I generally hook them right behind the dorsel fin. Doesn't seem to hurtem too bad and they stay lively longer. When spider rigging the hook goes through the eyes. OUCH!!!!
Wandering what you guys considered the best way to hook minnows when using a bobber or flatlining/tightlining? Also, do any of you use circle hooks with minnows?
I generally hook them right behind the dorsel fin. Doesn't seem to hurtem too bad and they stay lively longer. When spider rigging the hook goes through the eyes. OUCH!!!!
Snatching Lips
My wife showed me an article once that when trolling, if you hook them thru the lips from the bottom up, they will live longer. I've been doing it that way and it seems to work.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Bill H. PTC USN Ret
Chesapeake, Va
Either behind the Dorsel fin or through the lips.Depends on how lively I want Them!!
Good Fishin To Ya!! Dennis Dale Hollow Crappie www.dalehollowcrappie.4t.com
Through the lower jaw and out a nare. They can live a long time that way on an aberdeen. I usually kill them on a circle hook. - Roberta
"Anglers are born honest,
but they get over it." - Ed Zern
Average sized roseys I lip hook, but the smaller ones I hook through the eyes. I use slipfloat rigs, so a I drift the boat around, the minnow, dead or alive looks like it's swimming. Needless to say, after the minnow has been dead for a while I will rebait with fresh and live. With a jig and tipping with a minnow, I used the smaller ones and always lip hook no matter what, afterall it's just there for taste.
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Darryl Morris
FAMILY FISHING TRIPS GUIDE SERVICE
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From what I have experienced, they live alot longer being hooked behind the eyes. Hooking through the lips works, but they cant breathe as well and generally die quicker.
from my Grandparents, to hook thru the back & under the dorsal fin, when sitting still (tied up/anchored). Hook thru the eye socket (behind the eyeballs, not thru them) when drifting or moving around, and when "dipping" (dropping a minnow, under a float, into multiple cover spots - and lifting it back out - as in when searching a large area of cover or multiple targets ... like Spring pre-spawn bed area searches, and Fall standing timber searches). Hooked with a jig, usually means putting the hook point under the "chin" (V shaped area of the underside of the lower jaw) and bringing it out between the nares.
I've never actually seen a practical use for "lip hooking" (actually running the hook thru only the lips of the minnow), as this would seem to require a very small hook, plus allow the smallest of Sunfish to "knock" the minnow off the hook, with little effort. (and they already take a big enough toll on minnows hooked securely ...LOL!!)
I've also heard of, but never actually used, the method of hooking a minnow in the tail. This is supposedly used to allow the minnow greater movement, make them attempt to swim towards the surface, or when "freelining" (fishing without a weight - just line & hook).
The "walleye fishing" method of trolling or jigging (bottom bouncing) with a minnow/jig .... usually entails putting the jig hook into the mouth of the minnow and bringing the hook point out "behind the head" (between head and shoulder area). I use a slight variation of this when using Shad. I put the hook into the mouth, but bring the jig hook point out thru the "face" - usually somewhere between the eyes and nares. When using a plain hook with Shad - I employ the "thru the eyesocket" method. ........luck2ya ......cp
I hook em behind the eyes, but I always bite off a piece of curly tail body (about the size of a crappie nibble) and stick it on the hook after i put the minner on. This keeps the minner on a lot better. Sometimes, those minnows manage to just git off without any help from a fishie. Also works great if u are "bait casting" from the bank or boat. Jest me opinion. I have tried all methods. This works best for me. Hey, I aint no expert. I just a weekend fisher with 60 years of practice. haha
Tom
Member BS Pro-Staff and Billbob Pro-Staff
Proud Member of Team Geezer... authorized by: billbob and "G"
I hook them through the eye sockets most of the time.
If I'm drifting, I'll hook up the "v" and out the lips.
If they are hitting like crazy (like in the spring) I'll hook em the first time in the eyes, then behind the dorsal fin through the back and the third time through the tail. Now about the third time, there is no head to speak of left, but the crappie don't care! My personal record is 5 crappie on one minnow. :p
"Be Ye Fishers of Men" You catch them- He will clean them