# yellow belly cats



## haz2001 (Sep 20, 2013)

how big does the hook have to be for them no to swallow it


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## jlami (Jan 28, 2011)

Bwahahahahahahahahahhahahaha!

Million dollar question.

Sent from my MB855 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

haz2001, welcome to OGF!!! If a catfish can get the bait into its mouth, it can swallow the hook.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

try 2/0 circle hooks and let them hook themselves on the run....

But yeah if they can get it in, they can swallow it. Keep a tight line so youll know when the bite starts and hookset earlier if you using J hooks

Salmonid


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## Ripley (May 10, 2010)

took my grandaughter (4 yr old) and my daughter (26 yr old) to fish for yellow belly at mogadore couple days ago... had 4/0 circles... it 4 hours we had quite a few bites... all of them had swallowed the hook and only 3 didn't... out of the 3... one was barely hooked in the corner of the mouth, when i touched the hook it fell out... other one was hooked the top of the mouth in the middle... and the last was in the corner ... all together we brought home about 16 to eat... my grandaughter loves to fish... but when it come to eating them.... we have to tell her it's chicken... lol... then she gobbles them up!


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

I use small 1/0 or smaller hooks, if they can fit it in their mouth at all they will swallow it. The trick is keeping a tight line and setting the hook on the slightest of bites. You may miss a lot of fish setting the hook early, but aren't shy they will come right back lol. Its best to have a good tool for hook removal when targeting them. Its pretty funny though to take a new fisherman fishing for bullhead, hold the fish for them and make them stick their finger in its mouth to get the hook! I've done it to several people over the years and they are always shocked at how hard those little buggers can clamp down, its always hilarious. I swear if those things got as big as flathead or blues, they would crush your hand... lol


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