Adding Replacement Bigger Or Same Size Hooks To A Heddon Super Spook?

[tcbass]

I'm a bass fisherman but one of the lakes I frequent has a lot of muskies in it. Every so often I get muskies to bite but have yet to boat one. Last trip out I had a good sized one bite my KVD Sexy Dawg, I waited till I felt the weight, set the hook and thought I had him. I reeled in about 3 cranks and then he was gone. I was using a Cabelas Tournament heavy frog rod with a Abu Garcia Revo Rocket and 30lbs. braid. So I should have had enough backbone to set the hook, however, my hooks may have not been the sharpest. I have since sharpened them all up. I don't want to get any musky gear and get into musky fishing. I actually think muskies are slimy, and gross. I just want to catch one to have accomplished that and never catch one again. lol. I read that a Super Spook is a good topwater muskie lure. Last trip I had 10 muskie hits and never got one in. So when I was was thinking if I get them to bite on a KVD Sexy Dawg next time when I'm fishing I'll quick change to the Super Spook and see if I can get one in the boat. Also, if I lose a Spook it's about 1/2 the price of the Sexy Dawg so if it gets lost I won't mind. Although they shouldn't be biting through a wire leader.

 

 

I was at Cabelas picked up a set of VMC Sureset 4X strong trebles in size 2. However, after reading how you can add too big of hooks to topwaters and effect their movement I was wondering if these hooks weren't a good choice and if I should try a different brand and size. Currently it has some weird trebles on it that are all offset. Perhaps those are fine. I did just read on here how someone's friend had a big bass on a Spook and 2 of the trebles bent out and the fish got off. So I need some strong trebles that won't bend.

 

 

I'm thinking Gammy, Owner, Eagle, or VMC because I think that is what Gander Mountain carries in their store. The Cabelas here is a smaller one and only carried these trebles and some regular round bend ones.

 

 

So, what treble and size should I add to this Super Spook to hook a muskie and not negatively affect the action of the lure?

[Raul]

That's the problem, you add bigger and the bait may not have the same action.

[tcbass]

That's the problem, you add bigger and the bait may not have the same action.

 

 

 

Are the size 2's I got the same size as normally on the Super Spook or are they bigger?

[Loop_Dad]

I have owner size 2 on mine. If I remember they were just tiny bit bigger than original.

 

You can probably buy size 1 and try out. But it might be too big/long front and back my tangle up while you are throwing? Idk...

[David P]

The issue is not just affecting the action of the lure, but also the hooks can tangle up together if they're too big, and cause a lot of missed fish and pointless casts. I believe Gamakatsu Size 3 is the biggest you can go without fouling the two front hooks up, BUT there is also a shorter shank gamakatsu Size 2 that fits and they're quite stout, roughly a 2x hook. I have yet to bend one out, although I don't have anything except big bass in my lakes.

[warpath58]

Give these a try Decoy Quattro X-S21 Hook or Decoy Treble X-F55 Hook 1/0

[tcbass]

I have owner size 2 on mine. If I remember they were just tiny bit bigger than original.

You can probably buy size 1 and try out. But it might be too big/long front and back my tangle up while you are throwing? Idk...

I have VMC size 2. So they should work?

[deep]

Size 2 is size 2. The problem is you have short shanks, long shanks, fine wire 1x, thick wire 2x etc. When I replace a treble, what I'm concerned with is with matching the weight of the stock hooks (the lure designer/manufacturer put them on for a reason). Buy a jewelers scale- they're super cheap on ebay- and you'll know for sure. Also buy some suspenstrips.

[F14A-B]

I don't see how a true walking the dog bait can have it's action affected by upsizing the hooks.

The Action, at least the way I fish them is Wholly dependent on the rod/ reel action..

If it were, say a large balsa topwater rapala, I could see that argument, hook tangles are more problematic but not impeding action, it doesn't, nor ever has for me...

Go with the strongest treble you can find, for musky/ braid use..

[tcbass]

Size 2 is size 2. The problem is you have short shanks, long shanks, fine wire 1x, thick wire 2x etc. When I replace a treble, what I'm concerned with is with matching the weight of the stock hooks (the lure designer/manufacturer put them on for a reason). Buy a jewelers scale- they're super cheap on ebay- and you'll know for sure. Also buy some suspenstrips.

So you have to buy a bunch of new hooks and then measure them all for weight?

[deep]

So you have to buy a bunch of new hooks and then measure them all for weight?

 

Not quite. You know (or should know) what hooks you like. For me, that'd be light wire round bend Gamakatsus or Owner ST-36s, So after you get your extra replacement trebles, weigh the stock hook, put your new treble on after weighing, and add the extra weight with suspenstrips. Pretty simple really. It's even simpler if you make a chart of hook weights so that you don't redo this weighing business every time.

 

I have a chart that I got from someone else that I'll be happy to share with anyone, but it'd probably be of little use unless you mostly use hooks size 2 and bigger.

 

P.S.

(Brand Model Size Weight in grams)

Mustad KVD 2 0.9

Owner ST-36 2 1.1

Owner ST-41 2 1.35

Owner ST-56 2 1.4

[Loop_Dad]

I have VMC size 2. So they should work?

 

I'm not familiar with VMC hook, butt I would guess it is close enough. Do you still have the original hook to compare? I personally wouldn't worry too much about weight difference, unless bait stick out from the water completely vertical or totally flat on the water. I think these baits need some angle from water surface. This is jut MHO.

[5fishlimit]

Add them to the lure. If the hooks get tangled up you've got hooks that are too big.

[tcbass]

I'm not familiar with VMC hook, butt I would guess it is close enough. Do you still have the original hook to compare? I personally wouldn't worry too much about weight difference, unless bait stick out from the water completely vertical or totally flat on the water. I think these baits need some angle from water surface. This is jut MHO.

 

 

Cool, I'll try them tomorrow and see how they work. I still have the originals.

[Jrob78]

I don't see how a true walking the dog bait can have it's action affected by upsizing the hooks.

The Action, at least the way I fish them is Wholly dependent on the rod/ reel action..

If it were, say a large balsa topwater rapala, I could see that argument, hook tangles are more problematic but not impeding action, it doesn't, nor ever has for me...

Go with the strongest treble you can find, for musky/ braid use..

 

He's talking about adding 4X hooks.  That's quite a bit of additional weight.  I don't have any idea how it would effect a Spook but I imagine there are some baits that it would greatly effect.   It could sink a topwater bait or at the very least, pull it down so deep that it becomes hard to walk.

[smalljaw67]

The problem isn't just the hooks but the rod itself, that heavy frog rod is stiff and with braid you will simply pull the hooks free no matter what hooks you put on. That said, if you are going after muskies with that rod I would go with a heavy mono with a steel leader, the new titanium leaders out are thin and flexible and are the rage where I fish because we have a lot of waters with good size musky and guys like using treble hook lures for them. There are musky rods that have a softer tip for trebles but seriously, if you are using that rod you need to leave the braid off of it because hooks are going to be pulled out and if you go too big the action on the bait is going to suffer greatly.

[A-Jay]

I routinely up size the trebles on my bass baits by one.  I prefer the Mustad KVD Elite's short shank jobs.

 

However fishing for musky & bass at the same time & with the same gear can be problematic.  The sheer size difference between the two is probably the biggest challenge (not to mention the Teeth).

 

Although modifying bass lures to fish for muskies can work, you may reduce your chances of catching either one a bit by going half way.

 

There are several lakes here that have Big pike and in the spring & fall they are often right in the same spots as the bass.  Each year I manage to land a few but often times I don't.  Tied of getting bit & broken off, I up scaled some of my  bass tackle to combat this.  This sounded good but in reality, I did not catch or land more pike but  I did reduce my bass catching substantially.  Eventually I scrapped the whole idea.  When I want to fish for big pike, I have tackle & baits for it and that's what I use.

 

Thinking about it the other way, I would not feel very confident fishing for bass with modified pike tackle.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[DTack]

The issue is not just affecting the action of the lure, but also the hooks can tangle up together if they're too big, and cause a lot of missed fish and pointless casts. I believe Gamakatsu Size 3 is the biggest you can go without fouling the two front hooks up, BUT there is also a shorter shank gamakatsu Size 2 that fits and they're quite stout, roughly a 2x hook. I have yet to bend one out, although I don't have anything except big bass in my lakes.

I hope I remember later to post some pictures of some Stripers caught on this hook and a flipping stick with 70 lb straight braid.  The hooks don't bend or rip out if you have a drag set decently.

[Jigfishn10]

Just as long as you replace both front and rear hooks you should be fine. You kill dog walker action by adding too much weight in the front.

The weight of those 2 hooks won't pull the spook down too much, spooks are really buoyant. Besides, if I read your op correctly you already bought the hooks, try it out, if you don't like switch them out.