Best way to hook macs to 7/0 aki twist hook
 

Interested in hear how everyone is hooking their macs to a large aki twist hook.

That hook is probably a little large for mackerel. I would go down to a 2/0-4/0 circle.


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Ditto... Aki twist hooks should only be used for squid..

I use size 3 or 4 J hooks

I pretty much use circles for all live bait now. But used an aki twist this week end. Its a rather long shanked hook with a big off set. Its designed to grab a big chunk of meat right when the hook is set. So basically the exact hook you don't want for catch and release. Hook the bait just like you would on any other hook. Across the nose or up thru the roof of the mouth. I've gone to the up thru the roof of the mouth on all live baits. I don't have empirical data but I find I get less hooks turned around and buried in the bait's heads this way. Mike

been meaning to try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dZ2cvRd0PM

Raskal311, I started bridling baits last summer. I didn't run a bridled bait n a nose hooked bait on identical rigs in a side by side trial but I did notice a few things about the bridle that I liked.

The baits clearly live longer and swim better. I liked this because bait was often very hard to catch last year so maximizing the baits i did have was a real benefit. Where i really noticed the improved swimming was with spanish macs. They were much closer to greenies when bridled.

The baits can move freely on the light line rather than on a ridgid hook. Better than even a ringed hook.

You can use a larger hook then you could nose hooking because the bridled bait isn't impaled on the hook.

I very very rarely had the hook turn back in to baits' heads. Increased bite to hook up rate and helped the baits stay lively.

It takes a bit of practice to quickly and cleanly bridle a wriggling bait buts it's not hard. I'll continue to do it on my fly lined baits. Mike

the smaller aki twist aint bad for hali
a longer shank helps with line chew
using fin bait

thats great to hear, i bought a pack of needle last month and have been hitching to give it a try.