fishing for largemouth w/ shiners...what would be the best hook to use?
Thanks,
randy

a fish hook :laugh: :laugh:

So Randy, Seaway has a sense of humor. Thats typically what we throw
out there if we dont know the answer to a question. Anyway you must know
that different types of hooks have different gaps in the same size hook.
I believe that depending on how big the shiners are you would be in the
ballpark with a 1/0 through 3/0 hook for spotted or largemouth. We take
a 1/0 and nose hook a threadfin shad (like a small shiner) on lake Mead
and the bigger fish love em. If you are not tournament fishing live bait
is the way to go, we generally put on a small split shot about a foot or so
back from the bait and it lets em swim but keeps em down a little. I have
caught some really nice bass 6-8 lbs or so with this method. You really
have to work extra hard to catch that size with a hard bait. You could use a circle hook or a regular bait holder type hook in those sizes. Hope this
helps ya out a little OH and make sure its a fish hook other kinds dont
work as well!!

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit...Use a fish hook to catch a largemouth ? That would be a big mouth looking for a right hook Oh, and he got it with - "Thats typically what we throw
out there if we dont know the answer to a question". haha.

I did a quick Google search when this question was first asked. I don't even know what a largemouth is (apart from it being a fish). Other sites are saying that a circle hook is the go.

I would go with a size 4 octopus/drop-shot hook under the shiner's dorsal fin. depending on the type of water, structure and cover you are fishing, you can drop-shot, use a slip sinker (egg) on the bottom, small splitshot like booyah said, or a small splitshot under a float (over weed beds).

There are tons of options for presenting live bait that work.

Not sure where you're located, but around here, fishing with shiners will give you a 50/50 chance at catching largemouth or northern pike (pike love shiners)

@itsaboat:
largemouth = laargemouth bass, one of the "black bass" (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted). They are not a true "bass", rather a member of the sunfish family.
Here's a good wiki entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largemouth_bass