So which length Hoochie does everyone think is the best? The new mini hoochies are barely 1 1/2 inches so I guess the standard is about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches long and then some Kokanee Hoochies are almost 3". Which is the best???
Hoochies, Short or Long
- Thread starter MMDON
- Start date
Help Support Kokanee Fishing Forums:
Kokonuts
Well-known member
Hoochies
Same here, last year they seemed to work well but this year they havent. Ive even tried my "Improved Versions" but they havnt worked either. I really had high hopes for the Spin & Glow with the hoochie glued on the rear. Its sort of a spinning hoochie. laugh hyst
So far at Lake Merwin Ive done best with the old stand by wedding rings. The Apex were hot for a couple of weeks but not lately!
I just had a HOT TIP from an old timer at Merwin, use one piece of corn on the front hook & Red Salmon Eggs on the rear. Sooo I guess I'll give it a try this weekend!
laugh hyst...What Next??...............Kokonuts
Same here, last year they seemed to work well but this year they havent. Ive even tried my "Improved Versions" but they havnt worked either. I really had high hopes for the Spin & Glow with the hoochie glued on the rear. Its sort of a spinning hoochie. laugh hyst
So far at Lake Merwin Ive done best with the old stand by wedding rings. The Apex were hot for a couple of weeks but not lately!
I just had a HOT TIP from an old timer at Merwin, use one piece of corn on the front hook & Red Salmon Eggs on the rear. Sooo I guess I'll give it a try this weekend!
laugh hyst...What Next??...............Kokonuts
Fallriverguy
Well-known member
I mainly use the hoochies that are 2.25 inches long. I have some of the micro-squids that RMT and Shasta sells. I also use crappie tubes and they all seem to work at different times. I think later in the season as the males get more territorial, the bigger ones work best.
Hoochies are my number one lure. I usually start with them first and move to other lures after that.
Hoochies are my number one lure. I usually start with them first and move to other lures after that.
DLM
Oregon Forum MODERATOR
TopFuelKokanee
Well-known member
I've run a spin-n-glo in front of a hoochie (did not try to attach the two together) with some success, maybe have a glow bead between the two. Making the hoochies work will have a lot to do with what you run them behind. Using a dodger or a sling blade and having the right leader length to create good action at the hoochie is really important.
Old School
Well-known member
I'm sure size is dependent on the specific location. Since last year hoochies have become a go-to for me. I like the rgts the best and make my own lures. For the CA lakes I fish, 95% of the time I use 1.5 inchers. I always have one in the water!
Of course there are many that do better then me, but I catch my share.
Old School
Of course there are many that do better then me, but I catch my share.
Old School
3RivrFishr
Well-known member
This is my 1st season trying hoochies. So far the green 2.25 behind a green dodger on 8" leader has been outfishing my spinners. I'm not sure if its because of the UV coating on the lure and the dodger or if its action/vibration of the dodger. I'm thinking that as the fish go deeper the extra vibration from a spinner blade might help. Sunday I took a friend whose grandpa wanted to see the entire 54 mile reservoir one more time so we made a 108 mile round trip. Fished kokes for about 30 minutes just to try out the new downriggers and convert said freind to the joys of ultralite gear. Caught one fish at 50' with the aforementioned green hoochie/dodger. I think 50' might be the bottom of the depth range of that set up though. There are not many folks around here using hoochies and therefore none of the stores are selling them. I will be doing some more experimenting. New shipment should be arriving from Sierra and a couple other non-sponsors tomorrow.
I've got a bunch of glo beads and glo spinner blades coming also. Anyone know if there is a gel that just has UV flash in it with no scent or if application of such a product to a standard bead spinner would enhance its visability at depth?
Ugh! I have about 20 years worth of trial and error research to accomplish before the end of this season!
I've got a bunch of glo beads and glo spinner blades coming also. Anyone know if there is a gel that just has UV flash in it with no scent or if application of such a product to a standard bead spinner would enhance its visability at depth?
Ugh! I have about 20 years worth of trial and error research to accomplish before the end of this season!
If you are going deeper than 50' UV won't be of much help. I use Green/Glo 2.25" hoochies from Danielson which are available on line or at Sportsmans and catch fish at the end of the season in water as deep as 120'. You will want to use a larger dodger as the water pressure at that depth suppresses smaller dodgers. Make sure the larger dodger has some kind of glow as well.
SmokeOnTheWater
Well-known member
TopFuelKokanee took the words pretty much right out of my mouth. Great Advice regarding leader length to get the right action.thumbsup I haven't found a hoochie rig yet with any action of it's own. You pretty much have to switch from a flasher to a dodger to entice a strike. If all you have are flashers, try bending them a bit to get more wobble out of them. I've done this with both sling blades and RMT steel and get good results. Don't bend them too much though.
If you upsize or downsize your hoochie, the dodger or bent flasher must be sized accordingly. You want the hoochie to dance a bit behind the attractor so lower your presentation just under the surface to fine tune the action. Once you think you've got it, lower it to fishing depth and troll it for 15 minutes. Give it a chance! If it doesn't get you any strikes, do a little more fine tuning or head to a different lake that has fish.laugh hyst
If you upsize or downsize your hoochie, the dodger or bent flasher must be sized accordingly. You want the hoochie to dance a bit behind the attractor so lower your presentation just under the surface to fine tune the action. Once you think you've got it, lower it to fishing depth and troll it for 15 minutes. Give it a chance! If it doesn't get you any strikes, do a little more fine tuning or head to a different lake that has fish.laugh hyst
SilverBullets
Super Moderator
I guess I'm with Dave on this one. I've spent around 500 hours targeting kokes over the last 7 or 8 years, and I think a hoochie has been on the end of my line a total of 20 minutes. I know they work, and work well, but my confidence is in other things that are also consistent producers. I have a good selection of hoochies rigged up just waiting to get wet, and plan on giving them a chance one of these days.thumbsup This is a great question however. I've seen many different lengths, and always wondered which one was the most popular.
Last edited:
Hootchies have been top dog in my arsenal this season. I have been using 2 inchers, but just recently bought a few 1.5". I'll let you know how we do. I can tell you the bigger dodgers have been producing better than smallers ones...
Full_Monte
Well-known member
I've read somewhere that hoochies are more effective if you clip the tentacles shorter on every other arm. It makes the hoochie look more natural than hoochies with them cut off all the same length.
We were out this morning and I had on a 2 1/2" trimmed down to 2" with every other arm cut off. Caught 6 fish within 2 hrs then broke off a hook replaced it with a another 2" hoochie but didn't cut the arms and it slowed way down for me. Only caught 3 more which were dinks. Unfortunately had to work at ten.
3RivrFishr
Well-known member
Got my glo spinner blades and glo beads in the mail today. I cupped them in my hands and peeked through. HOLY COW those blades were glowing bright right out of the box. If I cant get 'em to bite I'll scare 'em to death!
I'm thinking of rigging a hoochie with a glo bead and glo spinner blade in front. Anyone have success with a setup like that and what would you figger for leader length behind a dodger if you rigged it? I'm not sure if it should swing like a hoochie or track straight like a spinner...or something in between.
I'm thinking of rigging a hoochie with a glo bead and glo spinner blade in front. Anyone have success with a setup like that and what would you figger for leader length behind a dodger if you rigged it? I'm not sure if it should swing like a hoochie or track straight like a spinner...or something in between.
DragginBalls
Active member
My brother has had success with that at Lucky Peak. He rigs it about 18 to 24 inches back of the dodger. I have just been going with a straight pink 2 1/2" hoochie behind the dodger with great success.
Dropshot
Active member
jzell
Well-known member
"Hoochies are my number one lure. I usually start with them first and move to other lures after that."
I would tend to agree with Brian in that I "generally" reach for the "Hooch" first.
2.25" Gold Star Yamashita is dakine.
Just got the 2009 Silver Horde catalog which shows 49 different colors of the #20 mini sardine, as they are known. If your a salt guy who fishes the 4.25" (#35 Octopus) Hoochies you have 114 colors to choose from.
Only one minor problem with their catalog is that they list the product # and color # but not the "color name" of the item. They show 5 different items that look like some variation of solid pink.
Critter Gitter here in PDX has one of the better inventories of colors I've seen.
A spinner blade or a Macks Smiley blade up front is the way to go.
jz
I would tend to agree with Brian in that I "generally" reach for the "Hooch" first.
2.25" Gold Star Yamashita is dakine.
Just got the 2009 Silver Horde catalog which shows 49 different colors of the #20 mini sardine, as they are known. If your a salt guy who fishes the 4.25" (#35 Octopus) Hoochies you have 114 colors to choose from.
Only one minor problem with their catalog is that they list the product # and color # but not the "color name" of the item. They show 5 different items that look like some variation of solid pink.
Critter Gitter here in PDX has one of the better inventories of colors I've seen.
A spinner blade or a Macks Smiley blade up front is the way to go.
jz
Last edited:
