View Poll Results: What length Hoochie works the best?

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  • 1.5"

    96 77.42%
  • 2.25"

    28 22.58%
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Thread: Hoochies, Short or Long

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    Idaho
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    Default Hoochies, Short or Long

    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???
    "The Fish Whisperer" 21' Alexis Classic Thunder Jet

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Utah
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    Good question. I haven't found one I like yet. I hear how popular they are with many but they haven't made it to my confidence list yet.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Portland Or. & Lake Merwin
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    713

    Default 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.

    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!

    ...What Next??...............Kokonuts
    Where Ever I Go
    There I Am

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Bend, Oregon
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    466

    Default

    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Silverton, Oregon
    Posts
    867

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fallriverguy View Post
    Hoochies are my number one lure. I usually start with them first and move to other lures after that.
    DITTO THAT!


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Salem, OR
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    66

    Default

    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.
    Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    eastbay CA
    Posts
    109

    Default

    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Lewiston, Id
    Posts
    128

    Default

    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!
    Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwile. -Wilfred T. Grenfell

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Idaho
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    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.
    "The Fish Whisperer" 21' Alexis Classic Thunder Jet

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Blackfoot, Idaho
    Posts
    509

    Default

    TopFuelKokanee took the words pretty much right out of my mouth. Great Advice regarding leader length to get the right action. 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.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Bend, Or.
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    1,843

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SuperD View Post
    Good question. I haven't found one I like yet. I hear how popular they are with many but they haven't made it to my confidence list yet.
    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. This is a great question however. I've seen many different lengths, and always wondered which one was the most popular.
    Last edited by SilverBullets; 07-09-2009 at 12:14 PM.

  12. #12
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    Jun 2009
    Location
    Idaho
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    133

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    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...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    California
    Posts
    734

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    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.
    Age 65.
    20 ft. Jetcraft. 90hp Evinrude Etec, 8hp Yamaha kicker, Minn Kota electric troller. Electric 1106 Scotty downriggers, Lowrance HDS7 Fish Finder/GPS. Airmar P66.
    Also have a 15 ft. Gregor. 25hp Yamaha electric 2-stroke. Two electric 1106 Scotty downriggers. Lowrance HDS7 Fish Finder/GPS.

  14. #14
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    Jun 2009
    Location
    Meridian
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    9

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    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.

  15. #15

    Default

    We are having great success with 1.5" Hoochies 8-10 inches back the dodgers. RMT's and RGT's have been awesome.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Lewiston, Id
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    128

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    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.
    Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwile. -Wilfred T. Grenfell

  17. #17
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    May 2009
    Location
    Nampa, Idaho
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    30

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    Quote Originally Posted by 3RivrFishr View Post
    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.
    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.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Salem Oregon
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    28

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    This hoochie may not work for those smaller fish at the gorge, but here in Oregon it is just about right. The main problem is finding the right size dodger to make it dance.
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    Last edited by Dropshot; 07-16-2009 at 05:34 PM.
    The early bird may get the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    NE Portland
    Posts
    53

    Default

    "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 Yama****a 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 by jzell; 07-16-2009 at 11:14 PM.
    "Fruit is a gamble, I know that going in." - Jerry Seinfeld

  20. #20
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    Jul 2009
    Location
    Idaho
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    I've had great success with the Silver Horde Hoochies in the ocean for Kings. What length are the smaller Hoochies?
    "The Fish Whisperer" 21' Alexis Classic Thunder Jet

  21. #21
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    Sep 2008
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    Bend, Or.
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    1,843

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    Quote Originally Posted by MMM View Post
    I've had great success with the Silver Horde Hoochies in the ocean for Kings. What length are the smaller Hoochies?
    From the Silver Horde/Gold Star 2008 catalog...

    #20 Gold Star Yama****a Mini Sardine...2 1/4".
    #15 Gold Star Yama****a Micro Squid...1 3/4"

  22. #22
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    Jul 2009
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    707

    Default

    Thanks for the reply SB!

    Do the microsquids have that same pressed insert with the flash in tail of the Squid? The really have built a better mousetrap when it comes to the Squids we use for Kings and Macs!
    "The Fish Whisperer" 21' Alexis Classic Thunder Jet

  23. #23

    Default

    I've had fantastic success with pink hoochie the season. It out-fished everything else I tried, Wedding Rings, Apex, Dick Nite etc.. I long line with a 1 1/2 oz lead, 20" leader to a 0000 dodger and have a snubber behind that with 10" leader to my hoochie. Corn on the top hook and a Power Bait Gulp Maggot on the lower hook. I don't like to have use the maggot but if I get a strike, I figure that the corn could be gone and the maggot will still be there for a second chance.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    303

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    one of my go to kokekiller rigs is a clipped off 1 1/4" hoochie trimmed back to about 3/4" with a small glow corkie shoved up part way between the dangling legs threaded on double hooks egg loop tied on 15lb florocarbon and about 10 inches behind a custom bent sling blade

    that flashing corkie bulging out of the baby squid's behind being jerked all over the place by the sling blade up close drives 'em crazy. kokes are blood hungry predators and home protectors looking for something to kill at times.
    they hit so viciously at times that the back trailing hook takes them in the guts or head with the front stuck down their gullet.
    no thoughts of catch and release with this weapon
    Last edited by smokin' Kokes; 09-02-2009 at 03:01 AM.

  25. #25

    Default

    Does he hoochie or dont he hoochie? Only his bar tender knows for sure. Oh wait, we're not talking about that type hoochie.. My bad!

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