Sickle hooks?

[mallard79]

Hey mallard bring your 6 or 8 out to the coast this time of year. I'd love to see you get violated. :p

Been there done that about 10 years ago.  Line held up just fine.  Wish I COULD SAY THE SAME ABOUT MY NERVES.    Got a little antsy to get it in and pulled the hook loose.      Crazy things happen when you see an upper 20's steelhead  on the end of the line just inches away from your brothers hands.     

Same trip had all our fish stolen out of the truck along with my brand new cooler    Oh well $hit happens 

I'll keep using the sickles til they fail on me. 

[Button Nubbs]

I think that fish gets bigger everytime I hear that story. :p

[Ironhead]

If your using 6 lb test on fish 20+ you might as well give em the wood shampoo cause your gonna kill any fish that is played that long. That is the idea of using bigger line this time of year, so you can get the fish in qick and released with out playing them until they are dead.
I have broken one sickle hook from Rvrfsr on a 10 lb brat. Other than that one hook I have had good luck with them.

[Bone_Collector]

I use Matzo sickle hooks and I love them. I go through about 3,500 to 4,000 hooks a year when it comes to steelhead fishing and with all brands of hooks you are going to get some bad ones but I have been really happy with the preformance of the hooks. I have not tried the larger size hooks but the 8's, 6's, and 4's have held up great!

Bones

[Button Nubbs]

3500 to 4000? Hot damn!!! I would die if I had to tie that many leaders! You a guide or something?

[Bone_Collector]

Yes I am a guide and no I dont tie my own leaders. I am pretty sure that if I tied my own leaders every time someone lost one I would probably start cryin! 

Bones

[PolarBear]

Thanks for the input folks!  I'm going to order a few and give them a try the next time I order more worm plastic.

[Button Nubbs]

Polarbear,
I take it you pour worms. I'd love to pick your brain!

[PolarBear]

Pick away at what's left of it!  I have been pouring worms since I was in High School (almost 30 years).

[Button Nubbs]

I'm gonna get started pouring pretty soon and I want to get some soft worms. What kind of plastic do you use? Hardner? Softener? Ever tried the super soft? Do you use a lee plastic pot or a stove and pot. Any expierence with aluminum molds? 2 piece handpour molds? How long does it take you to pour say 50 or 100?

I think that'll do for now but I have many many more.

[PolarBear]

I use plastic from either MF or Lurecraft.  My favorite is Lurecraft's 556 formula, it has "maximum flexibility".  They have a fairly new line of "green" plastic that I am going to try.  It does not have the chemical Phthalate which is know to cause health problems as well as more of a  plastic smell.  Lurecraft plastics also have a heat stabilizer so they won't burn as easily or discolor.  If I am making worms for steelheading or finesse bass fishing I will add a little softener to the plastic but it really isn't necessary.  Hardener is for saltwater baits but I hardly ever use it.  I have not tried the super soft.  As far as pouring, I am old school with the burners and pans, no production pots for me.  I prefer the flexible silicone molds over metal mainly because they seem to disperse heat better and allow the worm to set up faster and more consistently.  I use just the open one piece molds.  It is pretty simple to make your own by copying your favorite mass produced worm.  I made some Kalin's grub rip off molds that worked really well until I lost them.  I need to make a new set.  I designed a couple of molds back in the day and still have some.  As far as how long to pour 50-100 worms depends on how many colors, size how many molds you have lined up and how detailed you want them.  It really depends n the person and how familiar you are with the process.  I made around 75 3" 3 color grubs last weekend at about 8 per minute.  I'm making a batch of grubs tomorrow along with some jig heads.  I'll try to remember to take some pics of the stuff.  Feel free to axe anything else you might have questions on worm stuff.

[Button Nubbs]

Thanks polar bear! I'm gonna hit you with a pm in the next couple days.

[PolarBear]

Bought a couple hundred 1/0 Matsuo sickle jig hooks and poured half of them up today.  Gonna give them a try and see how they work.  They seem to be sturdy enough. I'll find out soon enough.  Thanks for the input folks!

[TheHunt]

The sickle jig hooks are suppose to provide a bigger bite area.

[PolarBear]

So far I like the configuration of them a lot better than regular 570 Aberdeen's plus they are a lot sharper.  The pin holes in my hands will attest to that.  Poured up some steelie and bass jigs and gave a few to my buddy to try out on the Skookumchuck today.  Can't wait to see how they worked.