Thread: Rico

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  1. #1
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    Rico

    Question for guys that fish a Rico... went fishing yesterday and has several blowups on a Rico, however I missed several fish. I don't think I'm setting the hook too quick, I'm waiting until I feel the pressure of the fish to set the hook. I noticed the two treble hooks on the Rico are very small, and don't seem to be the stickiest hooks. Wondering if anyone who fishes the Rico topwater has ever tried changing out to a tad bigger and/or stickier hook(s) and if so how it worked for you? Thanks

  2. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #2
    My buddy Walter (Hez on here) is a Rico fanatic and he doesn’t change the hooks. What are you throwing it on! I use either a 6’8” my-f or 7’ m-f, 7.5:1 reel and 12lb mono for all my topwaters. If it’s super thick I’ll move up on the line but I don’t do braid with topwater.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  3. Member
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    #3
    I throw it on 6'6 medium rod, 6.4:1 reel, and 12 lb mono. Just don't know why I can't get a good hook in them. Anyone else ever changed the hooks out on these? Just looking to see if so, what kind/size did you go with?

  4. Member 86 inches's Avatar
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    #4
    No. Stock hooks are perfect. You just need to fish them more. You'll get better.

    I quit using light line a long time ago. Either 17# mono or almost always, braid nowadays. Otomat or an ALX jerkbait rod.
    1994 201 Champ re-powered with a 250 HO G2 E250LHAFA 05438419


  5. Member
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    #5
    Rico a great bait right out of the box. If your gonna replace hooks use the same ones. With a popper you get them or you dont. That's summertime fishin. In the fall they grab them better.
    2019 Alumacraft 14.5 escape tiller "child support"
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  6. Scraps
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    #6
    Might wanna have a follow up bait ready. Fluke or floating worm.
    2017 Phoenix 819
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  7. Kentucky Bass Club/Trailers & Towing Moderator
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    #7
    Just as I thought. Pure operator error on all those missed fish Saturday morning. Sheesh.

  8. Member
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    #8
    Thanks guys, appreciate the insight. And Rude520, I think I just had a shi**y net man!

  9. Kentucky Bass Club/Trailers & Towing Moderator
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Luke512 View Post
    Thanks guys, appreciate the insight. And Rude520, I think I just had a shi**y net man!
    Thats for damn sure.

  10. Member
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    #10
    Funny you brought this up, I was throwing one last night and had several fish blow up on it but never take it under. I did catch a lot but was surprised how aggressive they were and not getting hooked. I don't remember ever have a problem when using the bigger size.

  11. Member 86 inches's Avatar
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    #11
    You'll often get short strikes by small fish, so don't be fooled by that. I'm talking about the 6 to 8 inch bass and even bluegill.
    1994 201 Champ re-powered with a 250 HO G2 E250LHAFA 05438419


  12. Member
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    #12
    Need watch the man that brought it here talk about it.
    He will tell you that the hooks are very important as well as line size.
    1996 Stratos 201 pro xl
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  13. Member
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    #13
    I would start at considering a slower tapered/"softer" powered rod (if you haven't already done so), i.e., GLoomis CB 845 with floating braid + short stiff fluoro leader and SWEEPING hooksets. I can fish down to 5/16 oz poppers and walking baits on this rod with no issues, although 3/8 - 1/2 oz is the sweet spot for loading it. This said, for BFS/"mag-finesse", I fish a fast+ tapered JDM Fenwick 6'10" LP+J with 8-10 lb braid and about 12-16" of leader with small topwaters like the C'ultiva Zip N Ziggy, Iovino Splash-it, Daiwa Pop Zero and successfully bury hooks on topwater takes, the main adjustment is to make sure to not muscle with braid+leader as it can pull the small hooks out. For a light powered fast/fast + taper, mono/co-poly tends to work the topwater poppers better IMO versus a slower mod/fast taper, and reel into the hookset while moderately sweeping the rod.

    FWIW, I only ever fish mono/co-poly on topwaters when I fish near brush and wood, and especially with spinning I use braid + leader...for 1/4 Ricos, I would go BFS or a spinning combo. I love my custom Lami XMG SJ 781 (extended to 6'9") with 8lb braid + 10-12 lb fluoro for 1/8 - 1/4 poppers...and still, I just reel and moderately sweep the rod to bury the hooks, never a "hookset". And agreed with above, I have caught pumpkinseed essentially the same size as the poppers when they swipe at it and are body hooked, or even somehow manage to get one of the hook shanks in their mouths. LOL.

    One other trick is to shorten the tail feathers, or even add a single colorful piece of yarn to the back end to help draw a more committed strike/take.

    Good luck.

  14. Banned
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    #14
    I like a crankbait rod for poppers w/ 12 lb mono. Currently use the Dobyns Fury 705cb for poppers. Cheap set up, casts great, forces slower hooksets.