1/24/19 Huntington Harbor + HUB question

Today I had a couple of hours to fish so I took the tube out to Huntington Harbor and landed three fish. Today was my first time trying Hook Up Baits, and I found it to be a success. The HUB I used was the 3/8 oz large size glow green HUB. I got a couple of bites and reeled in 1 spotty with it. I also caught another spotty and a smelt on a small fluke. After fishing, I went and bought a package of the medium size 1/4 oz HUB. I was wondering if any of you had any advice on how to fish the HUB? What are your favorite retrieves with it? Thanks in advance!
-Will[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

First of all ... congratulations on catching fish on a new type of bait, it’s always good to switch up baits as a general practice.
I found that the fish will hit that bait at just about any presentation that you can imagine. Whether it’s on the drop, or retrieve, the cast and dead man, the bumps, the slow drags along the bottom and the hard jerks!  It all works most of the time!

Use every cast presentation that you know of and let us know which ones you found to be most successful for you.  
You need to pay attention to which way the fish want it presented to them during those particular conditions of that day and you will have success!

Don’t leave fish to find fish!

Thank you for the great question,

SP Dan    <“))><

So for me with the HUB I will cast of let it hit the bottom (watch it on the drop as that is when you will get some stricks).  Once on the bottom, I will Pop it up with a quick rod tip movement, then slow retrieve back.  Sometimes on the retrieve back I will stop and let it hit the bottom again.  If it is a tough bite I will just reel it in slow maintaining contact with the bottom.  There are a lot of different ways to fish these but these are the 2 methods I choose, I am sure more will offer there 2 cents as well soon.

SP Dan wrote:First of all ... congratulations on catching fish on a new type of bait, it’s always good to switch up baits as a general practice.
I found that the fish will hit that bait at just about any presentation that you can imagine. Whether it’s on the drop, or retrieve, the cast and dead man, the bumps, the slow drags along the bottom and the hard jerks!  It all works most of the time!

Use every cast presentation that you know of and let us know which ones you found to be most successful for you.  
You need to pay attention to which way the fish want it presented to them during those particular conditions of that day and you will have success!

Don’t leave fish to find fish!

Thank you for the great question,

SP Dan    <“))><

Great, I will try a little bit of everything until I find what works next time out! Thanks for your advice!!

Will

jeffcpr wrote:So for me with the HUB I will cast of let it hit the bottom (watch it on the drop as that is when you will get some stricks).  Once on the bottom, I will Pop it up with a quick rod tip movement, then slow retrieve back.  Sometimes on the retrieve back I will stop and let it hit the bottom again.  If it is a tough bite I will just reel it in slow maintaining contact with the bottom.  There are a lot of different ways to fish these but these are the 2 methods I choose, I am sure more will offer there 2 cents as well soon.

I will definitely give these retrieves a try next time out! Thanks Jeffcpr!

Will

I discuss how I fish with HUBs and HUB-like baits on my youtube channel but in text I go like this. Cast to location and let sit for just a couple of seconds, I jig them up and slow retrieve to have it bounce along the bottom until it's not on the bottom any longer, reel in and then repeat as needed.

I have a higher success rate with Chovy, Sardine Green then Red Crab over the Glow Green or Mint but others swear by them.

Alakai wrote:I discuss how I fish with HUBs and HUB-like baits on my youtube channel but in text I go like this. Cast to location and let sit for just a couple of seconds, I jig them up and slow retrieve to have it bounce along the bottom until it's not on the bottom any longer, reel in and then repeat as needed.

I have a higher success rate with Chovy, Sardine Green then Red Crab over the Glow Green or Mint but others swear by them.

Alright, I'll check out that video on Youtube. Thanks for the advice Alakai, I will give it a shot!

Will

Wperkins2 wrote:

Alakai wrote:I discuss how I fish with HUBs and HUB-like baits on my youtube channel but in text I go like this. Cast to location and let sit for just a couple of seconds, I jig them up and slow retrieve to have it bounce along the bottom until it's not on the bottom any longer, reel in and then repeat as needed.

I have a higher success rate with Chovy, Sardine Green then Red Crab over the Glow Green or Mint but others swear by them.

Alright, I'll check out that video on Youtube. Thanks for the advice Alakai, I will give it a shot!

Will

I might be heading out this Saturday morning to LAB if you want to come out. Need to check tides to see where though. Likely left (East side) of Mother's Beach.

WTG Wperkins2 ,
Got on the water and found some fish.

Thanks for sharing

I fish HH most of the time for various reasons.......and I only use HUB's........no reason for any other.
Presentation is not the key in the equation as far as I am concerned, it's knowing where the fish are and then presenting your HUB. You can roam allover hell and never find the bite while others will kill it. Know your target fish, then know where he lives, then present your bait.
My presentation is 8 pound XXX Co-Polymer mono using 1/4 oz. HUB's, on a bait casting set-up, medium light rod 7' 2", to a 7 to 1 ratio bat caster. Cast, fall, take in slack to feel the tick, retrieve off bottom 2 to 3 cranks, whatever works, fall, repeat. If you get strikes and or fish stay on it until it stops. I will work a producing area for an hour or two before I decide to move on. This has taken 5, going on 6 years of fishing HH. Good luck, be patient, HUB's work........GT

GT's not kidding folk's! When he gets on the bite .... he doesn't budge an inch off that spot! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] lol
I'm the guy that will roam all over hell looking for fish! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Ha ha ha!

My grandson is in town this weekend so I'll just be doing a quick session close to home for a quickie!

GT wrote:I fish HH most of the time for various reasons.......and I only use HUB's........no reason for any other.
Presentation is not the key in the equation as far as I am concerned, it's knowing where the fish are and then presenting your HUB. You can roam allover hell and never find the bite while others will kill it. Know your target fish, then know where he lives, then present your bait.
My presentation is 8 pound XXX Co-Polymer mono using 1/4 oz. HUB's, on a bait casting set-up, medium light rod 7' 2", to a 7 to 1 ratio bat caster. Cast, fall, take in slack to feel the tick, retrieve off bottom 2 to 3 cranks, whatever works, fall, repeat. If you get strikes and or fish stay on it until it stops. I will work a producing area for an hour or two before I decide to move on. This has taken 5, going on 6 years of fishing HH. Good luck, be patient, HUB's work........GT

Alright thanks for the great advice GT!

Will

SP Dan wrote:GT's not kidding folk's! When he gets on the bite .... he doesn't budge an inch off that spot! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] lol
I'm the guy that will roam all over hell looking for fish! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Ha ha ha!

My grandson is in town this weekend so I'll just be doing a quick session close to home for a quickie!

Lol    For my first 2 trips, I have definitely been a roamer too!

Will