Rapala Sure Set hooks?

[BassBandit35]

Does anyone remove one or both of their stock hooks? Got my first SS in yesterday and by the look of it I don't think I will like the hooks design. I'd imagine both of the hooks get tangled easily when tossed and not to mention it seem like a wood grabber! Do you guys leave em as it is or replace with a regular treble on front or rear or both?

[Stringjam]

Those things are heinous...I replace them both. 

[JacobK]

I don't have many Rapalas, but the ones I do have don't have the SS hooks. They seem decent if the fish are short striking your crank. But like the guy above me said it'll probably add to the likely hood of getting caught up.

[Chris W]

Those trebles are great, they are a little more trouble but, put them on a rat l trap type bait and you will increase your hookup to landing ratio greatly.

[Bantam1]

I was fishing at Dream Lake last year on a work related trip. I was using the Rapala DT Fat(?) with those Sure Set hooks. I lost more fish than I landed on them. I switched to Owner Stingers and never lost another fish for the remaining 9 days.

There were a couple of people from Rapala with us on that trip. They sure gave me a weird look when I yelled out "Sure Set my @**!" after losing another fish. I made it a point to let them see me change the hooks and throw the VMC's in the trash  ;D

[-HAWK-]

Sure set hooks are garbage. I have had more lost fish on those hooks than I can count. The barbs seem to bend and break way to easy.

[frogtog]

God's gift to a Rattle Trap no more lost fish.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

One of the reasons I don't own certain rapalas

[BassBandit35]

I went out for couple hours today and not a strike on new DT6 SS. I kinda figured that the hooks are worthless and they sure do grab some wood today! Will be sure to have the hooks changed out for my next outing. Didn't know I'd lose more fish because of that. Appreciate the heads up guys! The reason I went with the SS is because of the color Brown Bone (sorta hard to find) that are only available in SS. Thanks again!

[TrailerHook]

Why would you pay extra for the SS hooks just to change them out? Just buy the Rapala baits with the regular trebels and save a buck or two. I love my Rap DT's but I only buy the ones with the regular trebels. Those SS hooks just look like a snag waiting to happen. And believe me, I don't need any extra help in that dept. :

[J Francho]

Not all colors are available without the SS hooks.

[BassBandit35]

Why would you pay extra for the SS hooks just to change them out? And believe me, I don't need any extra help in that dept. :

do I need to explain again? :

The reason I went with the SS is because of the color Brown Bone (sorta hard to find) that are only available in SS. Thanks again!

[edit]No need to call names  [/edit]

[Micro]

Years ago I began regularly gill hooking fish in cold tidal water that seemed to slap at the bait. An old hand on the river actually gave me a handful of SSs and I used them to change out the tail treble on some of my baits. That cured the problem. I don't know why it is, but the gill hooking problem was solved. Now I use them on the rear of all my cranks I throw in cold tidal water.

[dodgeguy]

love the sure sets.

[5bass]

I use 'em and have been since they came out. I dont like them so much around grass but there's not much grass in my home lake so it's not a big issue.

I like the fact that when I have a fish hooked and it's got the bigger hook sunk in, 99% of the time that fish does not get off.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

True, if that big hook sticks them they can not get off.The trade off is that you will dredge every piece of scum,wood,rock,and debris from the water. Helpless shad and baitfish even fall victim to that abominable creation as well. Gill hooking and mortally wounding fish isn't much of an issue either if you plan on keeping everything. :

I do save some of my junk SS to put on the rear of traps and spooks though.

[.dsaavedra.]

here's my take on sure set hooks...

will i buy a lure because it has sure set hooks? no

will i buy a lure because i REALLY gotta have this color and its only available in sure set? sure why not

i have not noticed ANY disadvantage to using sure set hooks, and similarly i haven't noticed much of an improvement.

what i do with my baits that have two sure set hooks is i take the front one off and swap it with a regular treble (from the tail end of another bait). this way i only have sure sets on the back, as i see no need for them in both spots. i feel like sure sets in the back might help me hook a short striking fish.

[Stringjam]

I think application should be noted when discussing something like this.

To some people "cranking" means throwing a Rat-L-Trap out in open water or a diver down a rocky, clean bank. Sure-Sets might work great for that.

This is one of my cranking spots, though.....and if you've got a bait with Sure-Sets on it, you're going to pull your hair out trying to get it through.

[5bass]

The trade off is that you will dredge every piece of scum,wood,rock,and debris from the water.

Choosing the correct crankbait for the situation in front of you will help with this.

Helpless shad and baitfish even fall victim to that abominable creation as well.

I know where I fish, when a shad or baitfish wants to buddy up with my bait, I've got the right bait tied on. I really cant help it if a shad gets himself hooked and I won't say that I feel sorry for them when they do.

Gill hooking and mortally wounding fish isn't much of an issue either if you plan on keeping everything. :

I havent lost one fish by hooking it deep with a Sure Set hook. Most of my 'casualties', although very few over a years time, come from senko's and the occasional plastic worm. Both of those account for more fatalities across the board than any Sure Set hook ever will.

[BassBandit35]

Had the SS changed out to #6 (front) & #4 (rear) So far so good.

To put the SS to good use I put 1 on Sammy (rear) that should reduce a short strike.

I'll leave the SS on other DT for open water situation.

Appreciated the feedback.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Thats good to hear Five Bass Limit. I on the other hand and some others that I fish with have had a consistent problem with that goofy hook piercing the fish behind the tongue at the heart of the gills or sticking through the gill tissue itself.It isn't always so much as hooking a fish deep such as may happen with a plastic,it is where that giant protruding claw is grabbing them inside their mouth. As we all know, or have seen, once this happens to a fish it is toast, and will bleed out in a number of seconds. My fault or my equipment? Maybe,but I doubt it. If a fish chokes the bait thats a good thing and means I'm using the right bait,correct?

So whoever loves those hooks then great.Not my cup of tea and I wish they would stop selling them as standard on their baits.The VMC that comes on the regular Dt can't be improved on too much.they are already great hooks.