Pike Fishing and Shiner Hooks

[ulrichdebrus]

I like to use shiner hooks. They look a lot like worm hooks (those used to set in a plastic worm to enhance weedlessness) but without the straight section near the hole. I tend to use anywhere from a 3/0 to a 5/0, depending on what size chub I am using. Now, where I do most of my pike fishing, the majority of pike are caught fishing off the bottom (yeah, you heard me right). I use a one ounce slip sinker and an eighteen inch leader with a shiner hook directly attached to the snap. I leave a good deal of slack so that a pike may roll with it a bit and chew a bit before feeling the resistance of my pole. Has anyone here ever fished for pike off of the bottom?

My main question is this: since I don't seem to have any higher a success rate of hooking my bites with a shiner hook than someone that uses an otherwise large hook, am I wasting my time with shiner hooks? Are they really any better for this kind of fishing or are they more geared to bobber fishing?

Anyone?

*

[CubanFisherman]

It never hurts to experiment. Try other hook styles and see how they compare. But then again, if you are catching fish, why not stay with what works? I drift for pike using a spinner rig with a straight shank 1/0 hook, and for bobber fishing, I use a treble hook tied directly to a leader. Good luck!