I am going through and changing hooks, split rings, line, etc., and I just had a few questions as to how other people do some of these, and which brands offer quality and affordability.
I'll start with lures. I have approx. 250-300 hard baits with treble hooks. Most are typical bass sized lures between 2"-5", using mostly #6, #4, #2 treble hooks, but there are panfish/trout/finesse baits that use #10 or possibly even #12s, and musky cranks with trebles up to #4/0. I would like to replace as many of these as possible. Can someone recommend a good quality, and affordable, treble hook that I can buy in bulk? I can sharpen some of these, especially the larger ones, but there are simply too many to hand sharpen them all, plus many have hooks that simply need replacing. What about split rings and possibly oval rings? Can someone recommend a decent pair of split-ring pliers for smaller sizes? I have a pair that works just fine for large split rings, but not for the sizes typically used on bass lures.
What's a good rule of thumb for changing braided line? I've been told that you can use it twice by cranking it onto another reel, so that you use both ends. Can you do something like one season per end (depending on how often you fish), or is it better to go by when it loses its color? Do you simply cut off the faded section and respool when it looks like it's too low?
One more question: What is a good, easy-handling fluorocarbon to put on a spinning reel? It would be a small spinning reel like a light action or ultra-light, and it may be used part-time by a novice. Or would I be better off using braid w/fluoro leader, or a copolymer like Yo-Zuri Hybrid?
