Jig Hooks?

[MePreach]

Wanted some opinions from some folks that jig fish? I switched last year from pitchin a 1/16 ounce jig with #4 hook over to a #4 black nickel sickle hook and I have noticed that they are hooking alot in top of mouth but I can honestly say that I still lose a good many also? I can say the sickle hooks are sharper but I dont think I am landing more? Any advice on hooks or maybe its my technique.....I hate losin those slabs!

[PBUG2009]

its an opinion thing i think. I hear just as many people liking the sickle as well as the regular hook. My jigs and jigheads that go out, id say is 50-50...really all in what your comfortable with and believe in

[pondhopper]

Bend the barb of the hook out a little giving it an outward curl on the tip. wont work on short barb hooks.

[Bronson]

I have tried a variety of hooks and love/hate them all. I like the sharpness and wide gap of a sickle hook but have had the same problem you've had of all of a sudden starting to lose fish. I understand losing one now and then is going to happen but when you lose two or three in a row, it gets a little painful. When that happens, the first thing I do is check to make sure the point is still briar sharp and hasn't been bent. If not, I touch up the point with a triangular file.

I also use Eagle Claw 570 hooks. Some of these may need sharpening right out of the box and dull fairly quickly. Just like Pondhopper said, your hook ups will go up dramatically if you open up the tip. The key is getting the point of the hook started in a fishes mouth.

When I'm losing fish, I usually switch over to a Gamakatzu hook. They are very strong, very sharp and will stay sharp and they are very expensive. It's much harder to open up the tip of a Gamakatzu hook because it is so strong. I usually fish these on weedless hooks because there's a good chance of hanging these up in brush and having to break off. It makes for much more expensive hook but there have been times when I've used the same jig all day.

All hooks need touching up from time to time and you can pick up a pretty good triangular file at your local hardware store. I try to file a triangular point and make sure to use very light strokes at the end.

The last thing is I tend to use a graphite rod for casting or tightling with some flex in it. When I feel a crappie thump it, I rare back about like you would on a big bass. Yes, you may tear it out of some crappies mouth but if you don't I believe we lose a lot of the big ones because we didn't sink the hook in deep enough for the barb to get a good bite.

For whatever reason, some days it seems I do better with some hooks than others. When this happens, I usually switch to a jig with a different kind of hook and suddenly I start getting more hook ups.

[deathb4disco]

I've been using plain ol' Mustad jig hooks in a #6 for years. Hardly ever lose a fish on them. Never saw the need to switch to sickles.

[MePreach]

I may not be setting the hook hard enough? I usually just give it a quick and short jerk! Maybe I need to jerk harder since I am using mono line but only 6lb and dont wont to break off.....seems that I need to get back on the water and do some experimenting! How hard do the rest of yall set the hook?

[deathb4disco]

I may not be setting the hook hard enough? I usually just give it a quick and short jerk! Maybe I need to jerk harder since I am using mono line but only 6lb and dont wont to break off.....seems that I need to get back on the water and do some experimenting! How hard do the rest of yall set the hook?

I just do a short, quick wrist snap, and that does it. I sure don't set the hook like the bass pros! :D

A sharp #6 hook penetrates very easily. There's no need for a hookset hard enough to capsize the boat.

[springhillwantabe]

there are 6 things an old-timer told me about crappie fishing slow,slower,slowest and set the hook-set the hook-set the hook

[PBUG2009]

just a short snap of the wrist.

[PIGINTHEPIGPEN]

I Only fish with Gamakatsu hooks. Worth every penny.