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Tandom Rear Hook for stripers?

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  juro 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Guys,

Tying flies in prep for the Striper fishing here downeast.

I have been experimenting with tandom hooks on streamers.
My idea is to get a hook in front and one in the tail to get the fish that seem to hit my fly but not hook up.

Someone once told me that stripers hit and swallow the fly headfirst which makes sense as last season I did get my share with a hook only at the head but still had a lot of empty hits. Who thinks that a rear hook is a good idea?

What I do is join the two hooks 1/0 with some doubled clear coated wire line inside a tube.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Personally, I wouldn't bother. I always thought stripers might be the easiest fish to hook up on... if they miss the fly and I keep stripping, it seems they'll keep trying 'till they get it. I know I've had lots of stripers miss the fly two, three or more times in one retrieve and still end up getting in in their lip.

On the other hand, maybe a tandem would hook more on the first grab....

I used to tie some tandem steamers for landlocked salmon on my local freshwater lake. It's not that much trouble, but I'd prefer not to do it.

When a striper hits your fly, don't rear back on the rod; keep your rod down and continue stripping. If the fish misses, he'll try again!
 
#5 ·
Penguin's Flies

Nice flies Penguin.

I used to experiment with reversing the hook like that but sometimes had the problem of the fly turning over.
That does not happen with these flies?
 
#6 ·
Good question!

I prefer to use just one hook for stripers for a number of reasons. Most of my fish are quickly returned to the water and I don't want a second hook flailing around with the fish. Stripers seem to get themselves hooked with a 1" hook at the head of a 10" fly, so a trailer doesn't strike me as all that necessary. A second hook only means more injury to the fish - an eye, or in the gill rakers.

I use a trailer or tube fly for coho salmon in the pacific northwest because the same hook / fly ratio wil result in lots of missed hits out there, but with stripers I would have to say no trailer.

If you would like to test your theory about short strikes, why not try a tube fly or a single hook back with no hook at the head? Just a thought.

Good topic though.
 
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