Hook Flex On Vision 110?

[Texas bassman]

lost a good fish today to a straighten hook today. I lIke them for the most part even caught a good musky on it last week but it destroyed the hooks. Lol any one else having this issue and what are some good replacements that won't flex or effect the action??

[CRANKENSTIEN]

I had to replace due to an off the water mishap and used a mustad from Walmart. I am ok with the hooks they come with.

[Hooligan]

Yes, the Katsuage hooks are somewhat fragile. They are intentionally a light wire hook. You have to be gentle with them, very often replacing them if they get bent.

The same can be said of almost all jerkbait hooks, though.

[smalljaw67]

There is a thread about the hooks getting bent on a Luck-E-Strike RC STX jerkbait, I bring that up because that bait is a direct copy of the 110. The reason for the light wire hooks is so that they penetrate with very little pressure because the bait is designed to be used on spinning tackle with 6lb to 8lb max line. The Vision 110 is easy to switch out hooks, you can go to the Stinger ST-36 no problem, in fact you can even get away with ST-41 hooks because the bait is a slow riser so you can add a little weight to it, the RC STX suspends really well and any added weight will make it sink. That said, if you want the light wire hooks to replace you can go VMC 8570 Barbarian outbarbs, these have the same outside barb like the Katsuage hooks on the 110 but are just a little bit stronger, if you want the really light wire then go to the VMC 8540, and just so you know, VMC make the Katsuage hooks for Megabass.

[mod479]

  I agree with smalljaw, ST-36 is a good replacement if you want something a bit stiffer without bogging the bait down and making a megabass countdown. Still sticky enough to catch them when they slap at the side of the bait like the katsuages.

[Texas bassman]

Cool thanks guys will change them out soon

[fishballer06]

Those same hooks are also used on the Flap Slap, which is Megabass' faster floating, shorter length jerkbait/crankbait. Like others have said, they straighten very easily and they should probably be replaced. 

[bunkerbstr]

Prior to changing out the hooks, lay the bait in a bowl or sink of cool water (assuming you're swimming them in cool water).  Note how the bait rests in the water with the stock hooks and even take a pic for reference if you want.  Then start messing around with replacement hooks.  110's are engineered so tightly, that if you mess with them you're taking a chance on reducing their effectiveness.  That being said, if it sinks super slow, as in, barely sinks, that's not necessarily a bad thing in cool/cold water.  I'd start with #6 hooks, though short shanks in larger size may weigh about the same.  

 

Light wire hooks for sure.  Guys above mention Owners; solid choice.  

 

I'm not a huge fan of the stock hooks on them either.  They are sharp and work fine, though they bend easily.  

 

Good luck.  

[quanjig]

While they are fragile, a good reel with proper drag is a must! Horsing the fish to the boat only leads to disaster!!

[bigfishbk86]

The hooks that come on the 110's are junk, they come off the bait as soon as i get it.  I replace all mine with KVD trebles, but not the 1x shank 2x short, just the standard shank and length size 6.  Bait still suspends perfectly.

[NJSalt]

I've never had issues with the stock hooks on the 110s or the JRs. Then again, I don't horse fish on them either

[Logan S]

I love the hooks on the 110s, very good hook-up ratio for me.  But, they are light wire so you have to treat them as such.  I've read that the 110 was actually intended to be fished on spinning tackle and 6 or 8 lb line.  

 

I use the stock hooks and replace them as needed if they get torn up....I still use casting gear and 10 lb line but I do back the drag off and understand that I need to be careful on larger fish. 

 

The attention to detail and engineering that went into the 110 is pretty amazing.  I'm not sure if they still do this, but the middle hook on all of my standard 110s is actually barbless.  I looked it up one day because I was curious.  MegaBass did this on purpose because they said it allowed the bait to rotate easier in the fish's mouth so that it could hook/rehook itself on the front or back treble. 

[J Francho]

If you use a proper rod and set the drag, you shouldn't have an issue. If you need to horse them from cover, this probably isn't the right bait for the job.

[smalljaw67]

The hooks that come on the 110's are junk, they come off the bait as soon as i get it.  I replace all mine with KVD trebles, but not the 1x shank 2x short, just the standard shank and length size 6.  Bait still suspends perfectly.

 

You see, you affected the bait with the hooks you use!! The 110 is a slow riser, if the hooks you added make it suspend perfectly then they are too heavy and should be replaced if using the bait as it was intended. If a suspending bait is better for you then you made an improvement but you did affect the bait so the hooks you used are too heavy and if you put those on the RC STX it would most likely sink.

[Texas bassman]

Well then again this is what bent my hooks. I had something on yesterday that did the same almost completely straightend one treble out. I didn't see what it was and that's good. I wouldn't get over losing a giant bass. Lol

[CJ]

I use baitcasting for 110's. I agree the hooks will flex/straighten as others have mentioned. I set my drag properly but one thing I do is free spool the bigger fish. The fish in my avatar were caught on 110's. Smallies will do a number on those hooks unless you play the fish out and I found free spooling to work great.

[Texas bassman]

Whatever I had was a tank. Drag was slipping when I was reeling.

[bigfishbk86]

You see, you affected the bait with the hooks you use!! The 110 is a slow riser, if the hooks you added make it suspend perfectly then they are too heavy and should be replaced if using the bait as it was intended. If a suspending bait is better for you then you made an improvement but you did affect the bait so the hooks you used are too heavy and if you put those on the RC STX it would most likely sink.

You are correct, I did affect the qualities of the bait and I do need a bait that suspends perfectly in the position it stops. By going to these hooks and a few mods to each bait, I have accomplished this. As far as horsing and drag settings, all my 110 fishing is done on spinning gear with 6lb copolymer and a light drag. I would encourage any of you to try catching 50+ Smallmouth averaging 4lbs in a day on those stock hooks and let me know how they work out for you For me, they were useless after they first ten fish, but to each their own!