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[kingpin]

1/0 and 2/0 all the time

[BigFisher]

1/0 and 2/0 all the time

Jiberish...

[NiceFish]

size 2 and 4 and i lose every fish i hook

[bigblue]

A steelhead I landed yesterday had a large 4/0 or so red octopus hook set well in its lower mouth. As there was no leader attached to the hook with no sign of recent bleeding, I assumed it was hooked a few days ago and also might be a barbed hook as it had not popped out. I thought about using my fishing plier to pull it out but decided against it as pulling out a possible barbed hook could start it to bleed and did not want to have a trashing angry steelhead on my hands. If that fish survives spawning, return to salt water would likely corrode the hook away.

I am just curious, what kind of bait would require someone to use such a big hook for steelhead fishing? A hook this size could do real damage on a smaller steelhead, but this fish being at least 12 pounds had a big enough mouth so that no vital parts were injured. Should I have attempted to pull the hook out? Also, my previous post regarding "hook size depending on size of presentation" was written with maximum hook size of 1/0 in mind and not applicable to someone using these extreme large bait hooks. I use 1/0 hooks when using gooey bobs in very turbid water conditions, but mostly use size 2 for all other baits.  But, smaller hooks tend to pop out more easily and less forgiving of error on part of the angler.

[steelie-slayer]

A steelhead I landed yesterday had a large 4/0 or so red octopus hook set well in its lower mouth. As there was no leader attached to the hook with no sign of recent bleeding, I assumed it was hooked a few days ago and also might be a barbed hook as it had not popped out. I thought about using my fishing plier to pull it out but decided against it as pulling out a possible barbed hook could start it to bleed and did not want to have a trashing angry steelhead on my hands. If that fish survives spawning, return to salt water would likely corrode the hook away.

I am just curious, what kind of bait would require someone to use such a big hook for steelhead fishing? A hook this size could do real damage on a smaller steelhead, but this fish being at least 12 pounds had a big enough mouth so that no vital parts were injured. Should I have attempted to pull the hook out? Also, my previous post regarding "hook size depending on size of presentation" was written with maximum hook size of 1/0 in mind and not applicable to someone using these extreme large bait hooks. I use 1/0 hooks when using gooey bobs in very turbid water conditions, but mostly use size 2 for all other baits.  But, smaller hooks tend to pop out more easily and less forgiving of error on part of the angler.

it was probly just a begineers hook, and they dont know better as to which size hook to use and the barbless rule.
I use size 2s for all my steelhead needs except blades i put a 2/0 on.
I have caught salmon with hooks in their mouth and the odd steelhead with a hook in its mouth, i will do a light little pop and if it doesnt come out, ill just leave it.

[buncranabop]

A steelhead I landed yesterday had a large 4/0 or so red octopus hook set well in its lower mouth. As there was no leader attached to the hook with no sign of recent bleeding, I assumed it was hooked a few days ago and also might be a barbed hook as it had not popped out. I thought about using my fishing plier to pull it out but decided against it as pulling out a possible barbed hook could start it to bleed and did not want to have a trashing angry steelhead on my hands. If that fish survives spawning, return to salt water would likely corrode the hook away.

I am just curious, what kind of bait would require someone to use such a big hook for steelhead fishing? A hook this size could do real damage on a smaller steelhead, but this fish being at least 12 pounds had a big enough mouth so that no vital parts were injured. Should I have attempted to pull the hook out? Also, my previous post regarding "hook size depending on size of presentation" was written with maximum hook size of 1/0 in mind and not applicable to someone using these extreme large bait hooks. I use 1/0 hooks when using gooey bobs in very turbid water conditions, but mostly use size 2 for all other baits.  But, smaller hooks tend to pop out more easily and less forgiving of error on part of the angler.

If you couldnt tell if there was a barb r not big blue I would say leaving the hook as is was a good call.... imo therewas absolutely no reason to fish a hook of that size but there you go.

[poper]

4/0 might be a bit over kill. Personally I don't think u need to use bigger than I a 1/0 but that's just me.

[joshhowat]

My 2 cents.

In the start of the season I had 2 fish swallow my hook. Both on bait with #4 hook and at that point in the season I had only maybe 5 fish. Since then I stopped using #4 and started with #2. Im like 30 plus fish deep now and have had not even one swallow my #2 with bait.

In the coho season before this I used #4 a lot dint have one swallow a hook.......

I have been drift fishing for around 20 years now and I can only remember a few times fish swallowing my hook.

Josh