Thread: Gotcha

Originally Posted by Pier#r

Not yet (thank goodness ;-)

Gotchas (like guns) are a great tool, but potentially dangerous in the hands of under-educated or malevolent folkses.
They come in such a huge assortment of colors and styles it is often daunting just to get the right ones.

I like the 7/8 ounce (300, 400 and 1600 series) most of the time.
Gotcha 300 & 400
Gotcha 1600
Silver body for sunny conditions and gold body for cloudy or low-light conditions, and red head for clear water and yellow head in dingy water.
And IF you can find the 'rattler' versions they are even better! ;-)

The 1000 - 1300 series are the 5/8 ounce versions Bubba mentioned.
They are 'killer' when the fish are in close ;-)

I'm not a big fan of the plastic bodies (1400 & 1500 series), but did have good results near the lights under the old Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge with the 1508 'Yellow Glow'.

And the new 'mylarl bodies (151 series) look good, but i have not tried them or seen them used yet.
Gotcha 151

Good luck & stay safe!
ALWAYS use pliers or dehooker to remove hooks from fish caught with these!!!!

Thanks #'r for being the only one to answer my original question! (What Size) All the other info was appreciated, however, just couldn't remember the size without actually looking at one. Thanks for all the replies guys! Hope to see some of you Saturday 4-27-13! I'm sure I will have to post more questions before then. Keep me updated on the spanish bite this week so I will know what time to be there.

Has anyone used the 1 5/16th ounce Offshore angler brand gotcha lures? It's about four inches long. I'm not sure if kings would hit it, but I figure it will work well as a quick lure to throw at schools of redfish as well as catching larger spanish. I replaced the hooks that came on it.

I like the single-hook "buck tail" models in windy weather as they seem to tangle less, making it easier for the repetitive multiple casts so common with the Spanish bite cooking. And it jigs better with a "tip up" retrieve I prefer to the rail hanging lowered tip retrieve.

Originally Posted by TUCK

Thanks #'r for being the only one to answer my original question! (What Size) All the other info was appreciated, however, just couldn't remember the size without actually looking at one. Thanks for all the replies guys! Hope to see some of you Saturday 4-27-13! I'm sure I will have to post more questions before then. Keep me updated on the spanish bite this week so I will know what time to be there.

Sorry about my reply. I had a gotcha mishap and have hated them ever since. I caught a ladyfish at the Pass a couple of years ago. Usually, their mouths just rip and they fall off. Not this one. One of the hooks was in his jaw.

Anyway, I went to get him off and something went horribly wrong. He flopped and the top treble hook embedded into the palm of my hand. That is usually what gets people. For me, that was the easiest part of the ordeal to handle. While the gotcha was embedded in my hand, the remaining two hooks on the bottom treble hook ripped my wrist to shreds as the ladyfish never came off the third hook on the bottom treble hook.

After I finally got the fish off, I then had to cut the hook off that was in my hand and puncture my hand to thread the hook out.

I rarely ever use one now. I have seen a lot of the bigger spanish caught on Looney jigs, and the green ones seem to be a big hit this year.

Thanks Bubba. I know that a gotcha can be very dangerous, but one can't argue its fish catching ability! I used to hate them too until I started seeing how many fish are caught on them from the pier. I am planning on using Looney jigs more since reading all the posts on them lately. For spanish, do you tip the jig with belly strip or anything or just use it bare? Your hook in the flesh story reminded me of a bass fishing tournament I was in. My partner and I were killing the spotted bass on crank baits, and during the fast and furious action, I was attempting to lip a fish when he sunk one of the trebles in my finger. He was going bizurk and I was too trying to get a grip on him. I was finally able to cut the hook off the crankbait but could not stand the pain of pushing it thru my finger to remove it. My partner attempted to snatch it out.......when I came to after fainting from the pain,I asked him if he had done that successfully before. He replied "No, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night". I secured the hook with tape to keep it from getting hung on anything, fished the rest of the day, finished 2nd in tournament, went to ER that night and got it removed. Sorry for the long post.

I think I saw more spanish today caught on Looney Jigs than I did gotchas, and there were more gotchas. The white ones with green behind the head and the green ones were the ones getting the job done. No need to tip them with anything.

Tipping them definitely helps. That's my choice for Spanish, I cut the hairs back to the end of the bend in the hook then tip it with a Spanish belly strip. I gotta find the ones Bubba is talking about. I bet that green with the white heads does kill em.

Personally I've always liked using gotchas simply because they are easy and effective.That said they are about triple the cost of Looney jigs or other cheap jigs. I also like to have a spoon or two depending on conditions. I think its best to have a few lures up your sleeve especially if the blues are around. I like to use whichever is the most chewed up. Make sure you use dull black swivels (if you use them at all) and check your leader often. If its all kinked up you'll keep getting fouled, and you cant work it effectively. Frayed leaders will result in lost fish, and bite offs which are very costly with gotchas. Its all about presentation, if you are lucky enough to fish with Pier#r he is a master of it, and adapting to conditions.

Originally Posted by Bubba

Sorry about my reply.

I rarely ever use one now. I have seen a lot of the bigger spanish caught on Looney jigs, and the green ones seem to be a big hit this year.

they liked mine with white body and green hair my last trip (spear head jig) and it looked real good to me in the water

Once those hooks go so far,(past the barb) it is time to push them through...unfortunately I have had experience

I have poured and painted a few lately....need to start tying a few now

.

7/8 or 5/8 is my preference. Gold hooks rust out quicker than the silver. The offshore angler worked for us last year, too. Son in law had some and he was doing well for a while.