assist hooks on poppers

[Reaux]

[quote=Uncle Russ]TOO: Were your single hooks attached directly using split rings or were they assist hooks? I'm thinking the former. It seems to me that the assist hooks, if they were attached to the front ring, in the same manner as on jigs, would cling to the body of the lure and get inhaled with it, whereas the directly attached hooks would tend to do as you said-hang out and avoid hooking up.

It seems that Bluewater Australia does it like this: the whole article can be found here. Bluewater - Articles - Fishing Articles - Assist Hook Rigging

Reaux

[gman]

what up Reaux one of the reasons they like it so much over there is because it is a release fishery for GT. The Nomad fishing charter company actually uses several large single hooks with a band that keeps it together for easy release. They also for the most part crimp the barbs down

[DeepBlueGulf]

I'm plannning on rigging a few poppers with assist hooks for the July 4th trip on the Big E. I'm planning on doing some catch and release and will rig two poppers with assist hooks with shrink tubing on the assist hooks, and two with naked assist hooks.

Will be very interesting to see what happens.

DBG

[ksong]

While majority jig fishermen use assist hooks, still majority GT popping fishermen use treble hooks. I am sure many guys tried assist hooks for poppers and I think there are good reasons why they still prefer treble hooks.

[Uncle Russ]

Kil:I think you have said before that the treble hooks making it difficult for the tuna to take in oxygen plus the fact that they are hooked on the surface contribute to the quickness with which you can land them on poppers.

[ksong]

I believe hookup ratio is much better with treble hooks whether you use them for jigs or poppers. We tend to drop more while fighting tuna with treble hooks, but if you keep pressure without any slackline, you don't lose many.

I am a believer that fish aims at hook oftenly, so the hook action is as important as jig action.

[TOO]

Unc, there were straight split ring/single hook. What you said could of been some of the problem. Don't know, but guessing that having 4 less hooks hanging made a difference. I had at least 60-70 blow ups that night, and had 10-15 short hooked/hits.
Gman, I always wait until I feel the fish on before settingthe hook, that may be not enough time for a single hook topwater? Don't know, do know if I am ever in that situation again, my popper will be wearing trebles.

[BretABaker]

hey willie....def hold my spot in sept. im just waiting on checks to come in the mail. thx

[etan]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I'll try a couple of different ways to rig. Maybe a stinger on the back and normal treble in the middle etc.

[Reaux]

Originally Posted by gman

what up Reaux one of the reasons they like it so much over there is because it is a release fishery for GT. The Nomad fishing charter company actually uses several large single hooks with a band that keeps it together for easy release. They also for the most part crimp the barbs down

Hi Glen,

Didn't know that there was a mandate to release GT's in AU - if that what's you're saying. At any rate, did you see this on the NBS board.

It seems Armand aka RI Popper Atlantic Offshore Lures had the idea of stinger hooks rigged like on jigs for his needlefish.

Finally, I've seen the 'band' that you talk of, actually a small cable tie, on the Bluewater site. I like the way they look and am going to give it a try. At any rate here is their explanation for the last picture.

"Note the small cable tie loosely linking the eyes of the back-to-back hooks. That's essential to prevent one of the hooks from ending up on the other end of the split ring and falling over to face the wrong direction, and unbalancing the lure - anyway don't dwell on it, rig 'em like this and you'll find it works well. We forgot to crush the barbs on these ones before taking the pic."

Reaux