Hook sizes

[Bagstar]

I thought it might be a good idea to have a post with hook sizing help for different species. Also I would like to know what people use for different fish.

I do alot of my fishing chasing bigger fish now and mainly use pennel rigs with 4/0 hooks and large baits for Bass, Cod and Smooth Hounds. Im now looking to target some Sole and have been using a size 1 but im not sure if that is a little big.

[Juan Dogee-giza]

Personally, for sole, I use either size 2 or 4 kamasan B940s. Small with a fine barb but pretty strong should a decent bass or cod come along.
I actually caught my biggest sole (2lb 2oz) on a 3/0 pennell loaded with lug while looking for codling in early December though, its amazing what they can get in their mouths if they try!! Lol

[solehunter]

Size 4 for sole with big baits threaded up the line.
Bass........6/0 plus, with whole squid. (pennel)
Whole mackerel baits......8/0. This may seem overkill but the hooks dont look that big once hooked in a whole macky.
Plaice........1/0 with HUGE baits.

[big guy]

for sole i would go for 4's if general sole fishing or 2's if targeting the bigger specimens.

i can go from using size 6's to 6/0's from one sesh to the next. depends on venue, species and bait TBH.

[kjp]

nice thread bagstar,

To be honest i am never really sure what hook size to fish,silly thou it may seem, i tend to put on a middle of the road size hook ! if that makes sense,ive never had the confidence to experiment with differant hook sizes,i will be wathcing this thread and making notes of all info offered,particularly hook size and bait for a specific species,hopefully await many replys,with pen in hand.

[mickeythemackeral]

I've enevr fished for sole but flounder,sea trout i will use size 1's or 2's.
For coley and codling 2/0-4/0
Bass recently ive been using 3/0's and had some possitive bites and landed one.
Mtm

[lewis888]

2-4 Aberdeen......general flattie fishing/scratching
2 Aberdeen.....wrasse, replace the trebles on dexter wedges when fishing c&r
3/0 Aberdeen.......codling, dogfish, smoothound
4/0 Bronze Uptide.....rays and spurdog
5/0 Aberdeen......cod (big baits)
6/0 Bronze O'Shaughnessy.....tope

I rarely use anything bigger and all of the above have the barbs crushed unless fishing specifically for the table. I'm not a big fan of pennel rigs so the majority are single hooks with the only exception being the 5/0's for cod

My favourite hook of all the above is a 4/0 bronze uptide hooks, I think they are brilliant: very strong and sharp but not too thick gauge, the 3/0's I use will probably be replaced by uptiders this summer

[big guy]

the best piece of advice really is to match the intended/ expected species to the correct bait, then match the hook size to that bait.

e.g- dogs, medium sandeel, size 1. or hounds, big lump of crab, 3/0. or sole, small worm baits, size 4.

the above are only a rough idea, you can use a size up or down depending on the size of fish, personal preferance, how high the fish has to be lifted, etc.

[Edgey]

I was told more years ago than I can remember, being an older fart, that you should match the hook size to the bait, not the fish, unless you are fishing for whitebait!!!!

It does in fact work, you can catch small fish on big baits and big fish on small baits, but you can't put a small bait in a big hook and big bait on a small hook.

It has also worked co-incidentally with salmon flies and sea trout flies, I have caught big salmon and sea trout on tiny flies(size 12) and small salmon and sea trout on big flies(size 1 tubes), you have to match the bait to the conditions applying at the time, and then select the right size hook to match the bait. I did tie my own flies as well, that was before buttons and then zips; for those that have as an idiotic mind as I do.

[solehunter]

True enough, but i do use `large` baits on a size 4 for sole. On my first cast i will put one whole rag up the line and then add another. What ever bait is left on my next bait up i just thread up the line and add another worm. This will go on all night (with in reason) and i end up with one hell of a bait. This is when i have had most of my best sole/flatties, many swear by using half a worm...sod that!. I find ANY flatty loves big baits. I`m not bothered about masking the hook as worm is so soft any half decent bite will push through the worm anyway.
Squid/ mackerel ect....i will always keep the barb on show with elastic or half hitch.