For years many marlin guys have been trying to put normal gauge hooks into this



with as little pressure as possible, so instead of putting the drag up to 33% of line class and setting that hook you've decided that using 24 0r 37kg line to set a hook used for drag settings on 4 to 15kg is a better idea,

Really?

Yes setting a hook is a good idea! and yes hook shape and rig is important too!!

It's Wind-on leaders and too much leader and speed that causes the marlin to eat the leader because of the bubble trail and vibration which is greatly increased by using leaders where the swivel hits the water. The thicker the leader the more it smokes and vibrates... soi leaders are proportionate to lures. You don't want the leader to be more attractive than the lure.

Video here of 50lb leader at 4 knots

leader trail trolling lure 7 knots


There is no abrasion if you set your drag at 1/3rd or over as the leader doesn't touch the fis

Blue on 37kg drag 13kg

 

Same Blue on 37kg with drag at 10kg

Because the drag isn't sufficient to pull the line straight the leader lies against the side of the fish which causes abrasion so by using less drag you need thicker leader which has more water drag so it lies against the fish more and gets more abraded.

Solution use 1/3rd drag and you can use thinner leaders which equals more successful bites. 200lb is fine on most 11 inch lures and above.

Don't get me wrong about light gauge hooks. You can put an awful lot of pressure on them if you are smooth and steady.

Pakula Dojo light gauge 35's

see next page

Pakula Dojo Light size 35

 

But you do need to practice to be able to handle a rod and reel to do that.

Another factor is that game fishing reels designed for 24 and 37kg line just don't handle 5kg drag well. They aren't set up for it. Next time you're getting a reel spooled up you'll need to get the old line off. Put a Bouz drag checker on it and set your reel at 5kg and watch the needle on the scales. Then try some at 1/3rd line class and watch it again.

Lets look at it two ways,

If you want to use 5kg drag and light gauge hooks then use a line class where 5kg takes the stretch and the belly out of the line so you have direct contact with the fish and can dictate to it and fight times will be much shorter than if you use a heavier line class with lots of belly so that you have no angler control over the fish and need to drive after the fish chasing it all over the ocean which results in more accidents than anything else we do as gamefishermen because at no time have you got control of the fish.

2nd way. if you are using line classes over 15kg then use a drag setting that takes the stretch out of the line ie 1/3rd drag and use hooks that can take that drag ie normal gauge.

Use the same shaped hook which can be called the SL12, Pakula Katana or Bonze Platinum or Pakula Dojo hooks, all of which are the same shape.

Follow the rules of rigging those hooks which is the 560 degree rig which we invented more than 30 years ago.



The Rules are both hooks facing up (mainly because that's the most stable) but it also lessens the chances of one hook in one jaw and one in the other which will work the hooks against each other.

The hooks are set so that they form a vee for best results and the hooks should not be stiff rigged because if they are they are highly likely to bend or snap. Article here explains it. Ie where the wire joins the trailing hook should be left loose.

://www.pakula.com.au/index.php/2014-09-23-04-02-2/2014-09-23-04-02-3/break-point

Both systems light line, light drag, light gauge and heavy line, heavy drag, normal hooks have the same very high success rate and a whole lot more control, more fun and greater control of the fish!