Riddle Me This, Why?

[plumworm]

Strike King and KVD develop new lures every year ( this is not just about Strike King) and the first thing KVD says is change the hook on your new lure. What my question is, if I pay $5.99 for a Red Eye Shad, why not put quality hooks on the lure to began with and charge $.50 more. I have to go out and spend $3.00-$4.00 for 5 quality hooks to replace the hooks on a new lure. I would think that most fisherman would be willing to pay $.50 more to not have to go through the BS of changing hooks. The exception is Smithwick, Every time I fish with Rogues, I have bloody hands. Am I "nuts" or is this a fair question? I'm sure that SK and any other lure company could make agreements with great hook providers and be proud of using their hooks. 

[Darren.]

You are not nuts. But it is an economics question -- from the manufacturers perspective. At least that's how I see it.

[bassh8er]

I'd say you're nuts.

Here is RW's experience with Rogues...

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/99005-jerkbaits/page-2?hl=smithwick#entry1091304

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

The hooks I dont have an issue with its the weak paint and my luck of the draw buying them. Im over 50% of the time get them and they wont run straight above a moderate pace.

 

I change out the hooks for one size bigger but if have smaller size I swap say the 1/2oz size hooks on to a 5/16oz lure.

[Arv]

I don't think you're nuts. One of the reasons I've started looking at more higher end treble hook lures is because of the hooks. Not saying that's the only reason, but it certainly helps.

[Megastink]

I only toss lucky craft or rapala now. Clear water=lucky. Pike lake=rapala. Better quality all around.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I only toss lucky craft or rapala now. Clear water=lucky. Pike lake=rapala. Better quality all around.

 

I lost my last silent rippin rap to a pike & bps doent have them anymore

[Bluebasser86]

Where on earth would you get 2 high quality treble hooks for $.50??? Most high quality trebles are close to $1 apiece and tacking on an extra $2 to a $5 bait is going to keep people from buying a bait or at least keep them from buying as many. Where as someone may be willing to buy 2 baits at $5 apiece, they might only be willing to buy 1 if they're $7, costing the company $3. That really adds up several hundred or thousand times over. They put those hooks on there because they can keep the prices down and they're still good enough for the average Joe if he doesn't want to go through the BS of changing hooks. 

[plumworm]

Bassh8ter, I have a bunch of rogues (probably 20 or so) that I bought in the 2005-2008 era. They have super sharp hooks . My question was not about Rougues, but why don't lure companies put quality hooks on lures to began with and not suggest that the buyer replace the hooks. To me that is dumb. Buy a new $35,000  car and replace the tires because we wanted to go cheap?

[rippin-lips]

Just like Bluebasser said. I feel that the average fisherman doesn't replace trebles. Someone who's worried about the quality of hooked used probably purchases a better quality bait.

[Bankbeater]

I don't replace the hooks unless they get damaged or bent. I do add split rings every once in a while, and I always sharpen the hooks.

[smalljaw67]

I don't fish many tournaments anymore so I'll use the stock hooks until they break or bend which, when you hang a good 4lb smallmouth, it usually 1 fish. If I happen to fish a tournament then stock hooks are out of the question except for a few different baits. As far as KVD, well you are talking sponsorship deals, Strike King doesn't care because his name sells baits and most people don't replace the trebles, all you need to do is go to yard or garage sales and look at the old tackle boxes for sale, filled with strike king baits and others with broken, bent, and rusty hooks. The cheapest bait I have that didn't need hooks changed out of the box is the Storm Twitch stick, $5 bucks with VMC black nickel hooks, and they seem to be the 1X strong cone cut which is a very good hook, and after that is it the $8 dollar Rapala baits with VMC hooks.

[Drewski73]

Where on earth would you get 2 high quality treble hooks for $.50??? Most high quality trebles are close to $1 apiece and tacking on an extra $2 to a $5 bait is going to keep people from buying a bait or at least keep them from buying as many. Where as someone may be willing to buy 2 baits at $5 apiece, they might only be willing to buy 1 if they're $7, costing the company $3. That really adds up several hundred or thousand times over. They put those hooks on there because they can keep the prices down and they're still good enough for the average Joe if he doesn't want to go through the BS of changing hooks. 

 

Buying at the numbers SK would be buying at, theyd probably be $.30 a piece. I owned a tackle company for 20 years, and used VMC trebles (albeit saltwater), and the $1 retail treble hooks were right around $.25-.30 a piece when buying by the 10,000 pack.

[Nice_Bass]

I agree- I am have always been happy with rouge hooks.

As far as strike king hooks I agree not too good, but I also fish Norman cranks and you do not need to change those at all.  Make the switch for yourself and be happy!!! 

[basscatcher8]

Buy luckycraft you get what you pay for most of the time with them.

[J Francho]

You don't need to go super high end to get good hooks.  Baits from Spro, Rapala, Xcalibur, Daiwa, Yo-Zuri, Norman, and R2S, to name a few sub $10 baits I've used, all come with great hooks right out of the box.  Anything north of the $12 mark, and I expect the very best in hooks.

[MCS]

I am with Jfranco on this one....Daiwa, Rapala or xcalibur are in the same neigbor hood price wise with 10x better hooks that I have purchased imo. I stick with those.

[ww2farmer]

The reason I change the stock hooks on the SK cranks I buy and use, is not because they are not good hooks, but because they are too light of wire for me. The KVD sqaure bills come with a regular wire, standard shank hook.....I change them because that's not the hook I want....but I have used there stock hooks, and they are fine. If it came with a 1x strong, short shank hook, I would have no reason to change it. The stock hooks are VMC on SK baits, same as Rapala, yet every one thinks Rapals's come with some fantastic hook.

[nascar2428]

"The stock hooks are VMC on SK baits, same as Rapala, yet every one thinks Rapals's come with some fantastic hook".

 

This says it all ww2farmer. The great selling power of KVD on full display.

[Christian M]

I usually swap out hooks on most of my hard baits. LiveTargets come with quality hooks, I'm not sure what brand they use (maybe VMC) but they're pretty stout. A lot of the time ill swap out the stock nickle hooks for red VMC's. I always swap out the rear hook on my topwater poppers or walk the dogs for feathered hooks. I also like to swap out the front round split rings for oval split rings. Just my 2 cents...

[Grantman83]

Don't forget that KVD is sponsored by mustad and says to switch to the hooks he uses. He is double dipping by not only telling you to buy the bait but also the hooks you should switch to. That being said, the mustad elite trebles are awesome hooks but expensive. Tack that into the original bait and you are looking at extra cost.

Skeet reese is sponsored by lucky craft and you don't hear him pushing upgraded hooks on those baits because they are that good to begin with.

What I usually do is buy the larger sized elite trebles and put them on bigger SK baits. I then use the original hooks to upsize my smaller baits. That way I upgrade a set of hooks and can then upsize my smaller baits hooks.

[Fish'N Impossible]

For the average fisherman the hooks out of the package work great. They only use the lure a few times a year and to the casual fisherman hooks aren't bad till they rust. Strike King, and companies like them, have to market to the masses and keep things affordable for the general public. A competition angler drops $20-$30 on a single crankbait and doesn't bat an eye. So if that same competition angler really likes the action of the Red-Eye Shad they will easily buy a $3 set of hooks and have a bait for $9 that they have confidence in. Very few "main stream" companies are going to rely on competitive anglers alone to make there millions because we are a fickle bunch. 

[Bruce424]

Never caught a bass that could bend or even break a treble hook.no need to change them in my opinion as long as there sharp. But then again what do I kno. I live in PA.

[gr8outdoorz]

Bassh8ter, I have a bunch of rogues (probably 20 or so) that I bought in the 2005-2008 era. They have super sharp hooks . My question was not about Rougues, but why don't lure companies put quality hooks on lures to began with and not suggest that the buyer replace the hooks. To me that is dumb. Buy a new $35,000  car and replace the tires because we wanted to go cheap?

 

KVD will tell you to change out the hooks because KVD is a salesman! Guess what...the hooks he tells you to change them out with are...you guessed it...Mustad KVD tripple grips. The more you spend, the more he makes

[WRB]

Strike King and KVD develop new lures every year ( this is not just about Strike King) and the first thing KVD says is change the hook on your new lure. What my question is, if I pay $5.99 for a Red Eye Shad, why not put quality hooks on the lure to began with and charge $.50 more. I have to go out and spend $3.00-$4.00 for 5 quality hooks to replace the hooks on a new lure. I would think that most fisherman would be willing to pay $.50 more to not have to go through the BS of changing hooks. The exception is Smithwick, Every time I fish with Rogues, I have bloody hands. Am I "nuts" or is this a fair question? I'm sure that SK and any other lure company could make agreements with great hook providers and be proud of using their hooks.

Pro bass angler can mean promotional bass angler. KVD wants to sell his signature lures and hooks!

VMC and Mustad dominate the treble hooks supplied on original bass lures, both are good quality.

What KVD suggests is up sizes the front treble hook from size 2 to size 1, for example and use his signature KVD hooks, to improve hook set ratio and putting a few more bass in the boat.

Tom