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Posts: 346
| What hooks do you favor? Explain in detail why you choose the hooks you do for certain lures. Do you have specific lures that you throw frequently that you do something special with? Change the hooks? Larger hooks? Upsize and eliminate a hook? Go to thinner wire hooks? Stronger hooks? Round bend? For example, Beaver turned me on to putting T'd 5/0 2x Eaglclaws (3/0 for smaller lures) on the front of my glide baits and twitchbaits.
Are you one of those people who don't really care what hooks are on the bait just so they don't tangle and they're sharp?
What popular lures or lure types do you do you "T" the hooks?
ToddM, didn't you just have a problem with stronger hooks and not being able to cut them in certain situations?
What problems have you come across with thin wire hooks? Have you had them bend or break while fighting fish? Did you loose any fish b/c of this?
Has anyone had stronger (2x/3x/4x) hooks not penetrate like a thinwire, thus not hooking a fish that could have with thinwire? Has anyone else had any of the other problems that Todd had with thicker/stronger hooks?
What else effects your hook decisions? The way you fight fish? Rod lenght/strength/action? The waters you fish and the fish (size) that are quite possible to catch?
Thanks,
MJB |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | When replacing hooks I prefer using the Mustad hooks, xtra heavy I think,(3567??)... Otherwise I leave what is on the bait unless they are saltwater or appear to be junk. |
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Posts: 14
Location: Oak Park, IL | Great topic. I agree with Beaver's hook recommendation completely.
I am one who believes I have lost fish due to wider diameter hooks. Generally speaking, I have a strong prejudice towards thinner wire, regardless of hooks size. They simply - for me, anyway - seem to penetrate much more easily.
Taken to an extreme, it seems that if I even look funny at the hooks on a small rapala, I am going to need my cutters, whereas for the most part I am able to handle standard muskie baits with relative impunity.
Of course, just my two cents.
Great topic... |
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Posts: 2089
| Great topic. Always in search of a better mouse trap.My favorite hook is the Eagle Claw #774.This is the same hook used on Reef Hogs.It's a 4x strong with a little thinner wire than the VMC 4x.What I really like about these hooks is that the gap is opened slightly, a slight angle outward. These hooks also hold their sharpness well and are easy to sharpen.I always try to upgrade the standard hooks on baits, typically going one size larger.Depending how many hooks are on the bait, I may even remove one.Lots of tinkering because some action is lost/changed with the addition of heavier hooks.Some floating baits get a little more hangtime with bigger "stickers".I've personally had fish straighten out hooks as well as just plain flatten them.I think the weight of the bait should also dictate what hooks are used.Lots to talk about! Steve |
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Posts: 1046
| For the most part I agree with Steve J. I too like the 774`s but they are hard to locate. I tend to go to the VMC 9626bz 4X strong and if you sharpen your hooks properly these hooks just plain stick`em but I do have a monster hookset! For example on the DDD those wide bend wimpy(my opinion) hooks come right off and on go 3/0 9626.Thats why I really like jakes and depthraiders/shallowraiders,Reffhawgs just cause they got the good hooks and I don`t have to change them.I have lost the biggest fish of my life to a straightened out widebend and vowed it would never happen again.So its 4X or bust! |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I don't really care what brand the hooks are as long as I can get them sharp.
I work at a number of sports shows each winter. I have made a point (no pun intended!) of asking nearly everyone I meet, "how do they sharpen hooks?". Incredibly, about 50% of those asked state that they never sharpen hooks!? One older gentleman that I talked to at a Chicago Muskie Show this year, claimed to be a licensed guide for 18 years. He said, "he had never sharpened a hook in all that time, but that he just replaces them when they get dull".
That is unbelievable! |
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Posts: 346
| What little discussion that we have so far is excellent, but I know we have LOTS more knowledgable folks here with their own opinions. Get posting!
MJB |
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Posts: 4266
| I T them all except the tail hooks on all of my hard baits. 100 hooks and a couple of pliers and you can T them in 20 minutes.
It saves on lures scratches that tend to make your hook sink in and foul from time to time and it puts the metal away from the body of the lure where it can do some damage to some fish flesh instead.
I have even T'd the hooks on lots of my bass and walleye baits. I noticed that when I caught fish on the tail hook, there was usually more than one barb in the mouth. Whereas when they hit the front hook, there was one hook in the fish, generally the only one pointing away from the lure body.
I'm putting 5/0 Eagle Claws on the front of all my six inch gliders and jerks and eliminating the middle hook. I also check to see that 3 hook models don't have hooks that can tangle. Nothing P's me off more than tangled hooks! That's when I go to short shank round bends, but I T them too.
Beav |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | I have had problems with the 4X stong hooks and straightened a few thin wire ones also. I have settled on VMC 2X hooks for my stuff. There seems to be more and more people going to eagle claw 774s. They seem very hard to find though. I could buy them wholesale but, I have to get them 1,000 at a time and that is a lot of hooks if I do not like them. |
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Posts: 4266
| Go to the Eagle Claw web site. They've got a phone number for a "company store." I've been buying them by the 100's when they have them, which isn't all of the time. It's worth a call to check.
Beav |
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| Is there a proper way to T a hook?
Does it have a negative affect on the action of gliders?
Thanks for your help.
Pat |
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Posts: 4266
| Hard to explain Pat, but I could send you some and you'd figure it out. You can use a vise and pliers or 2 pair of pliers. Second part, I've never had any adverse effects from T'ing hooks on any lure.
Send me your address and I'll send you some hooks.
I'll be in Madison next weekend for hockey, I could leave them at the Howard Johnsons for you.
Beav |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | Pat I will T the hook on one of the Nitros you orderd and throw one more hook in the bag if you do not like it. I have not had a problem on gliders. On my Rippers I like to T the belly hook it makes for a lot less wear on the baits.
Beaver thanks for the tip I will look into the Eagle claw site. |
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