by Brad Corrie
As a fisherman,we should all know the importance of careful hook selection. I’m not only talking about bait fishing, but lure fishing also. Hook selection is critical for matching bait size, lure size and fish species targeted and can turn a bad day on the water into a good day. Gamakatsu have all this covered with their amazing range of chemically sharpened hooks.
Being an SA fisherman a lot of my fishing is focused on bait fishing with a recent introduction to lure and soft plastic fishing over the past few years. Over my fishing life I have always been very careful to match up my hooks with the baits that I use and the fish that I am targeting. I have learnt this by losing some amazing fish in my lifetime.
A few of South Australia’s prime fish species to target consist of Snapper, Whiting, Mulloway, Australian Salmon, Garfish and Tommy Ruff. Each of these species uses a different bait and different hook size.
Let’s start off with Snapper, and the hooks I use for bait fishing and also lure fishing for these prized fish. My hook selection will be decided with what baits I want to use to target these fish. When fishing for smaller snapper from 38cm to 60cm I use a Gamakatsu Octopus 6/0 Black twin hook rig. Fishing for the smaller snapper I use squid strips, half pilchards or smaller whole pilchards. These hooks match up well with these smaller baits and will keep the bait looking realistic. If it’s the prize snapper you’re after with a length that exceeds 1m, I will use whole baits like Squid, Garfish, Tommy Ruff, Larger Pilchards and Slimy Mackerel with a 8/0 or 9/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Black or a 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook. The circle hooks are prime if fishing with a bait runner set up, there is no need to strike on the first bite, the fish will generally get hooked up in the corner of the mouth when the line tightens up. Very handy if you’re a “cast the bait out and wait” fisho.
When fishing for Whiting you need to be very selective with your hooks, these fish can become very picky, and if any sign of a hook is showing in the bait these fish will general not touch it. Here in SA we are very lucky to get some big whiting once our colder season kicks in, a 45cm fish is not rare and specimens to 60cm+ get caught in our waters every year. The 2 main baits I use for whiting are Squid and Cockles (Pipi). For these prized table fish I use the Gamakatsu Long Shank sized #4. These hooks can be presented well with a whole cockle bait, always making sure the black sack is at the point of the hook as this is what the whiting generally eat first. Another option is to use a tenderized squid tentacle or strip of squid from the tube or flap. The Long Shank allows for easy hook removal and the chances of these fish taking the whole hook down are very slim.
Mulloway would have to be SA’s prime sport fish. There are a few different ways these fish can be caught, dead bait fishing from the beach, live baiting in river systems and estuaries and lure fishing from beaches and river systems. If you are lucky enough to have landed one of these fish you will know that hook sharpness and strength is a key factor. Beach fishing for these fish is not as easy and rocking up to your favorite spot, throwing a bait on hook and catching one of these fish. Bait presentation is a major factor as well as hook presentation. The hooks I have used successfully for catching Mulloway from the beach consist of Twin rigged 9/0 Gamakatsu Big Bait hooks, these are a great hook for big baits such as Salmon Fillets, Whole Salmon trout and Whole squid. Featuring 4x strength the one thing you won’t have to worry about is your hook breaking in half when you’re in battle with one of these fish that can weigh anywhere up to 90lbs. Live baiting for these fish in the river systems down here can sometimes be long cold nights, which can result in zero fish for multiple trips, so presenting your live bait correctly is a MUST, allowing the live bait to swim freely and keep sending out struggling vibes is what will get you one of these “ Silver Ghosts”. The 3 live baits I use are Salmon trout, Garfish and Squid. Salmon trout are best presented Bridle rigged with a Twin Hook Gamakatsu 8/0 or 9/0 Big Bait hooks, match hook size with live bait size.For the Garfish, being that it’s a slim line fish I tend to use the Gamakatsu 7/0 Octopus Black. This is a prime light live bait hook that will still withstand the power of a big Mulloway, with the top hook pinned in the beak of the fish and the bottom hook swinging freely. Squid baits can be tricky, if hooked wrong the squid will not last long. Try the Gamakatsu 7/0 or 8/0 Inline Octopus Straight eye 4x hook, with 1 hook in the rear of the squid and one lightly pierced in the top of the hood close to the head, trying not to pierce the backbone of the squid.
Australian salmon are prolific on our surf beaches here. They are not a hard fish to catch when they are in a school feeding along the coast line. A simple hook set that I use is the Gamakatsu Gangster 4/0 in a 3 hook gang rig, these hooks come with pre opened eyes allowing you to make them up yourself. I have used up to 4 ganged hooks depending on the size of the pilchard I am using.
Garfish and Tommy Ruff can be caught using the same hooks. For these I use the Gamakatsu Long Shank size #10, loaded up with mince or gents these hooks work a treat. The long shank also eliminates the fish from swallowing the hook right down, which is very handy for de-hooking quickly when you have 2 lively fish kicking around on the one rig.
So before you head out next, think about what bait you will be using, head down to your local tackle shop and choose the correct style and size Gamakatsu for the fishing you will be doing. When done right, the results will amaze you.
