How do you hook up your minnows...?

[bessiedog]

I tend to thread the snelled hook through the minnow or smelt twice, then leave the hook exposed you the back tail.....

I’ve been doing this for years.... but since I been fishing from shore I lately, and my hook sets were about 1 in three .....I tried the ole ‘just through the head’ style yesterday...

Hooksets rose to 3 out of 4 approx. ... I also noticed a way more aggressive hit by the fish.. no more pick up, sample, then light pickup and swim away...


Any thoughts on shiner or smelt rigging for summer fishin?

[DiabeticKripple]

just once right through the eyeballs.

It lets the minnow flop around, but you might lose more. I just bring an extra tub.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

just once right through the eyeballs.

It lets the minnow flop around, but you might lose more. I just bring an extra tub.

X2

Using plain lead head jigs with no rubbertail bodies I put a minnow on through the eyes too and then put a very small little piece of rubbertail on the hook, like a stopper, to prevent the minnow from coming off as easy. Using a lighter lead head jig, with no rubbertail on it, also helps give the minnow more action. A big lead head jig makes the minnow just drop to the bottom too fast and has less action. Use a twitchy retrieve. Colder the water (before ice in Oct/Nov) the slower the presentation.

If you start using 2 to 3 inch, or bigger, minnows/shiners you can put a small stinger treble hook in the tail end of the minnow.

[wildwoods]

Thru the gill plate then up thru the top of the back. Rock solid, good hookups, good presentation

[Bushleague]

Usually through the eyes, then back through the body behind the gills, if I'm using big bait then I have a stinger a few inches back. When the head end gets too tore up I hook the minnow in the tail in the same fashion... gets me a couple more casts.

When fishing shiners under a bobber, and I want them to hang horizontal, I stick a large octopus hook down through the back and out the body behind the head, then stick it back up through the body again, with the point towards the tail.

[chucklesthe3rd]

If you’re p-rigging I tie my own hooks with egg loop knots. Hook them through the eyes then into the tail area, wrap that loop around the minnow and it’s going nowhere. If I’m using them on jigs, in the mouth out just behind the head and then I add a bait button. Bait buttons are worth every penny especially when you’re fishing with leeches.

[Jigsalot]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Thru the gill plate then up thru the top of the back. Rock solid, good hookups, good presentation

X2. Same way but sometimes I just do thru the back if gently jigging. Depends on the mood of the little slimy buggers.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Thru the gill plate then up thru the top of the back. Rock solid, good hookups, good presentation

Of course it depends on what you are doing - like if you are bottom bouncing a minnow - it's through the head and let the body "follow freely" to give it a somewhat natural presentation BUT if I'm still bait fishing I do exactly what wildwoods does.

Hook right trough one cheek and out the other, thread it through, give it a twist and into the meaty part of the back just under the spine so it stays on well and doesn't ruin the scales or the eyes(which are reflective).

Sharp hooks are the biggest most common mistakes people make when not hooking up on bites - not the way the hooked the bait. Sticky sharp hooks = more hook ups.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by EZM

Of course it depends on what you are doing - like if you are bottom bouncing a minnow - it's through the head and let the body "follow freely" to give it a somewhat natural presentation BUT if I'm still bait fishing I do exactly what wildwoods does.

Hook right trough one cheek and out the other, thread it through, give it a twist and into the meaty part of the back just under the spine so it stays on well and doesn't ruin the scales or the eyes(which are reflective).

Sharp hooks are the biggest most common mistakes people make when not hooking up on bites - not the way the hooked the bait. Sticky sharp hooks = more hook ups.

Through the eyes and back through the body puts a bend in the minnow, and makes it wobble and spin. Its worked out quite well for me when bottom bouncing, much like a slow death rig, just with a minnow instead of a worm.

Back when my daughter's fist started fishing we'd rig them up with a minnow hooked like this, with a fairly light weight about 12" ahead of it. I'd cast it out for them and they would fish it sporadically. Reel it in a bit, then get distracted and leave it sitting on the bottom for a while, eventually pick up the rod an move it around again... it was somewhat humbling how often a 3 year old would out fish everyone else using this method.

[oilngas]

Bessie i find the best way to thread a minnow changes from day to day. The "family" and I like to slip bobber Lakes and Reservoirs, so we'll start with everyone using their favorite from just through eyes, back, twice thru etc. horizontal, vertical, and sure enuff after 8 or 10 wally one method and presentation (i.e. distance from bottom, bit of added action etc.) will be hotter. So our lessons from slipping wally in Lakes, is to change and pay attention to what is working, also what is working will change with light conditions, chop etc.. Also I've switched to 1/0 and 2/0 bait holders razor sharp hooks (Matzuo is my fave) , those seem to be more effective at hook ups and we catch more side of the mouth fish. They tend not to swallow those and we feel we have healthier (i.e. not damaged) fish to release.

[Walleyedude]

If I’m pitching it out and hopping it or dragging it, I like to go in through the mouth and out the back just behind the head.

If I’m fishing vertical I like to “wacky rig” them. Through the spine somewhere mid minnow so that they hang horizontally when suspended.

[Coiloil37]

I’ll give you a tip that will have you out fishing everyone your around. This goes for open water and through the ice and I learned it by using an underwater camera and watching what was going on. It makes such a significant difference you won’t believe me until you try it.

Put the hook in the mouth and feed it around then bring it out the minnows back so the head of the jig is sitting just inside the minnows mouth. The minnow must be straight and don’t mangle it. You want it to look natural with almost the entire hook hidden. Then as much as possible pull your line back toward the tail of the fish so the minnow is sitting horizontal. Drop it to the bottom and it will sit slightly head down/tail up but for the most part horizontal. If it’s suspended they’ll take it but I prefer to tap it on the bottom by lifting it up a hair and then dropping it.
When they bite, drop the rod tip and give them a second then set the hook. More often then not on camera they grab it but one or both ends of the minnow are sticking out of their mouth. If they don’t feel resistance they’ll suck it down within a second or so.

[liar]

Originally Posted by Coiloil37

I’ll give you a tip that will have you out fishing everyone your around. This goes for open water and through the ice and I learned it by using an underwater camera and watching what was going on. It makes such a significant difference you won’t believe me until you try it.

Put the hook in the mouth and feed it around then bring it out the minnows back so the head of the jig is sitting just inside the minnows mouth. The minnow must be straight and don’t mangle it. You want it to look natural with almost the entire hook hidden. Then as much as possible pull your line back toward the tail of the fish so the minnow is sitting horizontal. Drop it to the bottom and it will sit slightly head down/tail up but for the most part horizontal. If it’s suspended they’ll take it but I prefer to tap it on the bottom by lifting it up a hair and then dropping it.
When they bite, drop the rod tip and give them a second then set the hook. More often then not on camera they grab it but one or both ends of the minnow are sticking out of their mouth. If they don’t feel resistance they’ll suck it down within a second or so.

Could you explain , thanks .

[stubblejumper01]

Originally Posted by liar

Could you explain , thanks .

I think he means to slide your knot on the eyelet towards the shank so that it helps hold the rig more horizontal. You have to do this pretty much every time you have a strike or rebait.