Thread: Favorite hook and/or jig head size for bluegill

#8 or #6 Owner Mosquito hook when I can find them for live bait, true turn #6 if not and jigheads from 1/32 down to 1/80 for jigs and plastics.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

#8 or #6 Owner Mosquito hook when I can find them for live bait, true turn #6 if not and jigheads from 1/32 down to 1/80 for jigs and plastics.

Do you have an issue with them swallowing the hook (deep hooking) or does a mosquito hook function more like a circle hook?


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1/64 and 1/80 with #8 sickle almost 100%. Itty bitty swimmers and itty bitty slab slayers for the plastics, also some southern pro 1” tubes . Colors change with the day and the fish. Caught a 5lb 12oz catfish on one of these jigs Saturday with some fireline crystal 3lb. What a gas that was! I pour my own and currently deal with some older matzuo hooks that aren’t completely closed on the eye and the come off. I only mention that to bring your attention to what to stay away from. I have boated some wonderful crappie, LMB to 2 1/2lb, and countless bluegill. When they hit flesh they generally stay buttoned up. I dealt with swallowed hooks when I went smaller so this is it for me. Casting is very good with the 2lb nanofil I use, but it requires a leader and isn’t for everyone. Line diameter is .002 and has zero memory but no abrasion resistance. Everything else is way bigger in diameter and has texture that you can hear going through the guides, neither is present in the nano. I’m still looking for a tougher alternative but haven’t found it yet.

For live bait I use #4 Aberdeen. Jigs I use 1/64 or 1/32 size #4 or rarely #6.

12 feet of 4 or 6 lb mono leader direct tie with double uni knot to 6 lb Nanofil.

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Originally Posted by D10

Do you have an issue with them swallowing the hook (deep hooking) or does a mosquito hook function more like a circle hook?


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No more than any other hook. I like the small profile, especially with grass shrimp. I despise circle hooks.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

No more than any other hook. I like the small profile, especially with grass shrimp. I despise circle hooks.

I don’t like circle hooks either, except for with limb lines for huge Flathead Catfish. I tried them trout fishing with bait about a decade ago but it is hard not to set the hook. I’ll look into those mosquito hooks. Thanks.


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1/32 number 8 and 1/64 number 10 and some 1/48 number 8 as well .
if I hit waters that had less pressure and real big sunfish I might use a number 6

I've been tearing up the gills with my fly rod and a tiny little fly Binfordw tied. Catches alot of dinks but also alot of good healthy gills!

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