Assist Hook on Topwater Lures

[HooknCook]

Hi Guys,


Off to mozams in a week or two and looking for advice......


I am rigging up the lures and want to know if the assist hook setup works nicely on poppers(jet heads) and on stick baits......


Can you rig it in such a way onto a solid ring that you can then quickly change between lures by just putting your lure onto the solid ring via the split ring, as I do with jigs....just wanted to ask the boys in the know.......I am looking at ways to make it easier than the old fashioned way I have been using.......




Regards


HnC

[Lenny]

Heres something from the jigging section http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=63.0 that might help .


 

[REEFMAN]

Stinger hooks work well. All Basil Mannings GT plugs have Stinger hooks on them, they work well on Plugs and Stickbaits, don't see why they shouldn't work on Poppers.





As far as the solid ring goes, that will work too, but there are better options for quick change attachments... there are lots of different types being made now - just look around.

[FishStyx]

I have used them with varying degrees of success on poppers and I am leaning toward going back to the tried and tested baker rig on the belly and single, facing up on the tail. I really think my hookup rate was better this way.


I also tried what you have described but using a thin piece of sacrificial copper wire holding the hook close to the belly (because, after all, the fish is trying to snack the actual popper/stickbait and not somewhere next to it) . Then during a hookup, the copper wire breaks and you can fight the fish just on the assist style rig. There are two problems with this though. 1. With the popper or stickbait adrift from the hooked fish, during frenzy times (particularly with Geets and Bludgers) another fish can very easily take off with the bait and you risk losing the hooked fish, and 2. problems with assist cords and toothy chaps snacking thru the assist.


My 2c says go back to good quality splitrings direct onto hooks.

[Lenny]

Somewhere on UA theres another thread/option with splitrings  , basicly like the stinger , to get the hook further back . but using 2 to 3 splitrings to make your hook sit further back . cant find the post thought...

[FishStyx]

I'm no expert but my logic tells me, put the hooks close to, or on the thing the fish is trying to eat (with the obvious exception of baiting a circle hook... this is a different scenario altogether).


Perhaps someone could shed some more light on why you would want the hook away (like trailing by a few centimeters as in the case of the Ice Creams) from the artificial. I really don't know and would appreciate other input and views.


On my chisel nose plugs, I have away had good hook up rates with the hook directly onto the tail with a single split ring.

[HooknCook]

Thanks guys for the gen......will give it a go and see if we have any luck with a few


I just hate working with split rings all day...... Find the big ones and big hooks a mission......assist is much easier......


Tite lines....

[dodger]

Thanks guys for the gen......will give it a go and see if we have any luck with a few


I just hate working with split rings all day...... Find the big ones and big hooks a mission......assist is much easier......


Tite lines....

get some split ring pliers, makes it easy peasy

[HooknCook]

Got the biggest ones I could find......those big split rings and hooks with a big eye are a mission....

[Cam Mundy]

Got the biggest ones I could find......those big split rings and hooks with a big eye are a mission....

Leave the split rings on the hooks the gauge of the throughwire on lures is always smaller than the eye of the hook your using. So your S/R's will last longer and be less stretched out with constant use.

[HooknCook]

What rigs do you advise for GTs in Jurassic park?

[Cam Mundy]

Trebles, very big very strong trebles I use Owner ST 76 I'm not sure if they'll be availible in SA. I have seen ST 66 hooks there but they will often open on big fish. I only use single in certain circumstances.