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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 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.
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 opinionQuote:
Originally Posted by Choupic
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.:yikes
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 [emoji12]
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.
I found this to be true also.....Quote:
Originally Posted by homercrappie
I use #6 gold sickle, and agree with all of you, thank goodness it aint just me.
Lost way to many this march fishing shallow.
I think the biggest factors for me was braid, cause when you hang up you just snatch it loose and dont
remember to check your hook sometimes. The sickles will open up easily.
Also we were fishing close in like rod length or so with braid.....hhmm?
I'm thinkin it's more about the bite than anything else.
I use #4 sickle hooks, mostly black nickel when fishing docks and really like them, don't lose very many fish.....However, for tight lining brush, I prefer # 6 round bend regular hooks.....sickles seem to hang up more in cover.....I also resharpen hook points often throughout the day.
As far red hooks , I find they are soft and break easy.
A #2 gold Aberdeen is tough to beat with a shiner.
got that right.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Tracker123
Fishing vertically, which I mostly do, I prefer a sickle style hook over any other. The lil nasty hooks seem to bend more than the matzuos, but that doesn't matter a bunch for how I fish. #2 & #4 and occasionally #1 in 1/4 oz heads I pour.
If you can feel em, I prefer the sharpness that comes with those two brands.
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I fish sickles mostly. If I get to loosing fish I'll open up the gap a little with a pair of pliers. Usually fixes it.
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For fishing with shiners I use Arkie teasers...tied on red Matzou 1/0 sickle hooks Attachment 245709Quote:
Originally Posted by Tracker123
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I use 1 and 1/0 sizes....The key is go larger with these not smaller....you want to hook them in the roof of the mouth so they cant get off....smaller sizes just get them in the lip and will pull off lots of times....thats why they call crappie paper mouths.Quote:
Originally Posted by 20watt
I fish 1's and 2's with plastic. Most of my hand ties are on 4's though. Those are the ones I have to flare out a little. Guess that proves your point.Quote:
Originally Posted by "G"
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I pour my own in 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32 and use red matzuo sickle hooks in a size 8, 6, and 4 and and i bet I lose less than 5 percent of the fish I hang and rarely hook one anywhere but in the roof of the mouth.. The main key to not losing them for me is to make sure they never have any slack.
No. 2 sickle hooks work great for me. 1/8 and 1/16 heads.
I don't like them either.Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeg
Old thread back to life on easter
If you keep rebending sickles, sooner or later they take the shape of aberdeen.
I can never get mine bent exactly like new again.
I tried sickle hooks for first time this year, i find they hang up on EVERY little thing below the surface way more than regular hooks.
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Eagle claw now makes a Sickle Hook . We changed to them for all our jigs and minner critters!!! The eagle claw has a lot better Barb than Munoz!!! If you are losing fish go to a larger hook !!!
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The biggest advantage to the sickle hook I have found is I tend to get better hook ups in the roof of the mouth than in the side of the mouth. If I do get them in the roof of the mouth I almost always dang near need pliers to get the hook out. Sickle hooks are about all I run in my boat. To each his own I guess.