Shiners, hooks, and how to hook them??

[BLACKJACK]

Was using some shiners last weekend to fish walleyes, was uing my regular rig with a foam bobber and #6 red Gamagatsu hook, would hook the shiner thru the meaty part of the back, when I'd get a strike, I'd let it go down about a foot and then would set the hook, but it seemed like I lost a lot of fish on the way up, my thinking is that the hook wasn't big enough, that the point wasn't getting set into thier mouth.

These were not huge shiners, maybe 3-4 inchers.

What size hook to you use with shiners and how do you hook them?

[erikwells]

I say minnow sixe or how you are hooking them is not the problem rather the weather pattern bouncing around so much makes even the takers be timid. Last weekend I had a lot of light bites where I could tell the bobber was bounced by a fish and then nothing. High pressure for me typically equals tougher fishing and the bites I do get are rather half hearted. That's my .02 worth and thats likly overbilling.

[TruthWalleyes]

Here's what i've found. If your fishing for walleyes bigger than 20" need to be sure to have a good hook gap. I was loosing a whole bunch 3 weeks ago, tossed on bigger trebbles and stiff hooksets and problem went away.

I put just barely enough meat on the hook to keep the minnow on the hook and no more. I.E. Barely hooked. More hook showing means more hook for the fishes mouth. Generally, i hook minnow just under the back right at the front of the dorsal - keep the minnow horizontal this way.

However, at times i hook minnows in all kinds of different ways depending on fish mood...Tail, side, head, lips, etc...

If you hook your minnows right, they should stay lively for 10hrs+.

Also, if your rod's not stiff enough to stick the hook into their mouths then you'll lose em.

I remember 3 weeks ago, if i let the rattlereel go more than 3-6" before setting the hook i'd lose the fish. Took missing several to finally get [PoorWordUsage] and set the hook as soon as the rattle reel dropped. More often than not, that is setting the hook too soon.

[Hoffer]

I actually prefer to hook them quite a ways back of the dorsal fin. Almost more in the tail area. It seems like it keeps the minnow off balance and they struggle more to keep in balance. More struggle hopefully = equals more interest.

[JohnMickish]

I hook mine a little differenty than most. I hook then thru the lips and clip the tail. Fish will suck the minnow in head first so I don't wait for long before I set the hook. I prefer a #6 Mustad double wide gap hook, the same as I use for a leech/lindy rig combo in the summer.

If I am not using just a plain hook, it is usually with an off balance jig like a Fin Tech nuckle ball.

I am very pleased with the hookup percentage with both set ups.

[tunrevir]

I like o use a #4 or #6 gamagatsu hook and typically hook through the back but sometimes run the hook through the rear underbelly by the anal fin or at times through the lips like John mentioned with a tail clip. It sounds like if you were losing fish on the way up that either your rod wasn't stiff enough to get a good hookset or you may have needed to wait for a minute or longer to let the fish inhale the bait further before setting the hook.

Tunrevir~

[BLACKJACK]

if you were losing fish on the way up that either your rod wasn't stiff enough to get a good hookset

Thats a possibility, I can't remember which rod I was using at the time but I do have a couple of wimpy panfish rods that may have been in use.

For this weekend, I'm going to try some of the #6 gamagatsu hooks with a wider gap when I'm using shiners.

[OnAFly]

I keep trying to find those at Gander and I swear the keep the spot on the shelf for them vacant just to spite me.