One of the unforeseen consequences of Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster: Almost all the hootchies used in West Coast fishing are manufactured in Japan. Many of those plants simply no longer exist. Those that do are busy rebuilding their Country, and not expected to be putting any amount of supplies into the market for the foreseeable future.

Stocks at the local stores are being heavily picked over right now. Be a good idea if you fish with these to pick up a year's supply of your favorites right pronto!

Cheers,
Nog

Consequences of that earthquake seem to be causing all sorts o stuff!

Being as I have yet to pick up any hoochies (just startin out) - any recommendations of what the 'basics' should be? What sort of numbers and patterns would folks recommend? I would hate later in the year to have everybody telling me 'you should have picked up the ..... ones since you can't get em anymore. I wouldn't mind getting a starter kit for just the reason IronNoggin has suggested.

thnx!!

Go to Harbour Chandler and talk to Dane or Pacific net and twine and talk to Rob.

I don't know a salesperson who doesn't appreciate the naive buyer to help move old stock along. It helps to have a contact name though, thnx. I'll keep working on it.

I don't think a negative attitude is appropriate when dealing with those individuals. They give pretty decent advice

Rigger:-

I assume you are in the Nanaimo area and that is where you fish.

So:-

Here's what I would use:-

Hoochies:-

Splatterback
Pickle
Purple haze
Plain white with the Eggshell Blue eyes (these can be tricky to find...but for some reason they work better than the red-slash eye).
Lemon Meringue
Electric Chair
Straight Glow
Toad
T-Rex ( Cuttlefish version.......hard to find these days.....the one that Yamashita makes and calls a T-Rex is not a T-rex at all....don't buy that one).
OA12LR Yamashita.... this is the original Purple Haze...although it isn't Purple at all...it's more like a milky white. Fished behind a Purple Haze flasher, this rig is known as "White Death".....for good reason.
Neon Green/Glow
Black/Glow
Army Truck (Glow)

Most of the above are available in "Squirt" (4"") or as they are called:- "needlefish" version as well.

Needlefish hoochies often produce very well in these east coast waters. especially if you are over a sand bottom.

Glow hoochies work well when you are fishing overcast days, evenings, or below 100 feet.

I like to run my hoochies 38" knot to nose......but that is a very general rig.

I've heard leader lengths from 1 foot all the way to six feet for hoochies.

Depends on where you are, what time of year it is, what you are targetting,how fast you troll, how far back your flashers are etc. etc. etc.

The first rule of fishing is:- there are no rules.....only generalizations.
The above info mainly applies to Chinook.

Coho will often take same gear...you just go a little faster and shorten up the leaders.

Spoons:- For summer I'd go with 4" or 3 1/2" spoons. Late summer for returners near rivers you can go bigger spoons.
Winter for feeders....sometimes go as small as 2 1/2" (Gibbs)

Spoon colors:- around this neck of the woods:- Neon Green/White Glow, Black/White Glow are two good ones.

You can get these in Coyote, Gibbs, Pal, and Zurtro. Also Silver Horde.

I like the Silver Horde "Rosco" and "Irish Creme"

The Black/White is called 'Cop car'....it is made by several companies.

Also.....Mongoose,Pearl Glow,Nasty Boy,Kitchen Sink, Metallic Blue/Nickel, Metallic Green /Nickle.
These are all made by Coyote (Luhr Jensen).

I really appreciate the thought and the time you put into this SeaFever!!

Thanks! You actually ended up answering a whole rack of questions I was running through my mind. Spoon sizes too - great stuff!

This gives me tons to work with - and with your response in the other thread regarding affordable reels/rods - the fella with used gear/tackle - I feel at a good starting point for making some decisions and starting to get on with it!

Much appreciated. Looking forward to my first successful catch post here on this forum.

great post Seafever! I wish someone would have given me a list of proven lures when I first started out, would have saved me a lot of time and cash over the years.

Rigger:-

This may be veering a bit off topic...but...while we're on the subject of tackle:-

Flashers (Nanaimo):-

Purplehaze......this one seems to kick ass at all depths all the time.

Straight Chrome Plaid ( be sure it's "plaid " pattern.)....this one kicks butt too.

Neon green/Glow.....good for deep water and overcast days.

Green Mountain Dew

Regular Hotspot with Chartreuse Plastic Body (Good early summer/spring)

Regular Hotspot with Dark Green plastic body.......Chinooks like.

Regular Hotspot with Red plastic body........often works for 'Nooks and "returners"

Silver Green Betsy...... the Betsy has a galvanic action to it....throws off an electric charge.....however there is built-in deterioration with this flasher.
I have had good results on flashers that look exactly like this flasher ( O'ki, Gibbs, and HotSpot all make flashers that are close to the Betsy, but without the galvanic charge and they last much longer.

Gold Betsy (or similar colored flasher)....good midsummer)

Don't overlook the 'Cop car' flasher........(O'ki)....this one can work great with Black/Glow needlefish hoochy.

Red Monkey Puke......this one has it's moments.....if you are fishing Barkley Sound sometime, try this flasher with a "Clown " hoochy behind it....it can be a killer.This flasher produces off ECVI on many an occasion.

Straight White/Glow.....good for deep water or overcast days....has high visibility.

Darker green/White/Glow........good all round flasher for these waters....around Nanaimo, greens seems to work very well.

I like to run flashers about 12 feet behind the clip. The farther back you have
them the bigger arc they will turn...the shorter you have them,smaller arc and faster rotation.

If you run a spoon behind a flasher..........go 5 to 7 feet. If bait:- 5 to 9 feet.

You can use a rotating dummy flasher like the "Hotspot Agitator" or a Delta "Fishflash"off the lower clip and 5 feet back. Then run the spoon by itsself 5 feet above the dummy and 6 feet behind it. Same colors apply for the dummy flashers for Chinook. I like to use 30lb leader for 4" spoons. For hoochies no, less than 40lb test behind flasher....you can go 50 or 60 lb.test on hoochies....you'll get a much better "whip" action.

Strictly personal opinion re Coyote spoons - The USA (old) versions were better made with a better finish than the Chinese (new) versions now available. Look for the fish head on the cardboard packaging as these were made in USA. The Chinese versions don't have this. By the way Rob and Dane will give you good advise. They are looking to build long term relationships with their customers and trust is vital.