Leader Length For Cuttlefish Hoochy and Other Big Stuff.....

[Seafever]

Seeing as how the Cuttlefish hoochy is much larger than the standard hoochy....would it be a good bet to run it shorter?......say 32 to 34"

The bigger it is the more force it takes to react properly...right?

As compared to a 2 1/2 inch plankton hoochy....which is much smaller therefor puts up less water resistance.
Was thinking the same thing for those 5" trollable flies you can get that are pretty bulky body mass.
(Not the bucktails...the other kind).

Run 'em shorter/faster to get the good action?

 

[trophywife]

50 lb test and 36"..for me

 

[capt hook]

We used to run 36" for coho using octopus hootchie... behind a hot spot and troll fast
for springs we would go 40-42" using octopus....
some guys used to use a small split shot about 20" from the flasher , and then a longer 60" tail , that gave the long length a bit more action.
The shorter tail has more action but springs were a bit spooked when it got below 40"
We did lots of experimenting back in the day , sure they will bite a condom on 20 inch tail but when one guy gets 100 one day and you get 10....
dont have to be a rocket scientist to figure out which one is kicking butt.
or is consistant.
as i,m learning to sport fish , and using much lighter gear and finese' with smaller hooks , you can get away with alot more than we did with a industrial set up.

 

[capt hook]

back to cuttlefish , the only one we had much luck with was the standby 22R clear belly from Nikka
2 glow beads in head , 42 in. tail , but when we were into fish the octopus outfished it. 2-1

 

[hambone]

Three and a half wraps lengthwise on the flasher, from the tail of the flasher to the head of the hoochie. Works for all standard hoochie sizes, most trolling speeds, every location I've fished so far. for the monster hoochies I usually add 2-3 inches. 40-50lb test.

If you use tandem octopus hooks, a quick way to make a leader while in the boat is to wrap the flasher 4 times lengthwise, cut the line and then by the time you tie your knots you're good to go.