slow death hooks

[fishnranger]

hey guys i went out this weekend walleye fishing using the slow death hooks and on 4 occasions i would set the hook on a fish fight them for a few seconds and the hook would straighten out and loose the fish i was using a mad/heavy 7 foot spinning rod with a fast tip 3/4 ounce lindy rig weight 6 foot leader 8lb test and 10 pound main line fishing in 20 feet of water or less not sure if any of you guys have ever had this problem with the hooks straightening out or if its something with the set up that im using still new to these hooks but getting good results thanks for any help

[Huntbear]

I use nothing nut gammies..  never heard of the ones you r using.

[FC]

I use nothing nut gammies..  never heard of the ones you r using.

Same, every time I try a different kind of hook I end up throwing away a mostly full package of them.

[superdown]

    I use nothing but Gamakatsu.

[Curly]

If you're straightening hooks while using 8 lb test, then those hooks are really weak. 

[Button Nubbs]

I have tried tons of different kinds of hooks and find flaws in all but gammies. Every time I switch I end up coming back to ol faithful. I've only had 1 gammie ever fail it snapped at the bend while a summer run was doing the death roll next to the boat.

[PlateauNDN]

Hhhmmmm......Probably why they call them slow death?  They straighten out and the fish dies a slow death somewhere else instead of a fast death by your hands?

[fishnranger]

if gamakatsu made that style of hook i would use them it has a special bend in it and it makes the worm do a slow death roll check it out on youtube and you will see what im talking about

[Button Nubbs]

lighten your leader and drag maybe? go to a softer rod and take it easy on them? do they make a heavy wire version of the hook?

[fishnranger]

not that i know of the biggest i can find is size 1 but they are light so they work correctly

[Skillet]

I use these Mustad hooks for wally's pretty regularly now.  Special design for the action they impart, and they are a thin, thin wire.  And they are deadly when used right.

Two things I do differently than you do -
I use a lighter power rod that is just heavy enough to support the weight of your Lindy sinker.  Your med heavy with fast tip is like a crankbait rod - not enough give in it to help soften the shock of the fish doing their headshakes (especially the big ones).  I use a 7-1/2 foot medium rod with a slow tip.

Do not set the hook in the traditional fashion, but just "sweep" the rod forward until you put a decent load on the rod (see above lighter rod requirement).  If you're using the hooks right, you're pinching the worm off just behind the bend of the hook.  So, the hook is almost always pretty far down in the mouth by the time you pick up the rod out of the holder.  The thin wire will stick and land with a lot less pressure - you don't have to drive that point home too hard like you would with a heavier hook.  Use the thin wire to your advantage.

Of course, you gotta play the fish, too.  Can't horse them in on those hooks.  And everytime you get snagged, land a fish, or even miss a bite, check the hook to see if it's bent.  Once they bend, they seem to lose any chance at holding temper.  I toss a lot of these hooks after multiple hookups - I'm a sharp-hook fanatic, and regularly sharpen hooks during the day to keep that "needle point" touched up.  But these hooks rarely last long enough to get sharpened by me...

All that said, I use them a lot.  They just work.

[fishnranger]

skillet thanks for your input i will give those ideas a try i love the hooks they just flat out catch fish when nothing else does and you catch a lot of variety

[yelp]

I have caught 100's of walleyes on slow death hook..never had one straighten out.  Like skillet said it may be your rod set up..I use a flexible tip 8'6" rod and sweep set vs. hook set..  My rod has got some give.  Maybe I am catching dinks compared to your catches and that is why mine have never straightened out.  LOL   

I caught these last year on the slow death hook. 

[Hilltop123]

I just started using these hooks a few weeks ago, and like them!  You say your "setting the hook", when I'm fishing these hooks I don't, as one of the guys said already "use the thin wire to your advantage". These hooks seem to be already sticky sharp, combine this with the thin wire and hook setting is not required. As one of the other guys already said, play the fish don't horse them, loosen the drag. My wife and I have landed several fish 20" +, with the biggest a 27", all on slow death hooks, with no problems.

[fishnranger]

thanks for all the info guys now how do you guys rig yours do you use bottom walkers or lindy weights and do you use any beads or anything

[Hilltop123]

bottom walker, ball bearing swivel, 4-5 foot of leader, chain swivel mid leader, then the hook, no beads or blades.

[lokidog]

Yelp, I don't understand your technique and setup, would you care to bring me along and show me exactly what you are doing??   

Nice batch of fish.  I think I have the perfect rod for those hooks, it's like a big wet noodle.  Hung it up after losing a big trout that jumped two or so feet out of the water and the rod wasn't stiff enough to keep the line tight when it shook its head.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I use nothing nut gammies..  never heard of the ones you r using.

  huh I never heard of ( nut gammies) whats those ?

[BOWHUNTER45]

Man this is interresting ..Only ever had one hook straighten and it was on a king ...A really big king ..

[Button Nubbs]

45,

You must hsve never used vision hooks.

[BOWHUNTER45]

45,

You must hsve never used vision hooks.

NO ...YOUR RIGHT ...

[MuleySniper]

OWNERS all the way
MS

[Skillet]

bottom walker, ball bearing swivel, 4-5 foot of leader, chain swivel mid leader, then the hook, no beads or blades.

Mine's close to Hilltop's -
Bottom walker, QUALITY bead chain swivel, 4-5 leader, then the hook.  I don't like anything heavy at all between the hook and the bead chain I attach to the bottom walker.  If you use a good enough bead chain, it seems to do the trick most of the time.  And if it doesn't, I just tie up a new leader. 

[Hilltop123]

Skillet, I run a bead chain mid way because when the ball bearing swivel gets weeded up, I end up with a real mess without it. But I understand your concerns with the add weight.

[yelp]

Here at TEAM SLOW DEATH...LOL

Depending on depth and structure depends on my set up.  My favorite is 1/4 ounce walking sinker on snap, ball bearing ant swivel 4'leader, small red or yellow bead, hook. 

Other variations
bead, bobber stop, hook
small smiley, bead, bobber stop, hook.
small prop blade, bead, bobber stop, hook


In weeds I have been successful using the cone/disc weed guard,bobber stop, 2-3' leader, hook.

Always use a swivel keep it from kinking.

Always try different baits..Gulp worms, etc.  You may have to make the bend in the hook more pronounced to get artificials to spin.

My wife caught these on slow death set up down on the Columbia on July 10th.

Good Luck!  Forget dying fast..Make it a slow death!  LOL  I always have one pole rigged up with one.

[yelp]

Hill top nice fish by the way!

[Hilltop123]

Yelp, Thanks!!! It's my personal best. So to keep this thread going, where does everyone do there "eye" fishing. The wife and I hit the potholes when we can.

[lokidog]

Yelp, Thanks!!! It's my personal best. So to keep this thread going, where does everyone do there "eye" fishing. The wife and I hit the potholes when we can.

My biggest and first in WA was a 32" ten and a half pounder out of Potholes.  Caught a couple in Banks as well.

[Skillet]

Owner and Gamakatsu don't make this type of hook.  Slow Death is a trademark that Mustad has on this particular shape of hook that gives a specific action to the bait.  If you want to fish "Slow Death", you either have to buy these Mustad hooks or do like we did in the very beginning, and use "Tru Turn" aberdeen hooks. The TruTurns were heavy and the bend in the shank wasn't neary as exaggerated as they are in the Mustad hooks, though.  Mustad's Slow Death hooks work much, much better.

[fishnranger]

my personal best is 13 1/2 mouth of the umatilla my dads personal best is 18 1/2 on the columbia down from foundation island

[Skillet]

my personal best is 13 1/2 mouth of the umatilla my dads personal best is 18 1/2 on the columbia down from foundation island

As long as you're talking pounds and not inches , those are some great fish! That 18 1/2 would have been state record material if he caught it before Kimo caught his 18+#'er (fish before the newer 19+#'er caught in the Tri Cities).

[fishnranger]

yeah it was pounds and my dad is a meat fisherman and fried it up didnt have a clue it was that close to the state record and had to tell him it was a once in a lifetime fish but he said it tasted good

[BLUEBULLS]

I don't think most guys on here understand the "slow death hook"

they have their problems with bigger fish. the fish in the river fight like walleye aren't supposed to right now. A good fish will bend them in a heart beat if makes a run close to the boat.

Try using an octopus hook threaded through the side of the worm. work with it a bit and you can get almost the same presentation

that 18-1/2 is a good fish, heck 13-1/2 is a great fish especially since it probably wasn't egg laden with where you caught it. My dad caught one this spring that he said was his biggest ever and I've seen him catch quite a few 15 to 17-1/2lbers. He took a couple pictures and tossed her back.

I've seen a stack of boats out there. Good luck on keepin em hooked and keep us posted

[ribka]

I just started using these hooks a few weeks ago, and like them!  You say your "setting the hook", when I'm fishing these hooks I don't, as one of the guys said already "use the thin wire to your advantage". These hooks seem to be already sticky sharp, combine this with the thin wire and hook setting is not required. As one of the other guys already said, play the fish don't horse them, loosen the drag. My wife and I have landed several fish 20" +, with the biggest a 27", all on slow death hooks, with no problems.

That is a nice walleye there

congrats