Sickle hook comparison

[ctom]

Tommy Skarlis will do the heavy lifting [pun intended] when he gets them to the water.

I love to dig into stuff like this. I'll keep ya the up-dates coming along as I work with them.

[ctom]

What with this wonderful weather and my having the wrong casings to stuff sausage today I decided to fire up the pot and cast a few of these little numbers up. I did 1/32 and 1/24 with the wire keepers and the 1/32 plain old collarless ballhead. They cast very easy, no short or incomplete heads at al even with the wires. I always look at the 1/32 head with wires as being the proving grounds for any hook....if the heads don't loosen up while removing the sprue the hooks are doing their job. Not a loose head in 50. And I twist off all my sprues!

This was the final hurdle before fishing....and we're in almost blizzard conditions here tonight. Go figure.

[ctom]

I tracked down some #8 hooks in this new style that’ll be cast between 1/32 and 1/64 heads. These are black nickel. Just looking at them in the clam pack has me wishing I was back home already. Ma and I stopped by Do-It while out on a day trip and saw Kyle and the Jordan monster. Always fun to tack with them for a while. I got to see Kyles hot lure from his Canada trip but I’m sworn to secrecy so y’all are out of luck. lol

[TommySkarlis]

Tommy Skarlis will do the heavy lifting [pun intended] when he gets them to the water.

I love to dig into stuff like this. I'll keep ya the up-dates coming along as I work with them.

I will be heading to 'Nader (Grenada Lake in Mississippi) for a Crappie Masters tournament and I can give them a work out with the 3 pound-plus Hogzillas there!!!!!  I will not be trusting the Matzuo hook to fish that big, but will give the other two a workout - I trust I will see Ctom at my seminar at AL's this weekend for some 1/4 and 3/8 ounce "free samples" - would prefer 2/0 in orange and pink

[ctom]

Sizes 6 and 8 Tommy. All I have in my hot little hands right now. I'm hoping to get to Al's but things are sort of up in the air here on Saturday so we'll see. Either way bud, drive safe!

[TommySkarlis]

Sizes 6 and 8 Tommy. All I have in my hot little hands right now. I'm hoping to get to Al's but things are sort of up in the air here on Saturday so we'll see. Either way bud, drive safe!

1. Looks like the wifey has a little longer-than-normal honey-do list for you!
2. 6-8 hooks? What am I gonna do with those - go bluegill fishing?
3. Gonna miss your appearance!

[ctom]

I know of and understand your large jig theory, but I don't hardly ever use a hook much larger than a size 4 on even the big river crappies and a size 6 is more the norm for me. I lose very darned few crappies, but then I'm not lift/swinging them into the boat. I'm pretty sure too that you catch a lot of big mouthed white crappies on those more southern waters and those could probably inhale a small anchor, hence you preference to larger hooks....eh?

[ctom]

I forgot to mention that I made it out to the lake yesterday morning and while I didn't catch any fish using the new hooks I did find out that they will bend out of a snag when needed to do so a couple of times. There are numerous xmas trees sunk in front of this dock and its not unusual to stick a jig in one now and again. I was using the new jig hooks exclusively and both times they came free with some straightening happening and they went right back to shape easily. There is also some large rock down there too and the jig's points stayed nice even after a little banging thru those, no bending or turning in on the points. So far I like them.