Hardhead Honey Hole

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by TheLongRun

You can certainly find both in GI. Gaff tops have been plentiful by the eroded island on the E side of mile marker 6 of the BWW. You can find it using your depth finder if you don't have the coords. It goes from 6-7 feet up to 2. Just disappeared about 2 years ago. Freaking hard heads are everywhere.

That's a fascinating project. Magnetizing the hooks themselves, or attaching something to the rig? Can't wait to hear the results

Most of the experiments to date have been performed with a strong permanent magnet attached to the shank of the hook or just above. We've acquired some of the strongest available permanent magnets and short shanked hooks so the magnet will be within an inch of the bait for the smaller hooks (size 1 or 2). This experimental design also allows for use of weights as a sham just above identical non-magnetic hooks (the control group). The line will be threaded through the magnet which will sit just above the hook.

There are some commercial vendors selling magnetized hook products, but since these are intended for sharks, they are much too big for most inshore fishing, much less targeting catfish. The other problem is arranging for a control group of hooks with comparable shape but non-magnetic. The magnetic fields of smaller magnetized hooks would be too weak, and the magnetic hooks and comparable control group would be prohibitively expensive custom work, but if the experiment shows promising results, there might be an opportunity for a hook supplier to incorporate the technology for catfish deterrence if the target species are deterred by the physical appearance of the cylindrical magnet just above the hook. I would guess that trout would be deterred by the sight of the magnetic, but that other species might not be. Certainly fishing bait on the bottom for redfish and drum, I don't think the redfish and drum would be deterred by the magnet.