Trolling Question

I am just getting the boat set up to start trolling and had a question that I was hoping y'all could help with. What type/size/hook size jig heads do y'all use? I hear a lot of talk about lightwire hooks, but also been hearing about the sickle hooks as well. Is there one that is better than the other or is it just personal preference? Also, when trolling I heard I need to stay with 1/16 to 1/8 depending on the depth I am trying to fish. Is this true? and last is the hook size. I fish primarily with 2 inch grubs. Can y'all tell me what the best hook size is to go with? Thanks for any help

Well, I'm partial to litewirehooks. If you fish where there is lots of trash/stumps/trees they are hard to beat. If you fish open water then the sickle hook is an excellent hook to use. Many have both depending on where they fish. I recommend the #2 hook on 1/32,1/24,1/16 and I really like the #1 hook on 3/32, 1/8, and 1/4 when the fish are really deep. Most, like you, use the 2 inch curley tail grubs and they work great. Good luck and Trolling is an excellent way to enjoy fishing.

My buddy and I fished Sinclair's Beaverdam Creek last Friday and Saturday We spent about fifteen hours trolling longlines in water less than fifteen feet deep. We fished eight rods with Bass Pro Shop's 6# Hi-Viz line and Lightwirehooker's 3/32 oz. tri-head jigs with curly tail bodies.

In all that time I don't think we broke off more than ten times. Most times the hooks straightened out and we rebent them with our fingers and went back to fishing usually without even losing the curly tail.

Before switching over to Curtis' jigs we would break off thirty or forty a day especially when the crappie moved into the shallows. I'm sold on Curtis' jigs.

Curtis lives in Cochran. Arrange to meet him, ask him about trolling, and I'm confident you'll leave with some of his jigs.

If you need some bodies, Luremaker 358 has a big assortment, and has a lot of experience trolling. He lives in a little ways off I-16 near the Danville Exit.

A little driving saved me a lot of money and allowed me the opportunity to gain a lot of knowledge.

Good luck!

Thank you both for the information. I will definitely be ordering from Curtis in the near future. I will also try to get with Luremaker and see about some bodies. Again I appreciate the information and will let y'all know how it goes.

Lightwire and Sickles are both great for long line trolling. I am partial to the Sickles because I do more than just long line troll with the same jig heads (dock shooting, spider rigging, single pole jigging). While I may lose one or two they will come unhung better than regular round bend jig hooks. The bend in the Sickle helps it give enough to come free most of the time, but then again I ain't scared to lose one or retie once in a while. Even dock shooting, Sickles can be freed with out much effort. You asked about more than just hook style. Round heads, tri-heads/minnow heads, bullet heads, and pony heads all have their advantages and also personal preference falls in line again. Jig heads of different styles will weigh differently compared to the same "advertised" weight of a different style head. Most of the round and bullet style heads will weigh closer to "advertised" weight and tri/minnow heads will be a little heavier than "advertised". The key is not as much which is better, but to be consistent with what YOU use. Trolling different heads mixed in your spread will make knowing "approximately" how deep you are trolling difficult. With all the variables in long line trolling to get to a target depth, help yourself out and pick one style in different "weights" (1/48, 1/32, 1/16 etc) and learn how they do for YOU. Here is another trick for when you want to make a jig ride a little higher than it normally runs, add a minnow. We used some of my Tasers in 1/32 and 1/16 at hot water last weekend tipped with a minnow and did very well amongst all the other trollers in there. Cool thing about this time of year is it is a great time to go out and try different things while trolling to see how they work and you will usually catch fish just about everyway you try.

Don't think it matters. I use 1/16 and 1/32. Hardly ever use 1/8 but I don't try to long line for deep fish. I prefer a bigger hook.

I use sickle hook jigs when fishing open waters...such as when the crappie first start into the creeks. As they work their way back towards shallower water where it becomes a bit more "brushy" I switch to litewire hook jigs.

I love Curtis' litewire hooks they work great for me. I use 1/24 the most. Early in the year when it is cold I use 1/16. Good luck, Wes

thank you all for the replies. Look forward to getting set up and getting the kids on the water.