# Trolling hook setups - single, double, circle, octopus



## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

I was wondering whether to use in-line or octopus circles for bridling yakkas and hooking up live squid and then I thought a live bait hook would be better. Then I saw two-hook rigs used for live bait trolling. Mono for yakkas, fluorocarbon for squid. I've done some searches on the forum and would very much appreciate some opinions and even better experience from the yak with the various combinations. What do you or would you use for flat trolling, downrigging, yakkas vs squid, targeting pelagics vs jewies etc?

Thanks


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## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

Not much of an answer I'm afraid but in leu of any other answers then this is what I do. I have never hooked a Jewfish from the yak but they are around where I fish. I have never considered them as a target but blokes I know get them on their downriggers from powerboats but mostly near the river mouth or on rough ground.. All my fishing is Summer pelagic.
Flat lining--bridle with single 6/0 SL12 Gamakatsu
Downrigging-as above
Yakkas or slimey as bait, never used squid as but would double hook if I did, one hook each end.
Now, pelagics include Spottie, Spanish and Wahoo. Once I get a couple of bite offs I should ( but sometimes don't) swap to double hook wired rigs on which I use Mustard livebait hooks. 
It is important to have the hook match the size of the bait rather than the size of the expected catch. I know guys who use stinger hooks but it is just too fidley for me unless I'm using pre tied wire rigs. If my baits are small then I revert to Mustard live bait hooks 4/0. Not sure of the model but they are not really thick wire. I get them from USA.

I use fluro at times, more often during holiday periods when boat traffic is heavier and there is greater fishing pressure. I think it makes a difference for Dolphin fish and tuna. With wire the toothy fellows bite less . Marlin and Cobia dont care and this year I caught one of each on wire trace, double hook rigs when chasing the Wahoo.

I have used Octopus circles and in fact caught my first Marlin on one off the downrigger and on a Yakka. I have a huge collection of circle hooks which I rarely use. I have found the SL 12 to be so sharp that they generally engage in the jaw anyway. The other more important thing for me is that I struggle to decide which size circle for which fish when the bite could be from a 10 kilo longtail or a 80 kilo Marlin. The SL 12 covers the lot. I get quite vigorous in my fishing and have never straightened a SL12 but it could be done from a powerboat where more pressure can be applied

Circles do reduce line wear because of the hook up position but I only use 30lb or 40lb line and cannot remember when it wore through though I cut it back and retie every fish.

Hope this is a start. I find that a lot of what we do has been done by powerboat fishermen and there is tons of info on their sites that we can adapt. Many of these guys fish in a year what takes me 5. Take their ideas and adapt remembering that we apply less pressure and have more stealth.

Grant


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## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

Grant your reply is gold, pure and simple.

Thanks for taking the time for a detailed explanation. Just one question, what knot do you prefer for tying the SL12 Gamakatsu's on?

I looked them up and although they are J hooks there is a bit of a circle flavour to them. I like the fact that they are fine wire, like you I think they are not very likely to straighten given we are fishing from kayaks and they will be stickier and penetrate much better than the standard thick live baiting hooks. Their longer shank may also be a factor protecting the leader from chafing. Another advantage I can see is that being lighter I guess they would interfere less with the livebait's natural swimming action.

The question about the knot is because I've noticed some people use a loop knot with circle hooks on their bridle rigs, others use J type hooks and snell them. For bait fishing at rest ie not trolling there seems to be a consensus that snelling the circle hooks so the point kicks in towards the leader is the way to go. What have you found works best for the SL 12's?

thanks in advance,


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

I found this a really useful post from Paulo.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=26328&hilit=+live
He advocates circles.


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## richmond (Dec 20, 2010)

Top reply Grant.

One question,,,, are you using braid or mono as your main line and what pound main do you use?

Cheers.


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## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

I use a knot that I created in my boredom. It works for me.

I use mainline braid 30lb (American made Izor hence the 30lb). I then top shot about 50 metres of either 30 or 40lb mono then sometimes a couple of metres of fluro. Mostly Momoi or Izor mono. I end up with about 700 mt of line in total. The braid is 3 yrs old now. I just take it off every season and wash it.
I change this topshot regularly. It is joined with (I think it's called) a FB knot--whatever it is it is just a finger trap thing.

I run a flatline and a downrigger. It can be difficult

Hope all this helps. My last comment would be to target and set up for the species you want as long as it is a viable species for where you fish. Don't go for anything that happens along. If you want Tuna, set for tuna and focus. Read the boating reports-what and how are they going then see if you can improve on how the boaties are doing it. For example fishing the downrigger go slow, closely watch the sounder and knowing your dropback( I run the bait about 20 m back from my weight), you can often place the bait right in the face of a mark you see, then idle. Powerboats often find this difficult to do. It took me 2 seasons to get good with the rigger. 
The other major advantage I see relates to noise-Louis(Gamefisher) and I notice how bait often disappears when motors arrive. Mahi Mahi certainly do. Rather than fish amongst boats and their sounder pinging, move up currrent a couple of hundred meters if able.
Oh, I could ramble on for ages.

cheers


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## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

Rambling is good for the soul Grant, and Andrew thanks for pointing out Paulo's excellent article! I see he advocates the sl12's as the j hook of his choice and the in-line circle. I've read somewhere that in-line hooks are preferable when trolling so the bait doesn't spin...

It's great to hear from people who've not only got theories but some real experience under the belt.

thanks so much everyone for your advice!


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## Guest (Jul 26, 2011)

Grant, Please keep rambling. I am certain there are many people on here who take your words as close to gospel in the challenges of taming big fish from kayaks. I know i certainly do. This is a thread i will pay particular attention to and will probably keep coming back to for years. So the more information we can tease out of your mind in one place would be treated like gold.

Jon


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