Hoochie setup

[Pumper]

Top or bottom pic

 

[Rain City]

Top or bottom pic
View attachment 89814

Bottom, sans barb.
I only run tandems during guaranteed kill fisheries. Winter I'm releasing too many smalls. Don't run a swivel either on hoochies.

 

[Adrenafin]

Bottom, with swivel and a larger siwash hook

 

[Pumper]

Bottom, with swivel and a larger siwash hook

Is that just your preference or is their a fishing reason?

 

[Adrenafin]

Just prefer a little bigger hook and the swivel adds just the right length and any less line twist Is only a good thing in my books. Gum puckey in the head, one bead and the swivel.

 

[Doug]

I usually only use Hoochies when I fish for Coho or winter springs. I use 40lb test line, single bead swivel to the flasher, two Gammy 3/0 hooks with a single bead on top of the top hook. Leader length 36 inches.
These are my favorite Coho hoochies squirts.

 

[Adrenafin]

I usually only use Hoochies when I fish for Coho or winter springs. I use 40lb test line, single bead swivel to the flasher, two Gammy 3/0 hooks with a single bead on top of the top hook. Leader length 36 inches.
These are my favorite Coho hoochies squirts.

Caught some of my biggest springs on red hoochie

 

[Softtake]

Big single siwash are incredibly hard on released fish. They often destroy a fish's eye. Twin 3/0s tyed close together do way less damage. Something to consider especially when releasing lot of undersize in winter fishing or fishing the slot limit.

 

[Rain City]

Big single siwash are incredibly hard on released fish. They often destroy a fish's eye. Twin 3/0s tyed close together do way less damage. Something to consider especially when releasing lot of undersize in winter fishing or fishing the slot limit.

Why run tandems at all if that's your goal? I run a single 3/0 for this reason.

 

[RiverBoy]

Big single siwash are incredibly hard on released fish. They often destroy a fish's eye. Twin 3/0s tyed close together do way less damage. Something to consider especially when releasing lot of undersize in winter fishing or fishing the slot limit.

that’s funny; i moved off tandems for the insane damage they do to fish; especially if both stick on different parts of the fish’s face. i find a siwash with an offset in the hook shank tends to hook immediately.

 

[islandboy]

Caught my biggest spring (28 lbs), off Macauley point on:

Those are 4/o barb-less circle hooks, allowing for a slower response on the hook-set and catch nicely in the corner of the mouth.
Also had numerous coho on:

I believe they hold onto the soft bait longer.

 

[searun]

Big single siwash are incredibly hard on released fish. They often destroy a fish's eye. Twin 3/0s tyed close together do way less damage. Something to consider especially when releasing lot of undersize in winter fishing or fishing the slot limit.

I spent 11 years catching steelhead broodstock on the Squamish R, and we held those fish for months following capture, transport down the river attached to rafts, and being held often for a couple of days in the river until the hatchery truck could come pick them up...very low mort rate with small hooks. We found that the larger the hook gap, the more likely there would be injury. I know of some ongoing research underway now, same observation. Anything larger than 4/0 seems to be problematic, and when encountering smaller fish in the early part of season from what I have experienced we should be looking to downsize hook gaps. We will know more once the research is completed.

 

[Fizzishin]

I'm curious as to why double hooks are allowed on hoochies? I thought single barbless was standard for salmon

 

[Fisher_dude]

I'm curious as to why double hooks are allowed on hoochies? I thought single barbless was standard for salmon

Maybe in fresh water. Salt is totally different. You can use trebles if you want as long as they are barbless.

 

[big rock]

Top or bottom pic
View attachment 89814

Top hootchie for me. Glowy gator back down deep.

Also I tie the bottom hook with an improved clinch knot so the hook hangs straight out the back of the hootchie and a regular snell knot for the top hook. I also like to off set the hook points the hootchie seems to track better. As well I like to pull a few tentacles off to sparse up the hootchie.

Tight lines

 

[Birdman]

For kill fisheries with minimal chances of needing to release fish (especially smaller ones) a 5/0 siwash on a swivel is very hard to beat for a standard octopus or cuttlefish hooch, spaced back so the bend of the hook is exactly at the end of the tentacles.

If in a situation where many releases are likely smaller hooks are far more ethical, where double or single. I ran doubles for years and didn't notice a lot of damage from the second hook except on pinks.

 

[Redfisher]

Caught my biggest spring (28 lbs), off Macauley point on:
View attachment 89866
Those are 4/o barb-less circle hooks, allowing for a slower response on the hook-set and catch nicely in the corner of the mouth.
Also had numerous coho on:
View attachment 89867
I believe they hold onto the soft bait longer.

Who makes the circle hooks you are using? Do you notice any difference in hook up rates using them? Thanks

 

[islandboy]

Who makes the circle hooks you are using? Do you notice any difference in hook up rates using them? Thanks

Used to get them at CTire.
As I am rowing alone, it gives me better hookups on a slow reaction time.