Help - Lost 5 Trevally in last 2 weeks

[dilrocks]

Hey Guys any help will be appreciated..

Since Last Week I have lost 5 nice 50+-CM Trevally. what am I doing wrong ?

I am using Mustard 2.0 Hooks

Professional braider line 15LB

Strom professional rod 2-18LB

Okuma bait runner 4000 series with maximum drag of 3KG

OK here is what happens:

fish gets hook, reel half way in and one of sudden it unhooks.

what am i doing wrong ?

1 of my mate told me that its the Trevally lips too soft and too much pressure can rip it off is that the case ?

Any Comments are muchly appreciated.

Cheers
Dil

[Guest]

You might be pulling the hooks out but I doubt it.....keep trying and I reckon you will land plenty.

Trevally do fight well for there size so don't rush it.

[JimT]

they have soft mouths so suggest back off the drag slightly and may be try some circle hooks a little larger also

Jim...

[dilrocks]

what do you recon about the Hook Brand Musturd do you recon its not sharp enough I have heard a lot about Daiichi Hooks for there sharpness.

Do you recon size 2.0 is too small.

Oh 1 more thing I was using long shank hook as well. Will Circle Hook make any difference ?

Thanks for your reply Swordfisherman it means a lot.

[dilrocks]

Thanks Jim actually that's exactly what I asked Swordfisherman earlier. yeah might go out and hunt for some nice 2.0 Circle Hooks. Any Particular Brand recommendation ?

Thanks for your reply dude.

[Guest]

Thanks Jim actually that's exactly what I asked Swordfisherman earlier. yeah might go out and hunt for some nice 2.0 Circle Hooks. Any Particular Brand recommendation ?

Thanks for your reply dude.

Gamakatsu work really well

[GoingFishing]

Trevally do have a soft mouth but at 50cm long I don't know how much that has to play in the equation. As Jim said back off the drag a little

Ps- 50cm trevally is huge and u say Uve lost 5 are you fishing nsw or qld haha

[Guest no one]

You won't rip their mouths off unless you're skull dragging them in! Keep the pressure on but keep the drag respectable!

Mustard hooks are sharp, if you're playing a fish then it's hooked, if you're missing hook ups then if question the sharpness of a hook.

[dilrocks]

Goingfishing.. i am bein fishing around port hacking area. I will set drag lose enough this time when i go

[spaners]

Check that the barbs are not faulty,if your not sure just bend them out a little more with a knife blade.Also make sure the hook point is exposed through the bait and not in it.

[Scratchie]

what do you recon about the Hook Brand Musturd do you recon its not sharp enough I have heard a lot about Daiichi Hooks for there sharpness.

Do you recon size 2.0 is too small.

Oh 1 more thing I was using long shank hook as well. Will Circle Hook make any difference ?

Thanks for your reply Swordfisherman it means a lot.

Longshank hooks would be no good for trevally. Great for whiting but the bend in the hook is too small in diameter for a big trev! 50cm plus trevally, I'd be using a 2/0 or 3/0 circle for sure! As mentioned they go hard especially at that size. It's easy to get excited and try over playing the fish. As mentioned, just take your time and enjoy the fight. Oh also, if your not using circles, when you get the take, make sure you set the hook.

Cheers scratchie!!!

[Krispy !]

if you dont want to pull hooks use a lighter drag setting but use your rod to steer the fish away. i reckon youre losing them because long shanks arent the best hooks for trevally, if you change to a baitholder i reckon you wont have a problem.

[Captain Spanner]

They do have soft mouths and while you might not tear their lips off you can wear/tear a hole the their mouth or lip that the hook can fall out of if you lose pressure for a second. This can be cut by the profile of the hook or the barb or just the pressure. It just happens but if you fish a bit lighter drag and make sure you always have a bend in your rod to not lose tension you should hold onto a few. Circle hooks should not fall out as easily and should set in a stronger spot. We always caught them on gamakatsu worm hooks in a 1 or 1/0 fishing nippers and peeled prawns for bream. We usually fished 6-10lb mono but also fish all manners of braid and plastics and still get them. Just don't go too hard and always keep pressure.

[SgtBundy]

I have only just started catching smaller models, but they seem to hook up fine on a size 6 circle hook - I am using the mustad demons but that was only because I couldn't find any gamakatsu of a similar size. Each hookup I have had has been right in the mouth and a solid hold.

[Yowie]

Dil,

I catch a few trevally in Port Hacking from time to time while fishing for whiting with nippers using a size 2 long shank hook, up to 55cm in length, but, those sized trevally need plenty of time to be landed, as they fight very hard and their soft mouths means the hook can pull free (it does happen some times)

If you are fishing specifically for the trevally, as the others have mentioned, use a short shank hook and allow them to swallow the bait, as the inside of the mouth past the lips will give the hook a better grip.

[fragmeister]

They do have soft mouths and while you might not tear their lips off you can wear/tear a hole the their mouth or lip that the hook can fall out of if you lose pressure for a second. This can be cut by the profile of the hook or the barb or just the pressure. It just happens but if you fish a bit lighter drag and make sure you always have a bend in your rod to not lose tension you should hold onto a few. Circle hooks should not fall out as easily and should set in a stronger spot. We always caught them on gamakatsu worm hooks in a 1 or 1/0 fishing nippers and peeled prawns for bream. We usually fished 6-10lb mono but also fish all manners of braid and plastics and still get them. Just don't go too hard and always keep pressure.

I think this one covers it all.

I catch quite a few of these at sow and pigs this time of year ( probably 20 or 30 in a 2 hour session...nearly all go back) I see quite a few with damaged mouths from earlier encounters with anglers so the pulling of the hooks is common. Circle hooks are certainly the go and an unweighted cube for the larger specimens in particular seems to get the fish to take the bait with enough conviction to get a good hook up rate on a circle hook.

.. love to find a few of the 50 cm models!

[dilrocks]

thanks guys great talk and great knowledge, going to A Tackle shop now to buy some gamakatsu Circle hooks they have plenty to chose from.

HI Yowie: how you going mate. If the fish swallows a hook it can damage there internals and do a big damage to a fish. so releasing gets a bit emotional...lol that's the last thing I want to be happen to my fish.

I like the Circle hook Idea as it stays around lips so not doing any damage to the fish, so the fish can be released in good condition offcourse after having couple of snaps and a kiss..lol

[Towlersbay boy]

If your applying pressure on the fish with a loaded rod & loosing the fish then I would say your pulling the hook. If you are loosing fish when dropping the rod when lifting and winding then you could be taking the pressure off the fish allowing the hook to fall out of the worn hole. I loose some good snapper to this when they shake their heads hard.

cheers

[Penguin]

if you dont want to pull hooks use a lighter drag setting but use your rod to steer the fish away. i reckon youre losing them because long shanks arent the best hooks for trevally, if you change to a baitholder i reckon you wont have a problem.

I agree with this.

cheers

[Yowie]

thanks guys great talk and great knowledge, going to A Tackle shop now to buy some gamakatsu Circle hooks they have plenty to chose from.

HI Yowie: how you going mate. If the fish swallows a hook it can damage there internals and do a big damage to a fish. so releasing gets a bit emotional...lol that's the last thing I want to be happen to my fish.

I like the Circle hook Idea as it stays around lips so not doing any damage to the fish, so the fish can be released in good condition offcourse after having couple of snaps and a kiss..lol

While fishing with nippers, usually while drifting, I keep a tight line so there is little chance of a trevally, or other fish, swallowing a hook (large flatties or tailor would be an exception)

With the circle hooks, the hook usually ends up in the mouth/corner of mouth.

As for the short shank hooks, they quite often will end up in the back of the throat in front of the gills, or down the stomach. Not too many hooks end up in the gills, so the hooks can be carefully removed with a hook remover, or simply cut the line.

Have caught a number of fish over the years (many different species) and found a hook with a little piece of line attached, just sitting in the stomach/intestines just waiting to be passed through the system.

The main damage to fish is when the hook is lodged in the gills or at the front of the stomach near the throat.

[dilrocks]

Thanks Yowie will diffenatly give circle hook a try. Bought 6 packs of 2 and 3 size gamakatsu circle hook. In preparation of upcoming long weekend. I will be very hard to control and not set the hook when fish are biting, but i guess it worths a try.

[locodave]

Trevally do have a soft mouth but at 50cm long I don't know how much that has to play in the equation. As Jim said back off the drag a little

Ps- 50cm trevally is huge and u say Uve lost 5 are you fishing nsw or qld haha

If he is a Queenslander, don't help him (after that 1 point loss)

With Trevs, I like to play with them. You can definitely tell when you have one on. I like others have said, let the drag loose a little, let them shake around and when they calm down a bit then lift and wind. When they start going crazy, I use the rod do the work for suspension and once they settle, lift and wind again.

[Twinfisher 4.9]

Trevs have quite large mouths and have caught many on 4 hook rigs with pillies. So a 2/0 hook is not an issue, but make sure the hook and barb is clear of the bait and yes, take it easy with them and no slack line. Then when you land yours, bleed it, have it raw as Sashimi with soy and wasabi ........nothing better!