Thread: Sickle Hooks

I know what you mean I lose a lot too using them. I found it helps to check them when you snag them and bend them back into shape.

Originally Posted by Choupic

I know a lot of you guys fish these sickle hooks and I've heard a lot of good things about them and I've started using them the last couple of months on various jigs .

When we started out using them I told my son sarcastically that if a fish even looks at one of these hooks they will get snagged . Lol

But .... I can't help but notice the amount of fish that we've missed either right after hook set or at the boat .

Anyone else experience this ?

I don't like them they seem to hook them limbs to much. I don't think they are as good as the regular hooks.. just my opinion

I went down to size #4. That helped me. I tried #2 and missed a lot of fish. Also I went back to black hook and quit using red. But I try a lot of things when I have such a bad run like I did the first half of the year.

I have quite a few jigs made with sickle hooks now and I will continue to use them until they are out but the next jigs that I order will be with regular hooks , I'm thinking .

It's just all of the reviews that ive read that compliment the way you miss less fish with the sickle hooks .

It's not that big of a deal just a little disappointed because it's obvious the amount of fish that get off at the boat . I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that feels that way

Here is an observation I have made regarding hooks in general...some of it applies to some sickle hooks. Some hooks depending on how they are sharpened,how much bend there is between the point and barb,the size of the barb,etc......can make a larger hole where the hook pierces and or make a larger hole during the fight.If the fish makes the right moves they can shake the hook free. So the basic hook geometry if you will can affect how well the fish stays hooked.

Another observation is that sometimes it affects it more than others. I have literally fished one day and never lost a fished and then next day lost a high percentage of fish hooked.You can try to analyze that until you're brain hurts...but I have seen it so many times that I don't spend a lot of time trying to figure it out.If on a particular day I start loosing fish I just change something.

Now I ascertained all this not just from crappie fishing...but from multi species angling. Of course fish that have a propensity to jump and head shake can teach you a lot.

I had a period of about five years I was using a 1/32 oz road runner head (actual brand road runner) in chartreuse with a southern pro scale head tube in chartreuse and purple with a crappie nibble on it. Now that thing only has a number 6 hook I think.You have the blade in the way and the rubber body of the tube...etc. But I literally caught thousands of fish on that combination...including quite a few 2 to 3 lb crappie, 3 to 6 lb bass, bull Redear and Bluegill,and even the occasional 5 to 10lb catfish. I bet I did not loose 5 percent of the fish I hooked with that tiny little thing...How do you figure it??

I bought some Mr.crappie 16 oz sickle hook jig heads this spring and I was fishing the Strike King shadpole CT. I distinctly remember one Saturday I got into a school of crappie and caught about 40 on probably only twice that many cast and maybe lost one. The next Saturday I found some in a different spot but same rig...that day I bet I lost 30 percent of the fish hooked????

Some days I can tell a difference in a soft rod and mono and light drag and a little stiffer jig pole with braid and a tighter drag...and sometimes I can't tell much.

But the terminal tackle and rod /line combo do play a role when used together. I usually have three or four rods rigged differently and a plethora of tackle styles. If something is working that day I go with it...if I experience problems I switch until I find the right thing for that day.

Very different results on cast fishing and fighting fish over a distance ...and vertical fishing and coming straight up. Sometimes what may work fine vertical may not work that well catching fish on a long cast over a submerged weed bed with some wood mixed in for instance.

I have found while jigging vertical I was missing fish. But my adjustment I made was give the fish some slack for a half to a second more and then set hook! This adjustment has made all the difference in the world. I use both kind, but with sickle I give them that extra time. Hope this helps.

I think the answer is pretty simple. The barb on the sickle hooks are much smaller. We have quit using them because of loosing fish. I tie with Aberdeen hooks only now. Get a sickle and a Aberdeen style and hold them up to each other. No comparison.

Originally Posted by homercrappie

I think the answer is pretty simple. The barb on the sickle hooks are much smaller. We have quit using them because of loosing fish. I tie with Aberdeen hooks only now. Get a sickle and a Aberdeen style and hold them up to each other. No comparison.

I found this to be true also.....