Where to hook bait?

[rustiest1]

I have been missing a lot of fish this year. I use a 6/O Gamakatsu circle hook with five to six inch bullheads and creek chubs and hook them through the tail. It seems that all of the cats are grabbing it up to the hook and then dropping it. Where should I be hooking them or what are some other options?

[hanso612]

I have always used a quick strike rig for cats. I snell the number six and put on a small 2x strong treble on the tag end. I tie my rigs to match the bait. I add a bead and a spiner and leave a foot on the front end before the swivel. Pryamid sinker goes on main line first and then a bead and then I tie on the quick stike rig. I make up the rigs at home in various sizes and wrap them on a felt board and secure them with velcro.

I have yet to have a big cat swallow a quick strike, becuse no matter what way the bait goes in, the second or trailing hook catches on a part of the mouth before the first hook can make it down the gullet.

When using a single hook I have had many fish swallow the bait all the way down.

It think that most short strikes are just smaller cats. The big ones don't mess around. When that gapping maw opens the sucktion is tremendous. I used to watch flatheads come up into my slip at Sunnyside during the mayfly hatch. They would come to the surface and open there mouths an inch or two and flair their gills and the mayflies would suck in from a big area.

We used to drop a hook into the swirl and hold on for dear life. A cat in a slip made a huge rocus. Our night was usually cut short,ineviteably, a blue hair would complain to security and we would be forced to call it a night. Hans