HOT THIS MONTH

This is the hottest month to catch huge hake, and they come in to the fjords to spawn. The big ones can be easy to find, and there will be huge amounts of them down in the dark deep. This is a predator that eats anything. Its like a Pike, but in saltwater. To catch them you will need bait! Mackerel or herring is the best bait to get this cold water killers. When I fish for Hake, there is 2 options of rigs to use for me.

1. A fireball. A jighead at 120-200gr, some luminous sleeve of any type to protect the line from its teeth and a big treble hook #3/0 or 4/0. You bait this rig with a whole mackerel or herring. The head is attached to the jighead's hook, and the treble is put on the bait's tail. Now you're ready for this rig!
2. An antitangle feeder with 300-400gr sinkers is something that I use the most. I'm using a catfish hook (8/0) and a treblehook in size 3/0 or 4/0 with 1m leader 1.00mm Daiwa tournament fluorocarbon leader, and baits this rig in the same way as the fireball. The hake likes any luminous gear, so don't be afraid to attach "too much" luminous stuff. A little light will also do you good as the hake will see the bait fast as possible.

How to find them

If you want to find these coldwater killers you will have to search around for them. And whenever I'm trying new spots I'm always using the second option of rigs, because of its size and efficiency. This predator is found at depths from 80-140m depth, and small slopes at this depth with direct connection to much deeper water is perfect for hake! They will often lie on the bottom, but as its starts to get dark they will hunt more in pelagic water. When they rise they will take and be extremely active! This is the time that we get the big ones.

I hope that this will help you get the big hake! Just use your time well, and you will get!

Br Daniel Andersen / Team Angler, Team Daiwa Scandinavia.