Porgie Hooks

[live bait]

Question for NYA members who tie their own porgie rigs, what hook do you use?
John

 

[Leprechaun]

For big Peconic "Spring Spawner" porgies a #2 or even #1 "Eagle Claw Beak"-type hook is what is usually recommended by Captain's out there in the know. I like the gold plated versions, but I can't say if that much matters. Smaller fish call for smaller hooks, naturally.

 

[Chinacat]

John-
I use # 2 baitholders
Simple double dropper loop with bank sinker on bottom.
They can easily grab #4 baitholders too as I use those while targeting seabass on the reef and catch many porgies as "by-catch"

 

[Leprechaun]

Mitch - don't you find #4 hooks a bit small for sea bass? I use 3/0 and 4/0 for biscuits, as smaller hooks seem to pull out during a typical sea bass bouncy fight.

 

[Chinacat]

Mitch - don't you find #4 hooks a bit small for sea bass? I use 3/0 and 4/0 for biscuits, as smaller hooks seem to pull out during a typical sea bass bouncy fight.

Oops. My bad. I had brain freeze thinking about the frozen margarita's I'm about to whip up for cinco de mayo LOL
I use 4/0 baitholders, not #4's for sea bass
2/0's for porgies or #1's
Sorry....

 

[Leprechaun]

All good! And speaking of the food of the day - "Lep’s Cinco de Mayo" Pork Chop made w/diced Jalapeno, tomato, cumin, cilantro, pinch of chili powder, s&p. Portobello mushrooms, and broc rabe. Italy meets Mexico tonite. Ran out of Dos Equis, so subbed the local stuff. Best I could do on short notice. Delish is an understatement!

 

[movetheboat]

I use number 1 and number 1/0.....nice whippy rod so the hook don't pull....

 

[Chinacat]

All good! And speaking of the food of the day - "Lep’s Cinco de Mayo" Pork Chop made w/diced Jalapeno, tomato, cumin, cilantro, pinch of chili powder, s&p. Portobello mushrooms, and broc rabe. Italy meets Mexico tonite. Ran out of Dos Equis, so subbed the local stuff. Best I could do on short notice! Delish is an understatement!

View attachment 33332

View attachment 33334
View attachment 33333

That looks good!!!!!

 

[captmike28]

John & Mitch,
I would take Lep's advice, especially since he does join me for a Peconic Scup trip each spring. The #1 gold beak Eagle Claw hook is the one to use. Anything smaller can easily bend out on some of the 3#+ Scup we catch in the spring and there is no doubt smaller sizes would be a challenge with any bisquits you encounter.

 

[Chinacat]

John & Mitch,
I would take Lep's advice, especially since he does join me for a Peconic Scup trip each spring. The #1 gold beak Eagle Claw hook is the one to use. Anything smaller can easily bend out on some of the 3#+ Scup we catch in the spring and there is no doubt smaller sizes would be a challenge with any bisquits you encounter.

Thanks Capt Mike!!
I'm officially a year older today so i guess I'm losing some mental capacities LOL. ?
I went into the garage and looked at all my gear and confirmed I am indeed using #1's on my porgy rigs.

 

[live bait]

John & Mitch,
I would take Lep's advice, especially since he does join me for a Peconic Scup trip each spring. The #1 gold beak Eagle Claw hook is the one to use. Anything smaller can easily bend out on some of the 3#+ Scup we catch in the spring and there is no doubt smaller sizes would be a challenge with any bisquits you encounter.

Always willing to take Lep's advice & direction. I may be looking in the wrong places, but the #1 gold beak Eagle Claw, so far, isn't an easy hook to find, they don't even show up on the Eagle Claw web site. Until I stumble across them, just ordered some #1 Gamakatsu bait holders. Thanks all for the reply.
John

 

[Leprechaun]

Good enough!

 

[movetheboat]

Here's some small tins I made up that I will drop on porgys...tip the #1 hook with worm or clam. I bought these cheap on FFO and took off stuff I didn't want (trebles etc) and added my split rings/hooks

 

[Leprechaun]

Gene - please let us know how that works. I've heard that if they're "in the mood" they'll hit that type jig w/o any bait at all.

 

[CaptFP]

I usually use a 1/0 gami octopus to weed out the smaller fish. I only take scup that I caan get a decent fillet because the wife and kids don't like bones. Yesterday I used #1 Mustad 3407bln Ultra Point with a 2 hook high low. Water still cold and nasty day they bit like flounder.
Not a fan of gold bait holders they break too often

 

[movetheboat]

Gene - please let us know how that works. I've heard that if they're "in the mood" they'll hit that type jig w/o any bait at all.

I'll do that Pete!!

 

[captmike28]

I usually use a 1/0 gami octopus to weed out the smaller fish. I only take scup that I caan get a decent fillet because the wife and kids don't like bones. Yesterday I used #1 Mustad 3407bln Ultra Point with a 2 hook high low. Water still cold and nasty day they bit like flounder.
Not a fan of gold bait holders they break too often

CaptFP, I agree the smaller size Gold Beak hooks can not only bend but break as well. Never had that happen to a #1 or larger.

 

[CaptFP]

Mike- Ya your right the #1 baitholders are better than the smaller sizes, but we go through a a couple thousand hooks a season and on the whole the gold hooks break more often. They are cheaper though. I would hate to be the guy sucking the cheeks out of a whole fried porgy and get half a hook buried in my tongue

 

[captmike28]

"A couple of thousand hooks a season" sounds like your operation is much larger than mine. With that size sample I'm sure you have experienced some breakage. No doubt the Gold Beak hooks are a bit more fragile than say a standard Mustad or Gami's.

Although I do snell most of my own rigs, Porgy hooks are way too small for my aging arthritic fingers to mess with so I tend to go with the easy choice at the tackle shop. And since I always change rigs each trip I haven't had any problems with the #`1's.

"Sucking the cheeks out of a whole fried Porgy"...now that's a scary thought!!!!