AlloyToy

Last season I switched to larger fluke hooks to minimize the damage to the smaller fish that were around in quantity. We still caught a lot of smaller fish even with the larger hooks.

Just wondering what style, and size hook you use on your rigs??

It's cod & fluke rig time........

__________________

"First The Bite Then The Fight"

Bob & Mag

I switched up from 4/0 to 5/0 Kahle hook. The one I use is offset and hooks up very well. I caught fish as small as 12" on it and as large as 27 1/2". All in the mouth. Not one swallowed the hook so I was quite pleased with them. It's also a little stouter than the normal gold wire versions. Hope it helps.
I also did quite a bit of bucktailing last summer in shallow with a 1oz. spro with same results except there is no farting around with the bait, when the fluke go after the spro, they would slam it.

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Smoke free 15 Weeks!

AlloyToy

Bob&Mag

Not fimiliar with that hook i'll do a google search.
Thanks for the info

__________________

"First The Bite Then The Fight"

PG

Bob is this the hook?

Eagle Claw L151WRGH-5/0 Lazer Sharp Kahle Hook -- Red Weedless #5/0 5-Pack - Eagle Claw L151WRGH Red Lazer Sharp Kahle Hooks

PG

Bob & Mag

I'm actually not sure of the brand as I bought them loose in a bin at both River's End in Old Saybrook and Hammonasset Tackle in Clinton. The new Larger 5/0 are stainless.
I'll try to find one in the house and take a picture and post it.

__________________

Smoke free 15 Weeks!

ChuckA

here's another link

Fishing Hooks, Fish Hooks, Trotline Hooks, Hooks for Live Bait, Fishing Tackle from FishandGifts.com

plugmeister

Like the Gamakatzu Octopus #4 or 5, not circles. Rarely deep hook a fluke. And we fish Point Judith and catch 100's of fluke. Other guys swear by the circles. They work fine, too.

Bob & Mag

Here's what I was using in a 4/0 gold wire and a 5/0 Stainless(much stronger) with a typical sliding bucktail and penny for size comparison.

__________________

Smoke free 15 Weeks!

AlloyToy

Thanks guys, great info there

__________________

"First The Bite Then The Fight"

Scup

Even though I am commercial, I do not target fluke because of the small creel limit for pin fisherman, and it is very fuel intensive for what you will be coming home with. Typically, I am a recreational fisherman when I go after them because my guests want them. I would never use a stainless hook for fluke or for any other fish. Should a throwback fluke take a hook deep, at least give the fish a fighting chance and do not rip his guts outs by trying to remove the hook. Cut the leader short and toss the fish back hook and all. Within a few days the non stainless hook would have eroded out and if the draggers don't get him, he just might end up being a doormat a few years down the line. The use of a bucktail for fluke is a commercial fisherman's technique. Very hard for an undersized fluke to woof down deep a one ounce or larger bucktail. The bucktail with a strip of fluke belly on it is probably the best lure I have ever seen for fluking. Once hooked on a bucktail, the hookup to lost ratio goes very much in favor of the angler. When a fluke is hooked decently on a bucktail he is almost always ends up coming in over your railing. I am thinking about making up some bucktails up in a 1.5 to 2 oz mold using tin so that the corresponding weight of the finished lure will be less than its lead counterpart yet the physical size of the lure will be large. Likely, this year they are going to raise the size limit once again, so why even tempt a small fluke; big lure for big fish.