Hey guys, going down to the coast to hit the bull reds with some buds, what size hooks would you guys suggest using. We have red stuff where people use 6 or 7/0 and then others where people use like 12/0 or bigger. What do you guys think?

While we're at it, any tips on line and leader size?

I am also reading people say that the Gama's run bigger than other brands, is this true? I read that an 8/0 gama is like a 12/0 mustad.

12/0 or 14/0 Mustard Cirle hook. Mullet or Blue Crab. Leader size and type depends on if you are fishing from a boat or surf. I like an eight pound line. Never use store bought. Make your own.

Thanks. Also, is line color a factor? Best to stick with clear, or is a colored line ok too?

go with about a 8" menhaden for bait

Use whatever bait you can catch with a cast net. No since in buying bait when there's plenty to be caught for free. Mud Minnows, Mullet, Piggie Perch, Menhaden, or any other small fin fish will catch the heck out of reds. I prefer that they are alive and Carolina Rigged on bottom.

8Lb line for a bull red, are you serious? If u land the fish, it would take hours and by then the fish would die from exhaustion. Please do not use 8 lb test when fishing for bull reds

Yep. I bought 30 bucks of bait the first day...BAD IDEA. Bought 4 bucks worth of dead shrimp, caught my 6 pounds of perch, and it was on the next morning. To the TS, I used size 7 eagle claw circle hooks snelled with wire leader, due to the shell bottom, on a carolina rig. Tossed an orange bead on there for good measure.

Yeah, we horsed them in with 30 pound braid in about a minute on my ugly stick tiger. They were still worn out after that. Need to be careful when catching them to make sure they swim off. Every oversized we tried to release swam off fine, save one. He got a tag and went in the ice chest.

We were fishing at the Big Jetties in Matagorta Bay on the Texas coast. Got to the bait camps a little late. They were all closed. We went back to the boat slip where I volunteered to run to the ice house to pick up some FROZEN bait! We all limited out with one bait each within 2 hours!

Oh! I was using 2/0 or 4/0 circle hooks.