Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Product sources Best Hooks For BG

Can anyone tell me what the best type and size of hook to use for BG? I want something they would be less likely to swallow, and that is easier to remove. Also if a fish does swallow the hook or just deep enough that it is hard to remove, is it best for the fish just to cut the line, or should you do what ever it takes to get it out? Many years ago someone told me cutting the line was best, and that is what I've always done, but not sure they knew what they was talking about. lol! I let my daughter catch the first fish ever caught from the pond today and sure enough it almost swallowed the hook. I didn't think to bring the needle nose with me so I just cut the line, hoping it can spit it out later.

Too many variables to definitively narrow it down to one size and style of hook. BUT the one thing that will help you remove the hook easier, no matter what size/style is to bend the barb down flat with a pair of pliers.

I like to use a small pair of curved jaw hemostats to remove hooks. narrow enough to get int any fish mouth, curved so you can get to the hook easily, and being a small diameter, it allows you to see into the fish's mouth to grab the hook.

If the fish is hooked deep enough to bleed, don't bother throwing it back into the pond.

When to keep bleeding fish is an interesting subject. I've read that bleeding will usually stop only when they are placed back in the water, as their blood clotting system does not work in the air. Of course, some are so torn up that there's no hope.

As esshup suggested de-barbing a hook by crimping the barb goes a long way towards doing less damage. Having been an avid flyfisherman and flytyer for much of my adult life, I have a wide variety of hooks. I like a small hook with a long shank and so hooks like this are commonly used to tie streamer flies. Good alternatives are Aberdeen and/or what are commonly called "cricket" or "live bait" hooks. When you have a long shanked hook the shank protrudes from the mouth and this makes it easy to handle. If it is de-barbed you can just roll the hook back in the direction of where the hook is engaged and the hook will slide out with the tip facing the rear of the fish. Badabing no harm ... no foul.

If you are using live bait, straight line or use a sensitive bobber (smaller the better). BG can be somewhat subtle in a take, inspecting first, then slurping it in. This slurping telegraphs down the line and will disturb the bobber. Aside from catching a few extra large BG it will also reduce the number of deep hooks. The disturbance, is different than small BG nibbling at the bait. If you watch carefully, you will learn the difference.

A really big fish that you really, really want to live doesn't need to be lifted from the water. The propensity to mortality is strongly tied to the time the fish spends out of the water. The impact is greater in higher water and air temperatures. So don't spend to long admiring fish out of the water and more will stand a better chance to fight another day.

I have better luck using a weighted jig head to reduce the hook from being swallowed. A 1/32 or so in size works well with most of them being short shanked hooks. And like others here said, Pinch in the barb. I no longer use bare hooks since the weighted jig head works so much better.

I forgot to mention that I also have a fish cage that I built and keep at the pier. If I catch a bass that I want to save it and it swallowed the hook I will put it in the cage and watch it for a few days. I have been surprised many times where I thought the fish would die but they survived for 3 or more days and I would then release them back into the pond.

I second the jig head idea. 1/32oz and smaller if you can find them. Very seldom do I have a fish swallow a jighead.

The jig has been by far our most successful hook. We like the 1/64th oz. because the heavier jigs give more resistance to the bit and we go through way more bait. I also squeeze the barb down for more ease of removal. 90+ per cent of the fish are lip hooked and any that are not it is still simple to remove without any bleeders.

Thanks for all the help guys. I was planning to try barbless. I will try some jig heads, and I have some small long shanks and that is what I used yesterday. I don't plan to fish much yet, just a little sampling mostly, and let my daughter have a little fun now and then.
I didn't see any blood yesterday. The eye of the hook was a little out of it's mouth, but I couldn't get a hold of it well enough, and it had been out of the water long enough while my wife took pictures so I just cut the line to give it a chance.

I found a tiny circle hook helps but still mash the barb down. Are you guys using these tiny jigheads under a cork still? What are you putting on them for bait?

We have tried the tiny circle hooks but still had some bluegills swallow the darn thing. Most of the time we use part of a night crawler and leave a 1/2+ piece hang off the end on the small jig. It works good under a bobber but most of the time we find our gills in deeper water and just jig it over side of the boat. I have put small minnow on them and caught crappies and bass but mostly use them for gills.

I have the best luck for safe removal with barbless long shank hooks and and a hook removal tool if necessary (Amazon). I do feel like jigs catch more fish, though.

Thanks for all the info! I went over and caught one today. I flattened the barb on the hook before I used it and the fish came off while I was trying to take a picture. This one was just lip hooked.

Yes we have discovered the most awesome hook.
#1 non offset circle hook with barb smashed..
We went 30 for 30 on my hbg

Not one swallowed the hook.

Flame, I use Gulp baits for my jigs. I'm not sure what the product name is but looks like a small maget, a qtr inch long little bait. Comes in a jar similar sized to the old uncle josh pork bait jars. I'm guessing there is around 50 of them in the jar and I use the white ones mostly but also have a jar of chartreuse. One bait will catch 10 to 20 bg. Just thread them onto the jig. Maybe snrub will jump in because I am pretty sure he uses them also. Makes no difference if used under a bobber or not.

Number 8 or 10 long shank, barb mashed down and a Stubby Steve. But, nothing works every time.

I use the jig head under a cork. The best thing I've found to put on it is a very small round piece of a zoom pumpkinseed colored worm, but that's cheating near the feeder

For fishing small baits under a float I like the Tru-Turn hooks - long shank, light wire, with a bit of offset bent into the shank.
Using a finesse-type float and enough lead to almost sink the float makes it easy to detect light bites.

For tight-lining I prefer a small circle hook such as the Owner Mutu. They're a bit less prone to snagging than a J-hook.

#6 Aberdeen

I use crappie size hooks and debarb them. I still get some that find a way to swallow them