Calling all problem solvers...bait hook question

How about taking treble hook and grind the points flat flat on two hooks.  Heat those two hooks up red hot and roll the tips with need nose pliers to make eyes on each.  Then lay these eyes over the ridge of the fish (leaving hook facing up) and push a wire or tooth pick through one eye, through the fish, out the other eye.

That's basically a bridle.

I thunk up this treble tweak willy nilly, and don't have a clue what a bridle is.
Got any pics?   

Just run three hooks making the last one not attached to your bait at all (trailing) if two hooks isn't working out.

I have always ran two though without a problem even when I use flounder for bait  Greenling are even easier because you can stick your hook through the top and bottom of the fish (not on the sides).

Herring is the easiest because it is so small that the ling will just engulf it all, so a hook in the tail, and a hook through the top of the head does fine. I don't know how there could be a problem with herring

Good luck to you! It is coming up so soon 


BTW....it is a good thing that baitfish can't read because they would be crying after reading this thread 

Can only use two hooks max. Black label herring are the same size as a greenling. Trying to figure out how to accomplish this with one hook.

can you not hook the greenling through either the tail or the lip then have something to keep the fish from sliding off the hook?

If there are barbs on the hook a piece of a thick rubber band should do the trick.  It might even work for barbless.

How about taking treble hook and grind the points flat flat on two hooks.  Heat those two hooks up red hot and roll the tips with need nose pliers to make eyes on each.  Then lay these eyes over the ridge of the fish (leaving hook facing up) and push a wire or tooth pick through one eye, through the fish, out the other eye.

Liking this idea. If I could manufacture alot of them at once I could reduce the time spent vs loss from snag-up ratio. Now that I think about it, i wonder if something like this exists. An honest to God specialty hook! If not, it should.

I also wonder if maybe some kind of elastic or other simple cinch could be affixed between the treble eyes so that the hook can be placed around the fish's body and kept tight without piercing it. Would also reduce rigging time. But much more prone to slipping then bridling.

Great food for thought, insayn!

You could also add on a dacron leader and half hitch the bait like a sturgeon rig.

Bsteves had a good idea. Here's a vid on bridling, it might work better but then you'd need to carry a threading needle...

His is an illustration of a traditional bridle using floss.   There are other quicker options using rubber bands and zip ties but the theory is the same.

There is an even quicker option called a QuickRig which is a special plier and metal clips

Can only use two hooks max. Black label herring are the same size as a greenling. Trying to figure out how to accomplish this with one hook.

Never knew that. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. But I don't see where it says that you can't use a treble hook (unless salmon fishing is open which in the PS where I live, it is never open for lings when salmon fishing is open). Maybe it is just me, and i am just having trouble decoding the regs 

It says no more than two "hooks," and it does not say two single hooks. It also says the hooks must be barbless, but it still says "hooks," and does not mention "single-point." I don't know though

That is a good point (pun intended).  I've always assumed that the sound was max 2 single point barbless but you're right, they only spell that out for salmon and not other species.  Hmmmm...

I actually think you're first idea of the hook with the wire through the eye is a great idea if trebles are not an option.  It's simple and it would work.  Just use those hooks and some stretchy thread and it seems like you'd be ready to go IMO.

I'm hoping K16 solved my problem here.  If I can use trebles, then I just push two points in the side and secure the shank with a rubber band.  That's what I do at neah bay and it works great.

I went to the tackle shop and asked my buddy there if treble hooks are allowed in the sound and he immediately said "no".  When we consulted the rule book he was surprised to find the single-point restriction seems to apply only to salmon.  His thought (and I concur with it) is that sometime in the past there was a more general statement about single-points that was edited/clarified in later rulebooks without fanfare.  I imagine WDFW would prefer it if people weren't out there fishing with trebles, but may be OK with it for bottomfishers. 

But I do want clarification from WDFW before I tie up a bunch of treble hook rigs and hit the water.  I emailed them this question.  And thanks again Kola16 for highlighting this!

I was curious if barbless treble hooks are allowed in MA 7 when fishing for lingcod.  I have consulted the regulation pamphlet and I see that single-point barbless are required when fishing for salmon, but that restriction is not specified for any other species.

Rules I was looking at:

Definition of a hook, p. 10:

Hook A hook may be single-point, double, or
treble. See Freshwater or Marine Area gear
rules for limitations.
Barbless A hook from which all barbs have
been deleted when manufactured, filed off, or
pinched down.
Single-Point A hook with only one point.
Double A hook with two points on a common
shank.
Treble A hook with three points on a common
shank.

Marine Area Tackle/Gear Rules, p. 98

HOOk AND LINE ANGLING - Unless noted
differently, only one line with up to 2 hooks is
allowed.
Barbless hooks are required for all species
in Marine Areas 5-13, except forage fish jig
gear.
When fishing for SALMON in Marine Areas 1-13,
single-point barbless hooks must be used

Wonder if a modified dropshot rig could work. This is a long video but around 6 minutes he gives a nice detailed description of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I island hoppa's idea.  Drop shoot knot will get it perfect every time
Mitch

Wonder if a modified dropshot rig could work. This is a long video but around 6 minutes he gives a nice detailed description of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I island hoppa's idea.  Drop shoot knot will get it perfect every time
Mitch

Stupid typing on phone.

Mitch

good news for all sound ling and halibut hunters!  Treble hooks ARE legal when you're fishing for anything other than salmon as long as they are barbless.  WDFW got back to me with the response below.  So I probably won't need to start a hook forge in my garage...for now.  Special thanks for Kola16 for bringing this up.  I'm stoked for the opener wednesday! 

Rory, the short answer to your first inquiry is yes, it would be legal to fish for Ling Cod with barbless treble hooks in Puget Sound. As per the Marine Area Rules, under Tackle/Gear Rules, page 98 of the regulation pamphlet states the following: HOOK AND LINE ANGLING - Unless noted differently, only one line with up to 2 hooks is allowed. Barbless hooks are required for all species in Marine Areas 5-13, except forage fish jig gear. When fishing for SALMON in Marine Areas 1-13, only single-point barbless hooks may be used.
If you intend to fish for Bottomfish, single point hooks are not required, meaning that you would be allowed to fish one line with up to 2 hooks. These hooks may be single, double or treble hooks – as long as they are barbless in Marine Areas 5 through 13. A treble hook is still considered to be one hook, it just has 3 points on it instead of 1 point. Also remember to check the rule for Bottomfish (from the 2010/2011 pamphlet year), which states that fishing for all Bottomfish (except Pacific Halibut) is prohibited in waters deeper than 120 feet.