What kind of Tuna Hooks do you guys use for your Ballyhoo Rigs. I use Mustad 7766D size 9/0. I know alot of guys use the Mustad 7691 size 8/0 or 9/0. The price difference is pretty huge. The reason the 7691's are about twice as expensive is because they have a welded eye. reason I ask is because I've been sharpening about 100 Hooks tonight in preparation for WHENEVER THE FICKIN WIND QUITS BLOWING....

So let's hear it...what's the size of your hooks, make and model....Bob

I like 7691DT, with the Tuna Bend. size 7, price $ 1.65 ea

Not quite sure fo the brand ,bought them at Pri. anne dist. size 8/0 & 9/0 both have welded eyes.they seem to show sings of rust after one days use and need sharpening too. i have 6 stainless steel 8/0 ,no rust ,no sharpening(maybe just a very little T.L.C on the tip)after one days use. expensive though. YES THIS WIND CAN BLOW MY B@LLS !!

7691 7/0 and 8/0....

I've always used a Mustad 3407SSD in 7/0 for all my basic rigs for tuna/dolphin/wahoo. Of course I will go larger if specifically targeting marlin, big eye or bluefin.

Let Us hear from our Charter Captains too. when we do, Thats what makes this Site, THE BEST.
Good Question Bob.

Great answers....One reason I use a 9/0 hook is I've found that I am able to hook and keep hooked more Wahoo with a slightly bigger hook in the bait. I haven't found this to be a problem with hooking YFT or Mahi for that matter....but I found I get alot less cut offs from Wahoo with a slightly bigger hook...any idea why ?.....now when targeting billfish that's a totally different thread.....Bob

Would like to get into that thread too.
Thanks for your feeling about useing a 9/0 hook. Maybe the teeth don't get to the mono with the bigger hook, and bite the shank of the bigger hook. I don't think anyone runs wire on everything.
Jack

I like these babies, either 8.0 or 9.0. These are SS and won't start rusting after one trip like the mustad plus have the welded eye. Not sure what brand they are.

http://www.kinglures.com/hooks.html?refreshed


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I typically use the 9/0 Mustad. I dont waste my money on the welded eye though. I have never, ever seen one of the non welded eyes pull open and I think its a gimmick to make a hook cost twice as much. If you think about the physics of it, that line is gonna break or even the hook is gonna straighten before that eye pulls open. I would be interested in seeing a model of exactly what the breaking strength of one of those eyes is, but I can guarantee you it is well into the hundreds of pounds range.

7691 stainless w/ the tuna bend 8/0. Expensive, no rust though and so sharp they should come w/ a warning lable. Get 'em at eyecatcher lurers as cheap as anywhere.

capt jakeg has a point the amout of preasue if anybody has a force gauge it would be worth a test to see the extra money is warrented

I'm sure everyone has their personal favorite that has always preformed well for them.
I spent 30 years in the cockpit of local charter boats here on the Eastern Shore and
the best hook I have used as an all purpose ballyhoo hook is a Mustad 3412CD 9/0.
It is about the size of a 7731 7/0 but the 3412 has a needle eye and a little shorter
shank. I feel the shorter shank lets the hoo get that really "snakey" wiggle that tuna love!
One would think the needle eye would chafe on the mono but I never have
chafed one off or bend one yet. I'm a little more particular than most about their rigs and the shape
they are in but I didn't chafe of off ever. We even spent one July 4th almost 7 1/2 hours
on the largest bigeye I ever saw only to cut him off on the trim tab when the angler
had just had too much on the 30lb class rig. When I say he was huge I mean huge.
I sunk a gaff in the early 90's in the state record bigeye at that time.
Anyway, the 3412cd's are about 75 bucks for a box of 100 on the 9/0's.
If you use a permanent marker to color the area you sharpen and rinse them off
with fresh water when you are done they even hold up in the salt pretty well.
Good luck fishin with whatever you choose!

For me its the Mustad 7731 7/0-9/0 depending on the size bait I'll be using...7/0 handles most well. For lures 7691 8/0-12/0 depending on lure size. Stainless are easier on us, but if broken off during a fight and left in a fish, I feel better using a non-stainless..will rust out fairly quick. I like the welded eye...just a better feeling and one less thing I have to worry about parting if that world record latches on to one of my baits.

I do like fshnfol does...marker the tip after sharpening and always wash your rigs...you wash your boat and rods/reels, so why not the things attracting the fish.

I always use the welded eye hooks when targeting big fish. Not because of the eye straightening out, but because I had a couple of breakoffs inside of the loop that holds the hook. The crimp was fine, but the breaking point had a kind of shoulder on it that led me to believe that the mono had wedged into the corner of the hook eye where the end does't quite meet the shank. Two big tunas swam free, and I switched to welded eyes for any rig that holds a horse hoo or bigger bait. Is it excessive? Maybe. But I feel better about it!

George..the only thing that even remotely worries me about a non welded eye is in fact the corner where the hook eye ends. I take a file and file it down to make it smooth so the line doesnt have a chance of getting hung up in there. But that is something that could definately happen....Bob

The reason for using the welded eye is because during the fight the line can become cut or lodged in the opening where they meet. I have had it happen. As much as we pay for offshore fishing it is good to take every precaution possible to ensure that we hook and hold onto a fish. The reason for a welded eye was because fisherman asked for it. I am glad they listened.

Also when you sharpen those hooks take a BLACK Sharpie and color the tip. This will help from them rusting which will happen.

I also use the 7769DT and buy them in BULK. Early in the season I use 8/0 and then move to 9/0 & 10/0 in 1st part of June when Blue's and Big Eye start coming into play. Plus bigger tuna are around as well out of OI.

Also I use Eye Catcher ( http://www.eyecatcherlures.com/ballyhoorigs.html )custom premade leaders 15' 130# leader with 1/2 oz and 8/0 7769DT hook. They will make them longer or short and if in bulk you can see a discount, tell them you heard it from SUCCESSION. I have found when running boats for folks this works real well for them to be premade, because not always do you have everything you need to make rigs, do not know their tackle and if I am not fishing with them they have them ready to go. Also his seawitches are the bomb!!! Get some of them online or at Long Bay Point. That is ALL I USE! He makes custom colors for you at request and they last for more than 4 or 5 fish http://www.eyecatcherlures.com/supremewitch.html .

Here is one for you in your prep for the season. Go to your local tackle shop like Princess Anne or Long Bay Point and get a 100 pack of Mustad Ultra Point 3/0 92554NPN hooks & a spool of 30# leader. Now get a piece of card board 8" x 4" cut slits on each side for about 40 rigs or better yet use a 8" piece of swim noodle or large pipe insulation. Make yourself about 40 3' pieces of 30# leader and then smell them to these hooks. I use 8' section because it will fit nicely in a zip lock bag. This is perfect for bailing Dolphin which gives you a hand up because you are ready to switch gears and have plenty of rigs ready to go.

White Marlin Fishing I use 7754D weighted and none.

Blue Marlin Fishing I use 7761Z 12/0 to 14/0 for tournaments & 7691TB 12/0 (Mackeral/Large Mullet) 10/0 (Horse Ballyhoo) for everyday fishing.

Hope this helps.

Just want to say, Thank You All. I got alot out of everyone shareing their choices and why. I can't wait to get into this year's offshore fishing. I have learned alot on here and Canyon Runner Seminar.
Never stop learning what others do, that works.
Jack

Mustad 7691S 7/0 and 8/0. Expensive but worth it when re-preparing for the next trip. With gas and EVERYTHING else ridiculously expensive I might just be spending $1.99 on a hook file again????? Seriously when my 7692s were wore out from re-sharpening I simply replaced them w/SS. I originally started using the SS hooks on GMs and spreader bars I figured there was an opportunity to sharpen when replacing wire and removing the old ballyhoo but with the artificials it seemed to make sense to use the virtually maintenance free SS. You must still check the hook points as they will get bent over but I find they are ready to go out of the box, require no Sharpie marker and do not rust especially when waiting a month for the wind to lay down!!

7692 8/0

2 reasons why I don't like the ss ones are because the hook points are weak. They will bend over like Chumlord said. Other is b/c I don't like how long the points are. I prefer shorter hook points and will file down the longer ones, less the fish has to swallow to be hooked.

My $.02

7731 are fine also

Personally I like the longer hook points I feel they require significantly less pressure to penetrate than a short stubby point. When the points would get stubby that is when I replaced them.

That's interesting. I never had much of a preference for hook length for gamefish, but for billfish I've always preferred shorter hooks. The reason for that is I always looked at it like the shank of the hook was a lever. Lets say you have a billfish hooked in the lower jaw. That long shank hook is sticking 3 inches out of his mouth. If the fish turns the right way, he can exert downward force on the hook shank causing it to lever the hook out of his jaw. Archimedes said give me a lever large enough and I'll move the world. Well, I think a 2 or 3 inch lever in the form of the hook shank can dislodge a marginally hooked bill. And they are too rare to take the chance. This does not reflect the opinion of the staff and management, and may only make sense in that great, wide open and empty space between my ears. Hope it helps!

heheh..heheh...you said Archimedes.....Bob