Occie Bait

T

Trophy

Sealiner
Hiya Guys,

On my last visit to St Francis I went with the intent of bagging myself another monster Bull Ray. Second on the wish list was hooking, and actually landing, one of the bus Black Sting Rays that frequent the deep water ledges.

I took along an extra rod, BM T53 HMG and my Torium 50. I loaded the reel with a 1.6mm Wind-on leader and .55 mono main line.

I used a 200lb slide trace with a single 20/0 circle hook rig. I have collected a number of Occies, but the brute I took along was a monster sized fella. For the bait presentation I used three legs only!

I used two zip ties to secure the top of the legs and used a third through the hard top section. I attached my circle hook through the third zip tie and had the most perfect presentation!

Sadly I had no takers this time....
 

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T

Trophy

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
..............Not difficult to get a 20/0 proud..............
Click to expand...

Ha Ha...true!

I was so sure I was going to get a pull on that bait that I took a before photo...sadly there was to be no after shot!

St Francis was dead as a door nail!
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
Just sorting my lift oout for the freshwater Nationals.

I got my peg partner so excited with a few Stories of Mazeppa and showed him a few of the PE gangs fish that he's agreed that it'll take 4 days to drive to Lake Mentz and we have to go via PE.

So if all goes well we'll be there the 4th or 5th to do some serious social fishing before the Nationals.

Will give you a call to confirm dates and arrange some bait. Sounds like an Occie around Brighton will be good for a Duckbill from your last report
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
I put these into the Vice (crush the barb as well if you want.

Place a pipe over the eye and shank of the hook.

Pull the hook open by applying constant pressure, I like to off set it by pulling to the side as well.

Works with these Tuna circles but is impossible with Hi-Carbon circles from Owner or Eagle Claw.
 
T

Trophy

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
Works with these Tuna circles but is impossible with Hi-Carbon circles from Owner or Eagle Claw.
Click to expand...

Hiya Enigma,

Yip I do mine exactly the same way. Havoc came around yeaterday with 20 14/0 Tuna Circles...took us ten minutes.

I have managed to offset the Eagle Claw without it snaping. Have not tried to open the hook as it is open enough for me already?
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
I has some good solid hookups with the Eagle Claws and never had a single one pull but the hook is just to heavy for my liking.

Probably my freshwater background of a light as possible to do the job but those circles do the business one time and now I'm hooked on circles.

Fished some really small and fin circles in a bank angling comp and my team manager was baiting up for me as the tempo was true to form in Zeekoeivlei and he started scratching through the box looking for new hooks as he reported to me the ones on my trace were broken as the fish had bent the tips (needless to say he didn't rig any more traces for me again that day)
 
K

Katonkel Tom

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
Just sorting my lift oout for the freshwater Nationals.

I got my peg partner so excited with a few Stories of Mazeppa and showed him a few of the PE gangs fish that he's agreed that it'll take 4 days to drive to Lake Mentz and we have to go via PE.

So if all goes well we'll be there the 4th or 5th to do some serious social fishing before the Nationals.

Will give you a call to confirm dates and arrange some bait. Sounds like an Occie around Brighton will be good for a Duckbill from your last report
Click to expand...

Will be good to finally meet!!!

P.S. Are you bringing some Alpha line for us to test!!:::S
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
Trophy has a parcel on the way

We're going to focus more on our freshwater market and upgrade some more sea goods before introducing a wider range

Looking forward to meeting the PE Gang, just hope we get some good weather for a few days

 
 
K

Koper

Senior Member
Hi Trophy & Enigma,

Question time again, referring to the thread, Introducing the Bait Carrier, where I asked Homie about the way his line exit from the circles eye.  I notice on Trophy's pic the same, IE exiting to the back of the eye.

Using circles, is the one way more effective than the other, or difficult to say?
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
Didn't notice that but I have read articles from manufacturers that state that the snelled circle should have the line coming out the front of the eye.

This helps to rotate the hook causing the hook to sink in when hooking the fish.

I use the line out the front of the eye on all snelled hooks as it gives me good hookups and I very seldom drop fish with snelled hooks having the line exit the front of the guide

It might just be a confidence thing but I find that I have great success, seldom if ever dropping fish with lines set with hooks that the line comes out the front of the guide.

Well observed
 
T

Trophy

Sealiner
Hiya Koper,

I must admit I have never taken notice of where the line is snelled from!?!

I went back to my trace pouch and have some front and some back. I also have a number simply rigged with a Fig 8 or half flemmish and wraps.

I have only been using circles for a short time, but honestly cannot say which has provided the best hookups.

The game fishing industry has the most experience when it comes to circle hooks and browsing the internet the most common rigs are snelled through the front or simply attached with a loop and a crimp.

Confused...I just tied all three knots to three 14/0 tuna circles and have been testing them in my hand...I'm happy to tie any of the three on my rigs?

 
 
K

Katonkel Tom

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
Trophy has a parcel on the way

We're going to focus more on our freshwater market and upgrade some more sea goods before introducing a wider range

Looking forward to meeting the PE Gang, just hope we get some good weather for a few days

 
Click to expand...
Wahoo some free samples Trophy???? You a Star!!!LOL:fbash
 
T

Trophy

Sealiner
Katonkel Tom wrote:
Enigma wrote:
Trophy has a parcel on the way

We're going to focus more on our freshwater market and upgrade some more sea goods before introducing a wider range

Looking forward to meeting the PE Gang, just hope we get some good weather for a few days

 
Click to expand...
Wahoo some free samples Trophy???? You a Star!!!LOL:fbash
Click to expand...

Hiya KT...

Don't want folks to get the wrong impression here.

Nothing is free in this world my friend! These are not free samples, but rather sales samples...

Poep!

 
 
S

steve m

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
I put these into the Vice (crush the barb as well if you want.

Place a pipe over the eye and shank of the hook.

Pull the hook open by applying constant pressure, I like to off set it by pulling to the side as well.

Works with these Tuna circles but is impossible with Hi-Carbon circles from Owner or Eagle Claw.
Click to expand...

Would it please ^^.. be possible if the next time you do it you take some pics ^^..? as i tried it today but couldnt get it right

shot
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
Ordered a whole lot of Circles through All Out Angling.

When I get them, hopefully by the end of the week and will post some pic's
 
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