Gang Hooks

[lskiles]

I was reading an article at AmericanTroutFishing.com and they were talking about using gang hooks. I have never heard of this so I googled it and it looks very interesting. I was cautioned to check the regulations in my state as some do not allow gang hooks. As far as I can tell there is no prohibition in the Washington regulations. I have emailed the regulators and asked them to verify this and am still waiting for an answer.

Have any of you used this setup?
Have you had good luck with it?
In the article the author said he uses a #10 hook typically.
I think I will wait for an answer from the regulators before I use the rig…never saw an enforcement officer, but as soon as I do something illegal they will be there with my luck LOL.

Of course, the fellow writing the article just happens to have pre-tied gang hooks for sale, but that does not mean they do not hold the bait in a more natural fashion as he states.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

I used one like this 40 years ago back in PA creek fishing for smallmouth. We'd string a nightcrawler and it would minimize the chance of the bass stealing a piece of the worm. Bass usually ran between 9-12 inches with 12 inches being a real big one.

Walleye fishermen out here commonly use these as part of a walleye spinner rig for trolling

[A9]

Those look to me just like the snelled salmon trolling/mooching leaders that are commonly found in any fishing store...???

[dilbert]

Do they sell the sunglasses for the worm also?

(I have nothing useful to add)

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

We also used a safety pin minnow holder that had a double hook on it. It was the thing for stream brown trout. They couldn't pass a minnow up.

[lskiles]

As far as I can tell there is no prohibition in the Washington regulations. I have emailed the regulators and asked them to verify this and am still waiting for an answer.

Well I got an answer back a lot sooner than I have in the past. They said it would be legal if no "Selective Gear Rule or a single point barbless hook restriction were in effect." They also said it "would most most definitely be illegal if you were saltwater fishing in Marine Areas 5 through 13 as barbless hooks only are allowed." No danger of that! LOL

It looks fairly simple to tie. I just wish there was somewhere around Vancouver to go fishing for trout tomorrow.

The way I am, don't fit my shackles.
The way I am, reality.
I can almost see that bobber dancin',
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am.

[Toni]

I used that set up in saltwater area 11 when I was fishing from Les Davis Pier. The barbs were pinched. I have seen that set up also for sale in the salmon, steelhead area at sporting goods stores. The hooks are probably larger than for trout.

[fisherhall]

Is the barbless hook rule in effect for all fish or just for salmon?

[A9]

Yep those hook setups are very common in the saltwater. Mooching/trolling and bottomfishing. I use them for all. Just a quick pinch of the barbs with the pliers and they are legal...

fisherhall,

Barbless hook rules are going to be found in the WDFW rulebook. Most Marine area's require barbless, especially for salmon, but every fishery is different. Check the regs first...

[gpc]

Dont worry Lewis they are perfectly legal. I use them quite often as well. They are very commonly used for trolling a cut plug herring or a hoochie out in the salt. There are also a go to for walleye fishing. They have a lure already tied at the store called a double whammy. All it is, is a wedding ring tied with a double hook and most of the time it is bigger in size than a wedding ring. This also works very well for bass and big perch. I cant even count the amount of perch, bass, crappie and trout that I have accidentally caught on these while trolling for walleye.

When fished with a worm it is best to use a full crawler and let the tail hang off the hooks a bit. So fishing for smaller fish like stocker trout isnt the best way to go. But for big trout it is killer. Just down size to a wedding ring while going for stocker trout.

The make a lot of interesting different trolling set ups now. Some have E-chips, mini hoochies, corkies to float the worm off the bottom, glow beads, glow blades the list goes on. But you can purchase the beads and blades for very cheap and tie your own, depending on what color is doing best at the lake when you are there. I would stay away from all bead colors except green and orange, just stick to the basics. Then get the clevis that allows you to switch out the blades w/o retieing the whole set up and you can fish 20 diffrent set ups in a matter of an hour or so until you find the right color.