Hook type for planers?

[YAKforTHEM]

Hey guys,

What's the best type of hook when using planer boards? Used circle hooks last trip below a 5ft leader/swivel/egg sinker and had them down 8-12 feet. Missed two fish..suggestions?

[Shadslinger]

Most of us use regular Gamakatsu Octopus hooks on planers and just use circles on down lines. Size of hook depends of size of bait of course. I personally use a 3/0 or 4/0 on most alewives and 5/0 to 7/0's on gizzards. On my down lines I usually use a 4/0 Octopus Circle. Some other guys use smaller hooks on small baits but I feel I miss more fish with small hooks.

[YAKforTHEM]

Thanks shadslinger! Yeah I was wondering if the circle was part of my problem.

[FishON]

What size bait where you fishing with?

[YAKforTHEM]

Fish- I had an "assortment" of ale's ha ha. One of the strikes was on a nice 5-6 inch ale and the other on a smaller 4inch ale

[BentRod]

I like a 2/0 octopus on my alewives. It looks small but I've caught them up to 25lbs on them. If they get bent at all replace them cause they will break under additional stress.

I like red hooks too.

[YAKforTHEM]

Thanks Bentrod!- ever have any trouble when hooking through the nostrils? A few of the ones I hooked like that Saturday kept twisting on the hook and re- hooking themselves in the gills. I nose hook shad but ales mouths are so thin I tried the nostril and that kept happening.

[mwardncsu]

I know some folks that use something like a little rubber glow-bead, or take a hole-punch to a coffee-can lid and punch out a bunch of little plastic circles and put them on the hook up the shaft before putting the bait on to keep the hook from sliding around. However, I've never had an issue with the bait hooking themselves like that unless they get smacked by a striper. Not sure why - I generally use 2/0 circle or J hooks with ales - I might go down to 1/0 on small baits - won't got a a sz 1 again after I had a nice fish straighten a sz 1 gama cirlce on me down at the dam one summer.... I hook my ales through the mouth and out one nostril. Same way I hook my gizzards - small or mongo....

[FishON]

ever have any trouble when hooking through the nostrils? A few of the ones I hooked like that Saturday kept twisting on the hook and re- hooking themselves in the gills.

Where you hooking then through both nostrils or in the mouth and out one nostril?

I use to hook my Alewives through both nostrils. In one and out the other and they would get hooked back on themselves all the time. (foul hooked).... Then I started hooking them in the mouth and out one nostril and problem solved..