Texas Fishing Forum

how long should I let a fish run with big live bait?

Posted By: mad_catter1990

how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/20/15 05:42 PM

I normally let fish run with the bait for about 10 good seconds before locking down the reel and letting the circle hook. Do its job. And I normally have a very good hookup rate...but this year it's changed. So I switched from circles and decided to experiment with 10/0 king Kahle hooks because I've read that they are better than circles for flathead due to the shape of their mouth...but using my normal technique of waiting 10 sec. Then locking the reel down hasn't worked. I've tried setting the hook and also letting it load up and reel like a circle. With 0% success.. I've also let the fish run for as long as 45 min because it would run for like 5-10 sec then stop..then they would finally take off. And I'd wait 10 sec. But nothing but a shad on the other end. And I know it wasn't a gar or turtle. The only thing different about the shad was that it was completely scaled as if a fish was just sucking on it...I'm at a loss..I would imagine the bigger the bait. The long you should let it run...but that's just me speculating. Thanks in advance for any advice
Posted By: Big Sam

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/20/15 08:23 PM

I am no expert but it will say in my experience when using live bait mostly perch with king kahles my hook up ratio sucked hammer so I stopped using them for that and went to team catfish giant "J" hooks. they look like gamma big river hooks...much better results....I think the kahle hook even though its big turns when you set the hook I assume you hook your bait around the top dorsal fin or trough the tail.....Big J hooks don't turn when you set them...
Posted By: CATDADDY JR

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/21/15 07:52 PM

Originally Posted By: Big Sam
I am no expert but it will say in my experience when using live bait mostly perch with king kahles my hook up ratio sucked hammer so I stopped using them for that and went to team catfish giant "J" hooks. they look like gamma big river hooks...much better results....I think the kahle hook even though its big turns when you set the hook I assume you hook your bait around the top dorsal fin or trough the tail.....Big J hooks don't turn when you set them...


+1 this is good advice. I will run the "J" hook when I run ballons or big corks for with live bait. But other than that I run the Cat Maxx circles 9/0 for everything else when targeting big fish.
Posted By: mad_catter1990

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/22/15 12:26 AM

I forgot to mention that I am fishing in heavy current and I'm using shad that are around 12 inches and I hook them through their nose..
Posted By: olenarey87

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/22/15 02:05 AM

Are gar a possibility up there? I don't know
Kansas waters
Posted By: BankAngler50

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/23/15 12:05 AM

The only way I know how to fish circle hooks is pretty much lock the reel and having my pole up. If I am free lining, I would tie a small strip of plastic on my line to tell how far fish pull the line, it doesn't take long, have your pole up at about 45 degree and lock the reel, wait for tip to load then with slow and steady force pull back your rod to complete hook setting. Just remember circle hooks are designed to hook in the corners of fish mouth, so you don't want to wait for the fish to swallow the hook.
Posted By: ARKMAY

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/24/15 04:40 PM

I use the J hooks also on my summer balloon rigs for big blues they have worked great for me.
Posted By: spazm09

Re: how long should I let a fish run with big live bait? - 08/24/15 11:00 PM

The scale thing is making me think it might have been a big carp or buffalo...
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