SteveoTheTiger wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 11:14 am
For bread and butter fish, i tend to keep the same rig basically until it breaks unless i visibly see a problem with it.
Even to the point of using the same rig for multiple trips. I generally also use good quality hooks, but at the same time my normal flathead rig is a double paternoster with 2
Neptune brand droppers which are very cheap.
A packet of 10 or 12 is only about $5). I dont think i have ever regularly missed a hookup using these rigs, even when the hooks are fairly banged up. They use red hooks, but all the red colouring gets scraped off after a while. And i have caught pinkies and even gummies as a bycatch while targetting flathead on these cheap rigs.
As ive said before.. if you are
chasing big snapper or some other game fish i can see dull hooks being an issue, but for general fishing ive never really had an issue.
Totally agree with SteveotheTIGER (a very wise Bengal Tiger at that)
For bread and butter fish, I do the same. Basic and "cost effective" , , , , and yep Neptune (South Aussie
) is what I use. And a mix of bargain bin stuff too.
Yes, when new they are sharp, but equally I still hook up with the basic fish once they have seen a few fish. I do acknowledge that they have lost some of their sharpness/pointiness but they are still effective catchers for most specie. But if I notice hookup rates dropping then I do change to fresh hooks but that doesn't happen often for the bread and butter fish.
Snapper and Mullies are no different, I still us Neptunes (or similar) , , , , they do the job (no noticeable difference), are cost effective and as a result I can afford a range of hooks instead of only able to afford three types of so called "good" hooks.
BUT that is for bread and butter fish and fishing. I do acknowledge that for some specie AND for some fishing (cost outlay verses having the best chance of a hookup) that "good" hooks show their worth.
For fish that can be quite finicky or harder to get that hook up, then I do use quality, as in the photo. A mix of Mustard & Gamos.
For Whiting and Gar I try and use quality hooks. I have noticed a big difference with quality hooks and is what I use for them. The "cost effective" hooks work a treat too for the first few fish but then dramatically drop off. Same thing that you have noticed Al, even with quality hooks too but takes a few more fish to notice the drop in hook ups.
Now, notwithstanding when they aren't on the chew, I have caught Gar (and Whiting to a lesser degree) on banged up rigs and hooks. BUT it is when they are touchy that quality hooks show their worth.
Sharp hooks is a perspective. Feeling the sharpness is one thing but I LOVE that sharpness that only a small touch on the hook point with the finger tip and the point just immediately "grabs" the skin , , , , super sweet and super sharp
These Daiichi hooks are what I now use for Gar and work well from first to last cast. BUT when the Gar are picky and I notice getting bite but less hook ups, I put on fresh hooks (rigs) , , , , so yes, Al, your theory is what I have noticed too
Cheers, Bugs