Need Strong Replacement Trebles

[WRB]

I use Owner ST-58 size 1 & 1/0, on some swimbaits/wake baits and top water lures. ST-58 are extremely strong light weight treble hooks, but pricey.

Big bass can straighten a treble hook during the fight trying to leverage the big lures out, getting a hook into it's self or snagging something, nothing to do with your drag setting.

Tom

[Shanes7614]

I just got some replacement/upgrade hooks based on a recommendation from another forum site - Mustad KVD 1x Strong 2x Short Triple Grip Treble Hooks. Kevin uses these on his crankbaits and if they're good enough for him, they're good enough for me! (TW reviews were also on point where I felt confident in these hooks.)

So if he jumped to Eagle Claw would they be the next best hook out on the market?

[Shanes7614]

I use 20,30,and 50lb braid with ALL my treble hooked baits,and rarely use "cranking" specific gear. Of course to compensate, I use 2x strong hooks on all my hard baits. This nonsense of not using braid and using soft rods with treble hooked baits is one of the most overstated, backwards, and plain ridiculous myths in bass fishing, often times spread around by old guys who refuse to change with the times or noobs,kids, and others who just say it to say something without first hand knowledge of what they are talking about.

I agree 100000%. Way too many guys stick with an old school mentality. Like the home run swing hook sets that were the norm YEARS ago to compensate for the stretch mono has.

[blckshirt98]

So if he jumped to Eagle Claw would they be the next best hook out on the market?

 

If they built them to his specs I would.  I didn't just buy blind because his name was attached to them, I also read up on why the Mustad's were designed the way they were (i.e. http://www.insideline.net/weeklynews/2008/08-0702.html  http://www.bassmaster.com/gear/when-vandam-gets-treble others as well) - the short shank lets you upsize hooks on most cranks, the hook bend holds onto fish better even with a wider gap, the hooks are stiffer and stay sharper than a lot of standard stock hooks.  Not saying there aren't other trebles that won't work just as well, nor that all stock hooks need to be replaced, just that these seem solid without any noticeable flaws if you're looking to replace or upgrade.

[FrogFreak]

Your hooks are fine in my humble opinion. I've used Trokar, Gammys, Owners and Mustads. I build lures and now I buy Mustad triple grips. They are very sticky and seem to work well. But as Tom said above, big bass can straighten hooks. I understand your concern about drag and worrying about the fish getting caught up in cover. This is why big fish are so cherished by us silly anglers, they aren't easy to catch.

[WRB]

The most important feature of a crankbait rod is it's ability to cast the lure where you want it with ease.

If you can do that using a basic MH-fast action rod use it. My first specific crankbait rod was made from a Fenwick 7' 4", 5 power trigger stick popping rod blank back in the early '70's and the reason was to increase casting distance and have better control of bass near the boat. The key to good hook sets is using sharp hooks, not hard hook sets with crankbaits. You want a hook point to stick into the basses inside mouth tissue so you can detect the strike and set the hook by cranking faster, then use a rod sweep to fully load up the rod.

Use whatever line you can cast all day into the wind without backlashes. I use Big Game 10 or 12 lb mono, very good casting line and change it often.

Tom