Small hook gap better for SRC/resident silvers

[Roger Stephens]

Now that the SRC/resident silvers fishing is starting to heat up, any method to reduce the mortality of these fisheries particularly for the wild C&R SRC should be considered. SRC are a delicate fish that will not survive much abuse. Not overplaying and unhooking SRC in the water will help them to not go belly up.

In the past when I hooked smaller SRC/resident silvers in the side of the mouth, the hook occasionally would penetrate one of their eyes. I was using hooks with too wide of gap. I didn't feel good about doing that as a one eyed fish isn't going to last very long in the salt water environment. So I switched to using TMC 9394 4XL or Mustad 34011 long shank stainless hooks in sizes #6 or smaller. It has pretty well eliminated that problem.

[miyawaki]

I use 34007 and 34011 Mustads for several of my patterns. I also like the Gamakatsu SC-15 in small sizes. Its very short shank rarely hooks cutthroat or salmon deep since the head of the fly is very close to the barb.When either species smacks it they go for the head and are invariably lip-hooked. A size 4 is not too large for mature cutthroats, usually getting over their jawbone. Conversely, I have had cutthroats inhale a small euphausid right down their gullets, an occurance that is rare with coho. I've never stuck many in the eye unless it was very small coho.

Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

[Jay Allyn]

I like to use a size 6 too. The fish seam to be released with little harm with a size 6 barbless.

[Greg]

Have not experienced the problem you described. My baitfish patterns go on #6 or #8 Mustad 34007 and Crustacean patterns go on #8-#10 Gamakatsu SC15. What hook were you using that resulted in the hook in the eye problem?

- Greg

[Anil]

You might also consider a tube rather than a long shank hook? A short shank hook, SC-15, TMC2499, or TMC105 , behind a tube is very difficult for fish to throw. You may also have noticed that the two TMC's are not
'saltwater hooks. Tube flies last a long time and 'trout' are cheap and can be easily rinsed or thrown away when they rust or dull. An added bonus with 2499's and 105's is that they are available in smaller sizes and can be left in a deeply hooked fish, where they will quickly corrode.
Anil
Puget Sound Fly Company