When fishing large baits ,like whole calamari squid, or a full fish fillet, I use a Pennel rig with two "J" hooks.
Has anyone used this rig with circle hooks and if so, was it successful ?
Pennel rig and circle hooks.
Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels
When we off shore fish we use large baits, as we are fishing for fish with large appetites and big mouths.
Also , we are fishing in strong tides and the larger the bait, the better the scent trail.
This is an example of a Pennel rig;
We don't use "gang hooks", (where you put the point of one hook through the eye of another hook etc., until you have four to six hooks in a row.)
But Pennel rigs hold a large bait neatly, rather than it crumpling in a heap and masking the point of the hook.
I just wondered how it would work with two circle hooks.
Also , we are fishing in strong tides and the larger the bait, the better the scent trail.
This is an example of a Pennel rig;
We don't use "gang hooks", (where you put the point of one hook through the eye of another hook etc., until you have four to six hooks in a row.)
But Pennel rigs hold a large bait neatly, rather than it crumpling in a heap and masking the point of the hook.
I just wondered how it would work with two circle hooks.
Pennel rig looks very good to me.
Observation: Top hook appears to mostly be for securing the head of the bait (a common practice of rigging trolled bait, here, but, no Y-rigged sinker, of course). Bottom hook is more apt to be the major catching hook, unless the monster fish swallows the whole bait, but even so, the most inward hook in the fish's mouth and the one to mostly hook the fish, would be the bottom hook, O.K.?
Conclusions: Using top J-hook and bottom C-hook, the C-hook would be the one to more often hook the fish. If the big fish swallowed the whole rig, the J-hook would be more likely to hook the big fish closer in the mouth to the lips (not deep) and the C-hook wouldn't hook the fish at all, since to hook, a C-hook has to be pulled to the fish's lip or corner of its lips to hook.
If using two C-hooks, the first C-hook to be pulled over the fish's lip or corner of the lips, would usually hook the fish. The effect of the line windings on the top hook, should it be a C-hook, is not clear, but there seems to not be any physical problem in its operation as a C-hook (trial might prove this assumption, wrong).
One must keep in mind with C-hooks, that anything in the rigging that bridges the relatively small gap in a C-hook (another hook, rigging line or some portion of the bait) will interfere with its operation to allow the gap to take in the fish's lip or lip corner and hook the fish there. A lot also depends on the fish swallowing the baited C-hook and turning somewhat at an angle to the line, attached to the C-hook, to allow the gap of the hook to take in, the fish's lip or corner, thereof. If the baited C-hook pulls straight out of the fish's mouth, i.e., parallel to the fish's body, the C-hook will usually not hook into the lip or corner of the lips of the fish. That is why, immediately jerking the line to set a C-hook, usually only pulls the baited C-hook out of the fish's mouth. Keeping only a tight line allows the fish to swallow the baited C-hook, then turn its body at some angle (180 deg. is optimal, i.e., the fish turns and swims in the opposite direction of the fishing line, or towards the bottom, but in general, the bigger the angle between the fish and the line, the better!).
Sad commentary: It's all up to you to experiment with a combination of one J-hook, one C-hook, or, two C-hooks and find out yourself, since the Pennel rig is not commonly used in Fla. You might get lucky and someone over here will have done the experimental work with C-hooks! I'd hope, so. Let us know how your research turns out.
Observation: Top hook appears to mostly be for securing the head of the bait (a common practice of rigging trolled bait, here, but, no Y-rigged sinker, of course). Bottom hook is more apt to be the major catching hook, unless the monster fish swallows the whole bait, but even so, the most inward hook in the fish's mouth and the one to mostly hook the fish, would be the bottom hook, O.K.?
Conclusions: Using top J-hook and bottom C-hook, the C-hook would be the one to more often hook the fish. If the big fish swallowed the whole rig, the J-hook would be more likely to hook the big fish closer in the mouth to the lips (not deep) and the C-hook wouldn't hook the fish at all, since to hook, a C-hook has to be pulled to the fish's lip or corner of its lips to hook.
If using two C-hooks, the first C-hook to be pulled over the fish's lip or corner of the lips, would usually hook the fish. The effect of the line windings on the top hook, should it be a C-hook, is not clear, but there seems to not be any physical problem in its operation as a C-hook (trial might prove this assumption, wrong).
One must keep in mind with C-hooks, that anything in the rigging that bridges the relatively small gap in a C-hook (another hook, rigging line or some portion of the bait) will interfere with its operation to allow the gap to take in the fish's lip or lip corner and hook the fish there. A lot also depends on the fish swallowing the baited C-hook and turning somewhat at an angle to the line, attached to the C-hook, to allow the gap of the hook to take in, the fish's lip or corner, thereof. If the baited C-hook pulls straight out of the fish's mouth, i.e., parallel to the fish's body, the C-hook will usually not hook into the lip or corner of the lips of the fish. That is why, immediately jerking the line to set a C-hook, usually only pulls the baited C-hook out of the fish's mouth. Keeping only a tight line allows the fish to swallow the baited C-hook, then turn its body at some angle (180 deg. is optimal, i.e., the fish turns and swims in the opposite direction of the fishing line, or towards the bottom, but in general, the bigger the angle between the fish and the line, the better!).
Sad commentary: It's all up to you to experiment with a combination of one J-hook, one C-hook, or, two C-hooks and find out yourself, since the Pennel rig is not commonly used in Fla. You might get lucky and someone over here will have done the experimental work with C-hooks! I'd hope, so. Let us know how your research turns out.
In a land called, Perfect, sea grits grows on the beach dunes in patches next to those of sea oats!
I don't wind the line round the second hook shank, on my set-up.
I use a small length of silicone tubing, slid just past the eye and gently heat shrunk tight to the shank.
I think the suggestion of the, "J" hook as the "holder" and the "C" hook as the "hooker
", is the one I will feel most confidant experimenting with.
My main quarry will be Atlantic Cod and the bait will be fished static on the bottom.
Because of the depth, over 100ft, the fish does not charge off with the bait, but just taps the rod top.
Lots of fish are missed on the strike.
Braid helps, but I think tightening up on a circle hook, could put a few more fish in the boat.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I use a small length of silicone tubing, slid just past the eye and gently heat shrunk tight to the shank.
I think the suggestion of the, "J" hook as the "holder" and the "C" hook as the "hooker
", is the one I will feel most confidant experimenting with.My main quarry will be Atlantic Cod and the bait will be fished static on the bottom.
Because of the depth, over 100ft, the fish does not charge off with the bait, but just taps the rod top.
Lots of fish are missed on the strike.
Braid helps, but I think tightening up on a circle hook, could put a few more fish in the boat.
I'll let you know how it goes.