Originally Posted By: Coho Dave


Not to be disparaging, Doc, but the rear hook point is totally exposed. It sticks out of the herring on the bottom just in front of the tail. That particular day I was using herring that had been thawed for a couple of days (don't ask!) and it just wasn't staying on my hooks very well. The silver just happened to knock it off and then came back for more. Thankfully.

I've watched about 100 videos like this that I've shot over the last 10 years or so and that is the place that is most likely to catch silvers other than the front hook. I have found that leaving the trailing hook totally exposed just doesn't work quite as well since silvers that I've seen on my videos often times hit the herring from the side and a "hang back" hook misses those aggressive strikes. Also, I don't know about Washington and Oregon, but here in K-Bay and Cook Inlet there are rules regarding snagging fish. I'd rather miss one than have to release one that I caught in the belly.


I think you're missing the point about hangback, Dave.

Your short-spaced hooks are definitely NOT the "hangback' style I am referring to. If the spacing of hooks fall within the full length of the bait, the hooks will be ingested just as you describe. The hookup will be inside out and highly likely to be deep.

The hangback technique I promote fully exposes the trailing hook COMPLETELY behind the bait with the express intent of hooking that fish from the outside in with the trailing hook.



We have rules in WA against snagging, too. Willful take is the first and utmost requirement.... followed by anywhere in the head.



That last pic is definitely an exceptional hookup, but I use it only to make a point about a legal WA hookup on a willful biter. 95%-plus of all the biters I hook are "flossed" with the LONG trailing hook (just like the coho in your video) and end up hooked from the outside in somewhere in the maxilla or mandible.
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