Should I change hooks?

[Cubesy]

G'day all,

A few questions .

I have been targeting whiting lately in a few of the estuaries around Brisbane but seem to be catching more bream than whiting (but no great numbers of either).

I am using a size 4 hook, with either blood worm or prawns as bait. Should I change to a larger hook when I start catching bream or just stick to what is working? The Biggest bream I have caught on the size 4 hook is 27cm.


Would my hook up rate on the bream increase if I put a larger hook on (say size 1 or 1/0)

By staying with a size 4 hook am I giving myslef the best opportunity to catch whatever is about (bream or whiting or ????)

Is there an all purpose hook size for estuary fishing?

Thanks

Cubesy

[coasty]

i always use smallish hooks. and as little sinker as i can. most of the time i have just a small splitshot or no sinkers at all.
even with bigger baits i use no sinkers.

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

I use size 6 or size 4 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks for whiting. These are a short shank hook & work better than long shank. I don't like burleying when targeting whiting as it attracts bream - if I do burley I crush yabbies & nothing else & mix with sand, & only burley when I find the fish to keep them around. Could be the territory you're fishing. Whiting like good sand banks full of soldiers & yabbies or holes & banks that get scoured by the tides exposing worms. Bream are probably the most prolific eastern seaboard table fish so you will always be annoyed by some of them.

chris

[agnes_jack]

If you are targeting whiting stick to your no 4 or 6 hook, they will still work for you on even a larger size bream, and like chris said a short shank very sharp hook should be the best way for you to go. I prefer a larger hook for stuff like flatties or grunter but if whiting are your target stick to the smaller ones. It is easier to catch a large fish on a small hook than to catch a small fish on a large hook. Burley will help if it is bream particulary that you are targeting. Sometimes you may find that the bigger bream tend to like a bit of cover such as wharf pylons oyster leases snags and the like, and more often than not the smaller fellas are in the same more open areas as the whiting. Hard to actually target BIG bream and whiting at the same time.
You really need to target one or the other.
Hope that helps Agnes jack

[Cubesy]

Guys

Thanks for the replies. It is always good to get confirmation you are on the right track.

I will stick with the small hooks as they seem to be working. I am currently using Mustad Saltwater hooks but invest inthe Gamakatsu Octopus hooks and give them a go.

BTW I don't mind catching either species so catching bream when I am targeting whiting doesn't upset me!

One thing I have learnt over the past year or so (both from this site and by practical application) is you have to have a plan when you go out fishing.

I suspect I am slowly moving from dangler to angler as my knowledge and experience grows.

Thanks again

Cubesy

[Fisherman02]

mate for the bream use a 1/0 hook bait keeper helps keep the the prawn or what ever bait u r using on the hook. U can get a pack of 10 from amart for 3 bucks i think worth it though
cheers jack