh allowing hooks to simply fall out after a few head shakes.

I use monofilament and fluorocarbon in 2 lb to 6 lb test and 10 lb braid and quality size 14 to size 6 hooks on rods ranging from 22" to 50", UL noodle rods to Medium Heavy power and I get great hook penetration with all of them. I get excellent hookup percentage, I rarely lose a fish and my hooks penetrate to the barb regardless of line weight, hook size or fish species.

For a good hook set, usually all you need to do is quickly and firmly pull back and keep the pressure on. If you aren’t getting good hook penetration you either have bad hooks or your line is coiled and not hanging straight, typically from too heavy pound test line, old line or too light of lure for the line you’re using. Sorry, you can’t blame line stretch unless your 30+ feet deep or your trying to set a 1/0 hook with 4 lb test.

I recommend using high quality lines from 2 lb test to 6 lb test maximum unless your fishing for or likely to catch fish over 5 pounds. I’ve iced plenty of 4 & 5 pound fish on 2 lb test. Quality line and hooks will ice plenty of fish.

Lure brands with quality hooks include – VMC, Rapala, Lindy, Clam, Northland Tackle
Excellent ice line brands include –  Sufix, Northland Bionic, Trilene
Excellent hook brands include – Gamakatsu, VMC, Owner, Trokar

Avoid, like the plague, hook and line brands like Ozark Trail (Walmart), Zebco, Danielson

Lots of caveats to deal with because there are tons of special circumstances, but I didn’t want to write an entire book, just a chapter.

Check out a few of my ice fishing videos and you can see how I set the hook.
https://youtu.be/AAxDNt3lF4U
https://youtu.be/wnMkcVZGUWI
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Messages In This Thread
Jig/Hook Question - by joatmon - 11-27-2021, 05:38 PM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by TubeDude - 11-27-2021, 07:07 PM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by Crimson - 11-27-2021, 07:11 PM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by meancuznalfy - 11-27-2021, 09:13 PM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by Fritzfishin - 11-28-2021, 02:10 PM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by EyLayo - 11-29-2021, 12:12 AM
RE: Jig/Hook Question - by fishnate - 11-30-2021, 11:01 PM

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