Seneca gang hook

[suttontroller94]

OK so seems as dead bait has been a topic of discussion recently and I have started messing with cowbells a little bit I was wondering if anyone has knowledge of how to tie an old fashion Seneca gang hook set up for trolling sawbellies. I know my uncle Rick Angle who owned the Creek side bait and tackle in Montour years ago used to tie these and sold quite a few and I remember him trying to show me when I was a young kid but I just can't seem to remember how it's done and I don't even know if they are still even worth the time anymore. Thanks in advance to anyone with some input on this

[Sk8man]

Hopefully you'll be able to see these pics clear enough to get the idea. There are different versions of the gangs for example a clasp or clip can be the first item in the series to hold the mouth of the bait shut instead of the small hook noted here. The key feature is to tie the series of three hooks (2 trebles and one single in front) so that the single hook or clip slides so that you can adjust the bait to size as well as tighten or loosen to give the bait the right amount of "twirl" behind the attractor. Basically you set the fixed trebles in a fixed position such that one will reside at the bottom center of the bait while the last one trails the end of the bait. The heavy duty thread is wound around the hook shaft securing the 40 lb mono to it making sure that the first single can slide with tension applied (it slides within the wound thread winding on the shaft of the hook). When all together coat the thread with lacquer or acrylic nail polish top coating.  I hope you get the idea here I have a bunch tied somewhere but unable to locate tonight to show different versions. These are from the mid seventies    Look closely at the eyelet on the first hook in the series it is bent backward which assists in the sliding adjustment.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Sk8man

[suttontroller94]

Thank you very much thats exactly what I was looking for. How far do you trail these behind cowbells?

[Skidplate]

I have two of these but they don't have the trail hook I lost that one wish I could buy a dozen

[TROUTMAN 87]

BOB  Give me a call, I have a buddy that is an expert at tying these. Harvey

[Skidplate]

If he wants to make a few dozen I'll buy them

[suttontroller94]

Sounds good Harv I'll call you tonight

[Sk8man]

Usually 18-26 inches from end of back hook to the beginning of leader

[Ray4852]

Seneca gang hooks are outdated. They are a pain to tie up. We have a better system now to use bait. I like capt Johns magnum bait heads. I use pearl, white and green bait heads. I tie them up with 30 lb test line with a 2 ft lead off a small dodger. I use one hook only. Instead of using one whole sawbelly with the gang hooks. You can use one side of the bait and put it in the plastic head. I buy my bait. I brine them too. The store bought fish have a little brine to them but they need to be a little harder.

 

http://www.michiganangler.com/Meat_Rigs.htm

[Sk8man]

i guess that is one way to look at it but sometimes it is productive to think of things along the line of "just one more thing in the arsenal" because they still do work and sometimes even when the fish won't take the "Michigan rigs" I still keep the earlier "dodgers" and the various versions of "cowbells" for the same reason despite using the hammerhead routinely and flashers and spinneys.  It is always nice to be able to bring out the old stuff when the "new" stuff doesn't seem to be working....sometimes the result may surprise you   The practical thing about the approach relates to "do whatever works" for you.

[Ray4852]

Seneca gang hooks are an old finger lakes tradition along with 32 oz sinkers and heavy cowbells dragging heavy gear along the bottom of the lake with a hand line. Yes they do work and catch fish but the times have changed. Today we can fish the same way with lighter gear and use 16oz of lead to fish down to 200ft on bottom with better bait. Have you priced a dozen of sawbellies. I couldn’t afford to fish with live bait today. A dozen of sawbellies wont last me 2 hours of fishing. The sawbellies I buy wholesale are much better and one slab of meat with the right brine mix will last me for hours before I have to add new bait to my bait head. Add a little pro-cure herring oil to the bait will help catch more fish too.

[Skidplate]

That's it I'm getting my bait dealer license

[Skidplate]

What do you guys think a fair price is for a doz salted belly is

[Sk8man]

Just for the record I have been using the bait heads and meat rigs for quite a few years and if you want to save money on bait go to artificials they last for years. I use both (and you don';t have to screw around stiffening with brine either).  I guess the point I was making is that it doesn't have to be an "either or" siituation. I run Seth Greens, downriggers, pull copper, wire rigs, leadcore and coppers, use outriggers and big boards, inline boards and even the old Yellowbird boards as the situation dictates.  Yes there are newer and easier ways to do things sometimes but part of the fun of it is doing different things and also using home made lures, flies  and spoons etc. as well despite having thousands of commercial lures in the boxes.  Newer is not always "better" either it is only "different".

Edited April 23, 2016 by Sk8man

[Ray4852]

bait was cheap before the DEC got the best of the bait dealers. I think 4 dollars for a dozen is plenty for a fisherman to pay today. They rob us now. 20 years ago I could go out on a good night in June and catch 500 sawbellies. Now I buy them. Plastic is cheap. Natural bait is better. Frozen sawbellies fall apart on a set of gang hooks. A piece of good brine bait will last for hours.

[Sk8man]

I agree on the expensive they are now about $1.00 each

[Ray4852]

The last time I bought a case of sawbellies was 4 years ago. Narbys up on lake Ontario sold me a case for 40 dollars. I still have enough now for a couple of years. I looked on the internet. I found a case for 95 dollars now. Boy they want to rob the fisherman today. This old boy knows how to out fox all of them. You cant teach an old fisherman new tricks and they wont screw this guy. A dollar for a piece of bait is outrageous. You can use the skin off of your trout and catch fish with the bait head.

[suttontroller94]

I completely agree that new isn't always better if it caught fish once why won't it work now and we all know that some days there's only one thing on the boat that is going to catch fish that day. And I just want to have as many options as possible. Starting to realize I need a bigger boat to accomplish that lol

[Skidplate]

People ask me why I have so many poles I say why would I want to retie a pole to fish a difference program

[lakebound88]

People ask me why I have so many poles I say why would I want to retie a pole to fish a difference program

Yahtzeeeee

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

Yeah I got my boat name The White Porcupine because of all the rods sticking up (thanks to Hop). I've even had the DEC guys check me out when fishing solo to see whether I was "legal" I've had as many as 15 onboard fishing by myself   You can never have enough "stuff" Nick feels that way about his rod holders   

[Ray4852]

I have a hard time getting the 3^rd rod down in the water. 2 is more than enough for me. If I take another guy out with me we fish with 3 poles for two guys. We still end up with 30 fish days. You have to be pretty good to fish with 6 poles on Seneca. The weed pods will kill you. A good jigger can out fish all of us with one pole.

[lakebound88]

Not enough. Ever!

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[Skidplate]

Not busting ball but depending on who I'm fishing with I'LL always have 6 rods out but if I'm lucky

enough to fish with three other people who no the program it's 12 rods and IV tried more but I'm not that good but I love putting my boat in by myself with 18ish pole in the boat and the look you get from ,"fishermen"

[Skidplate]

Sweet pic nick.