Custom Baits - Forum
Fishing News and Reports => Fishing Techniques and Rigging => Topic started by: DF on 08/07/19 19:07 UTC
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In the fall I like to fish small size 5 shad raps and flicker shads for smallmouth bass. I'm throwing these baits on spinning gear with 6 or 8lb floro. My question is if I upgrade the fine wire hooks to something more stout, will I still get good hookups with light line?
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In my opinion no. I find that in small crank baits the thin wire trebles work better. The thing with a small crank bait you don't set the hook you just pull back and keep the pressure using the bend of the rod. A thin wire will penetrate easier.
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Most flicker shads have a triple grip hook out of the package and in my opinion the best treble hook ever made. All other bait I change to triple grips. As far as hooks holding up I’ve got a 47” Muskie on them while wadding for walleye’s and the hooks were like the day I got the flicker minnow..
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I typically up-size the hooks on all my baits, but I also prefer to go with shorter shanks when doing this on cranks so the overall weight is not affected... I think a larger gap gives the most consistent increase in fish on any given lure (but I agree with WW that the triple grip is a meanest one a fish can tangle with).
With all hooks equally sharp, thinner wire will always penetrate easier than thick in both flesh and bony jaw parts, but the caveat is light line doesn't allow for penetrating those bony parts, which is why I go to a wider gap to help get around them instead.
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The only other treble that I use is for is a Owner 2/0 and up for my Muskie and Pike buck-tails and flashabou spinners.
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Thanks for the input guys.
When you say triple grip are you talking about the Mustad TG76?
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Yes that’s the one
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In my opinion no. I find that in small crank baits the thin wire trebles work better. The thing with a small crank bait you don't set the hook you just pull back and keep the pressure using the bend of the rod. A thin wire will penetrate easier.
I too, am of this line of thinking. This is especially true when fishing smaller baits on lighter gear where you have to let the rod do the bulk of the work of keeping the fish pinned because you simply can't drive a hook when fishing such light line.
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Since starting to make the micro cranks for panfish I have learned a lot on wire size for the hooks I use. Lamar rounds it up pretty got in his reply. Large sunnies can handl the size 10 and 12 hooks used but have hard mouth parts past the lips. With the light lines I use I have found a longer rod to be the ticket and just keep the load on the rod’s tip. The fish will do the setting this way.