The Hunt For Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg

Larry,

Does the wide glide work well with single hooks? I have the smaller model, and was thinking of using a Decoy Cutlas 5/0 for peacocks. The lakes are frozen, so I can't try it out! I prefer singles, as you get a stronger hook with less weight. I just don't know how a single effects the action of this lure, and if it will unbalance it.

Thanks!

I think Larry must have gone out filming, but he is definitely the one to answer this one for sure.

I cannot tell you specifically about the Wide Glide, but I can talk some about single hooks and lures.

Lets talk walk the dog lures for a moment. I have found that single hooks up front do not work that well, period. On most walk the dog lures, the balance does not change that much when going from a normal treble to a heavy single, so that is a non-issue. What I have observed is that all too often the fish takes the whole lure in the mouth and the single up front lays down against the side, preventing a good hook-up. Changing to a single hook up front cost me lots of fish.

On the other hand, a single hook on the back is perfect. You have much easier releases, less fish damage, and as you mentioned, a stronger hook for the same weight.

I have experimented with a double hook up front with the hook eye and lure eye turned so that the double hooks are turned out when the hook is pushed toward the lure. It works, most of the time, if you can rotate the lure hook connection.

Please understand that I prefer single barbless hooks for a lot of lures, mostly because I prefer to release fish rather then clean them. But, I prefer to catch fish most of all, so if a treble hook is best, that is what I use.

I have no doubt that you can find single hooks that will weight close enough to the factory treble hooks, but, consider what I have said. Most importantly, see if others respond with their experience in this matter. And when Larry gets back, he can straighten us out.

anglin,

Thanks for the input, I agree with you about the single upfront not hooking as well. I think a treble upfront and a single tail would be better. GT guys often use a large treble up front, like an Owner ST-76, and a Decoy 8/0 or 9/0 tail hook on their stickbaits.

In my opinion,and Larry has alluded to this in previous posts, the large floating wide glide has had an issue from day one with performance. I believe this is a balance issue and the weight needs to be distributed further to the rear. Eliminating a forward hook and replacing the rear hook with a single is not the answer. There was a manufacturing issue that may have been resolved at this point but I prefer a single hook also for peacocks because I have hooked too many in the face. Experiment with weight on your hooks (or drilling some holes and filling with various weight) before an Amazon trip. This lure has performed well for some, has been a disappointment for me.

I have both sizes of Wide Glides, and they do function differently. I really like the small version, and it's easy to work. On some lures, I've had to slightly bend the front wire line tow to get it glide equally in both directions. I think this is a good size for bass, tarpon and peacocks.

I find the larger model a bit difficult to work well, and I haven't been able to acheive "big" glides with it.

I don't know about bass or tarpon but the biggest lures you can work comfortably are best for the biggest peacocks. You can get tired and go to smaller lures but the giants eat giant baitfish. There isn't much better in fishing than seeing a group of these colorful hogs rush your topwater, knock it into the air and smash it again. In some areas, peacocks are shying from the traditional Woodchoppers, etc. and it's nice to have other options.

My largest floating wide glide is apparently a new production. I get excellent results with both my large and small floating wide glides. No, they don't glide the same, momentum is different. Still, both work great.

I watched the latest "Hunt for Big Fish" with Larry working Woolfies again, but ...... it was what Cesar did with the Whopper Plopper that might be of value. He took off the front hook entirely and replaced it with a cotter pin (no doubt for weight replacement). He then replaced the large treble hook with a smaller treble hook on the back. This actually improved the hook ups.

Seems to me that with the proper weight replacement at the front hook (I would not use a cotter pin myself, but maybe a pinch on split shot weight of the same weight), then matched the weight of the hook in the back with a stout single, plus weight if necessary, that it would work just fine.

Best I can offer guys. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and most of all, catch some for me when you go.

Puck,

I generally subscribe to "big bait, big fish", but there are circumstances where it pays off to downsize for peacocks, such as periods of low water or areas with moderate-high fishing pressure. I enjoy fishing large topwater prop baits, but I always have 3 other rods ready so I can throw a follow-up cast with a Zara Spook, 5" suspending stickbait, jig or popper.

Sounds like you are well prepared. I fly fish for them most often now. You mentioned several lures (styles) for peacocks. It's strange, but I have never done well on large popper baits for them but fly rod poppers catch their share. I've tried the lures with holes in the face, large faces, small, ultra fast retrieves, but don't have a go to popper. Prop baits, yes. Has this been your experience? It's fun to experiment and the more bullets in your holster seems to pay off on peacocks.

My last guide, who is one of the best on the Negro, recommended smallish poppers in the 3" range. He felt most of my poppers were "too big" for best results, and we were targeting larger 3-barred, not butterflies (borboleta). So, I use 3" Yozuri Sashimi poppers, nothing larger. I haven't caught a large peacock on one yet.... From my observations, poppers have been used in higher water near flooded trees to entice the fish out of the jungle, and as follow-up lures after a fish has crashed a prop bait, but then goes off the radar.