[Fishmeister]

Question?

Ok, I've spent the last 5 years trying to master artificials; doin' very well, no complaints! mmany times i've out produced when they're picky and not taking fresh/live bait,Spent 2 or so years live lining eels, excellent results, and i've spent around 5 years catching more than my share of big bass on clams...

question is...when live lining bunker;

1) how long do i let it run? (1/2-1 lb. bunker)

2) Where is a good place to hook it?

3) preferred hook to use, treble, single?

4) finally i hear that bunker heads are great bait...where do i hook that as well, and do i strike right after pick-up? or wait?



ok guys...i'm NOT asking for locations, i know them already!!! just another way to catch me mrs. cow bass and release her for another day! thnx guys...

 

[B.Attitude]

Fishmeister,
I was interested in trying that technique myself this year.
As far as hooking up a bunker head,I make a cut about an inch behind the gills,put the hook through the meaty part on top not through the bones.
paulie

 

[mk5381]

Bunker heads

I use a 3' leader on a fish finder rig and hook the bunker head under the jaw and up through the top of the mouth. This keeps the mouth closed and allows you an almost natural presnetation of the head. You need patience when it is picked-up. Allow the fish time to ingest the head. Good luck!

Fatal Attraction

 

[614540]

bunker head

Bunker heads:

I like to use about 2-3 feet of 50lb seaguar flouro carbon for the leader. 5/0 Daichi wide gap bleeding bait hooks.
Cut bunker head leaving about 1/2 inch of meat still on head. Hook through the top of back piercing one side and out the other. I prefer to hook in back rather than lips. Lips are solid and when you get a hook up, the lips of bunker head are between you and the fish..harder to set hook (not impossible just harder)with the back it still gives you a solid piece to place hook through but hooks pulls through flesh and has clear shot at hooking bass ....circle hooks always seem to get it in corner of mouth....

just my two cents

 

[togmaster]

Dunk'n bunkers

Well Live lining bunker is my favorite fish Method for bass. We call it dunk?n. Again 2 rigs can be used here the fish finder or the 3X3. I find most my live lining is done on the drift so I mostly use the 3X3 rig. As far as hook placement make sure you go in the mouth and the point through the middle of the bunkers air holes. That?s it. Do not put it through both lips or your bunker won?t last long. As far as when to hit it?s basically the same as eel?n. Drop the tip on the strike and when your line gets tight lift and reel. Many people think that because the bunker is big it takes a bass a while to get it down. Wrong a bass hits most of the time at the head of the bunker and will handle the bunker in 1 swallow. Next time you catch a bass take it and see if the bunker will fit in the bass?s mouth when it is fully open. I bet you would be amazed at how a big bunker would fit in 10lbs. and up bass?s mouth. Another secret which will help you on big bass is the reeling technique which will stop from bass dehooking them self?s. Many times the weight of a big fish will cause the spot where the hook sets to open and sometimes losing the fish. I try not to pump the rod! Always leave it at a 2 to 1 o?clock position like a 45 deg angle and don?t lift and reel. I know most people do this but I have seen many big bass lost from this method! Just a steady reel when he?s not pulling and patience is all you need to land the lunker. I used to set the hook very hard on bass till I realized I was just increasing my chances of make the hook set point larger. Hey sometimes we get a jaw or a good solid point and your in . But unless you?re diving in the water to check it out I would suggest using my method above. Hope this helps good luck.

 

[B.Attitude]

Togmaster,
After you snag a bunker do you send it right down immediately in the school?
After the school moves on do you look for them or just drift the bunker hoping for a pickup?
Thanks paulie

 

[togmaster]

Keeping Bunker live

Well Paulie I don't snag bunker. So my cast net does the trick for me. I usually catch them in a different area I will be fishing. So I have a 55 gal drum as a live well and they seem to last the whole trip. As far as snagging bunker it?s harder to keep them alive. If you do not damage any vital parts you could put them in a big 128 or bigger cooler with a small pump to keep them going for a while. If I was snagging bunker I would be using a big weighted treble and if I had the bunker in the area I was fishing like the times the bass and blues chase the bunker into the flats I would just leave it out and never pull it out of the water. The fish will find them real quick if there around