I was out wading Baffin on Saturday, using a 5" wedgetail eel on a Norton's 1/8 twist jig head. The fish hit no more then 10 feet from me, he stayed on for about 20 secs, shaking his head furiously, had a ton of energy not spent yet and I didn't have much room to let him play out. He was a nice trout, big, can't say for sure how long he was but I know he was big. Left me thinking how I could of better handled the catch.


So my questions are how many folks use a trailer hook or a stinger? If so do you have any examples of it?

Should I opt for a long shank jig head or a wider gap or both?


I am trying to reduce the chance that this happens again.

That�s a tough situation.
I hold the rod low and sweep the fish sideways to keep his head down.

Contact one of the good jig makers. RSR ,Philip Walker can put together just about any combination available and more. Google RSR lures.

That jighead has a 3/0-2/0 hook I believe and that bait is 5 inches long- I prefer using a 4/0-5/0 for that size bait. Tough one for sure but I wouldn�t blame the jighead.

Here is the thought I go by.
Big trout and big flounder have enough fangs that when they clamp down on a jig it�s like being in a vise.

When you try to set the hook home the jig won�t move in their mouth so the hook isn�t actually stuck.

Why you fight them for a while until they open their mouth the jig pops out and they swim away.

Thanks for the replies guys, I was able to find a long shank wide gap hook with an offset. Used it last weekend with solid hook ups.

This is the same as what I'm experiencing as well and same with big reds. They'll also hold it tight in the crushers at the back of the mouth. Mike McBride told a friend of mine when he was having trouble keeping big trout hooked on jig heads to thumb down on the spool while setting the hook. I forget to do that so I tighten the drag to the point where only a big trout could pull it out.. tight but not on lock down. Then set the hook hard, and immediately back off the drag.. it's working very well for me. 90% + on trout

there are more specifics on my site below the lure color selection. The above is very important fishing any weedless lure in the salt for the same reasons.
Look on this page below the lure colors there is essentially an article on setting the hook; it's allowed me to get an over 90% hook up ratio with weedless and would certainly help with jig heads and big trout or reds.
https://troutsupport.com/product/trout-support-lure/

Oh, and try as you may for it not to happen again, it will. Big Trout have an unparalleled ability to get unpinned.

I was always under the impression not to set hooks super hard like I do in bass fishing because it'd rip out of the trouts mouth so I never did hard hook sets. So I threw that out the door and took the advice given.

Yesterday went wading deep in Baffin Bay. Beautiful day, dead quite, light ripple, foggy, chilly and no one for miles. Said a little prayer to the Lord thanking him for such a day and place. Tide was low and the bottom muddy. Was in waist deep water chunking a down south 5 inch paddle. First hook up was a solid red, hook was planted deep and required pliers and a little torque to free, let him go and onto another red, bull this time, another solid hook set. But these were reds and I really never lose those unless terminal fails.

Further along I land two 20inch trout back to back, another solid hook set, and this was the confidence booster. After that I landed more fish, never had a thrown hook. That is experience turning into results. So I thank you all for the experience given. The setting the drag tight and loosening it after the set worked very well. So the combination of bigger, high quality hooks, braided line, tight drag hard hook sets did the trick. Thanks fellas, I feel better the next time a big girl comes a long.

All fish cuaght, never left the water and were released quickly and frisky to bite another day.

Good job!

You go too far down on the food chain for me to wade in waist deep sea water for anything ..... I will try that from a boat sometime!

All depends on what you�re fishing.
Wading is for spots. You just can�t be as thorough or as stealth in a boat.

Big areas or sight fishing call for the boat.

Or we drift until you get some quick fish and stab off the boat and wade the area.

Now that said I don�t wade in poot mud. Life is too short.