small fish/gut hooking

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    Posted: 10 Mar 2015 at 9:26pm
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Ok ive got a beach longline i tow out in the kayak and attach shopping bag half full of sand to the end (works brilliant). I have the typical 18 or 20 size longline hooks.

Half of my fish seem to be gut hooked, usually the smaller fish too which really sucks.
Does anyone have any tips as to avoiding this?

I try keeping my mainline as tight as possible without tearing the anchor bag so the hooks meet tension earlier.

Should i upsize my bait sizes so the smaller fish will likely tear them off instead of them being a mouthfull? I dont want to go to big and attract sharks but im on the east coast so sharks arent too much of a problem with 20-30min sets.

Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote petethemeat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2015 at 9:54pm
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My initial thoughts would be go larger and perhaps snell the hooks rather than tie. 
Bit more info here(I haven't read it all but looks relevant)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2015 at 6:07am
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Try just hook the baits lightly  so they hang from the hook rather than go right through the middle of the bait. It's important not to choke the gape of the hook so the point is presented to the fish as soon as it has the bait in its mouth but before it swims away ... if that makes sense.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2015 at 8:08am
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I snell our hooks and still get the odd undersized gut hooked....in saying that it certainly may be a factor in less small fish gut hooking.
Baiting...we just put the hooks thru the chunks of bait.. middle what ever.. the are basically near to cubes... but do make sure the barbs are well clear....but where that chunk will be after a few nibbles is hard to say....Think there could be something in that....and worth  seriously us  following up

From last autumn we have had a noticeable increase in undersized fish .. previous rare, and previous rarely had a trace chopped off (shark?) this yr near ever drop have between 2 and 5 cut off.

Have been experimenting with using gamaaski (?) steel hooks over the std long line hooks... they seem to hook less smaller fish.. and the bigger fish are more likely to be on one of these.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BeachedAsBro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2015 at 5:06pm
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Try not using a longline
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish caught will we realise we can't eat money.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote like_to_strike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2015 at 9:47pm
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hooks are already snelled on and only lighty hook the baits. those hooks with the wire on the back of them look interesting.
ill start experimenting I think.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FizFisho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2015 at 10:14pm
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definitely snell em so they hook in the corner of the mouth, try perhaps higher quality circles like the large pack of demons. using a fluro float on each trace may help as well as per paul barnes. 

i use 8/0 extra sized mustad demons and still lip hook 10cm snaps.

or use the paul barnes hooks which have a wire that helps stop a gut hook.

hope you have no chance of losing that plastic bag in the ocean :-). a nice canvas one would be more durable.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote like_to_strike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2015 at 7:34am
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nope plastic bag rips when you start pulling in, still attached with no weight in it so I also have a small float infront of the bag that's usually enough to lift the bag from the bottom after its torn so it cannot tear off and I also use a sounder so I know im not dropping it on a reef. im quite anal about littering
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FizFisho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2015 at 2:52pm
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all good, wasnt suggesting. just involved in ecology and i hate seeing the amount of plastics on beaches that dont get visited. go for a walk around some of the coro beaches that have no direct access (ie hike in) and above water line is a disgrace. so im the same about littering :-)

try those hooks i mentioned on pauls fishing kites site.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote like_to_strike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2015 at 8:35pm
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Its disgusting, being a land based fisher really gets to me sometimes, the amount of bait bags and even just nylon that's dropped is insane.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote osa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2015 at 1:20pm
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A bit late, but try circle hooks. They tend to not gut/gill hook fish.Wink
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