Single Hooks

[The Bassman]

Have given some serious thought concerning my treble hook baits after mortally gill hooking a nice bass this past weekend.  I modified one of my Ripp'n Raps and took it for a test drive. Caught several including this good one with none getting loose.  Notice that even the barbs are crimped.  I'm not quite ready to change out all my lures but it is something to consider. 

[WRB]

Some lures are balanced to perform with specific weight hooks and treble hooks add sound to crankbaits.

I went through a time period cutting off 1 of the belly hooks so it was a double to snag less weeds.

Tom

[The Bassman]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

Some lures are balanced to perform with specific weight hooks and treble hooks add sound to crankbaits.

I went through a time period cutting off 1 of the belly hooks so it was a double to snag less weeds.

Tom

 

I thought about the balance issue.  These particular hooks are one size larger than stock so the weight is pretty close. Actually, I've been fishing these baits with the larger trebles for some time with no problems.  It is one reason though why I don't want to arbitrarily do it to all my baits yet.

[haggard]

Been fishing here only a half season but towards the end of said season decided to ditch all trebles (I find them a pain... for me, not just the fish), crush all barbs, and convert most of my double hook lures to single, regardless of how it affects lure balance or fish catch rate. I expect I'll land fewer fish but I don't see a problem with that; quantity isn't much of a factor here, as long as I don't get totally skunked

 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

I went through a time period cutting off 1 of the belly hooks so it was a double to snag less weeds.

Tom

I do that when I'm cranking grass, and with lipless and blade baits.

[everythingthatswims]

I wouldn't worry about making the change. From my experience I'd say you're way more likely to injure a fish with some form of soft plastic than with trebles.

A wacky rig or Carolina rig is far more dangerous to them than a treble, or so it seems!

[All about da bass]

2 minutes ago, everythingthatswims said:

I wouldn't worry about making the change. From my experience I'd say you're way more likely to injure a fish with some form of soft plastic than with trebles.

A wacky rig or Carolina rig is far more dangerous to them than a treble, or so it seems!

I would have to agree with you on this one. I've caught a ton of fish with trebles, never had issues with killing the fish even if swallowed. I've lost way more fish trying to get a single hook out of their throat from a t rig or Carolina rig.

[The Bassman]

There's a neat trick that I've used with gut hooked singles.  It involves reaching in through the gills and pulling the line through to orient the hook in such a way that the point will come straight out with long nose pliers or better yet surgical forceps.  Trebles tangled in a fish's gills are another matter.  

[Bluebasser86]

I smash down a lot of my barbs on treble hooked baits. Don't notice a big increase in lost fish, and hook removal is much easier and the hook hole is much smaller typically. 

[JustJames]

I'm in the process of converting all my top water to single inline hook. Still trying to figure out which size hook should I get. Image below is VMC 1x 3/0 and might be a tad too big.

I like the idea of cutting the treble hook too but not sure if one hook would be strong enough. I did cut one hook of lipless crank to make it more snag less but wouldnt do any to my jerk bait (only barbless)

All the reason is not really for fish but safety of myself lol.

[fishwizzard]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I smash down a lot of my barbs on treble hooked baits. Don't notice a big increase in lost fish, and hook removal is much easier and the hook hole is much smaller typically. 

Yea, I have been doing this for a while and have not noticed much hit:landing difference.  I go to singles on all my hard baits that are like 2" and smaller as they get swallowed too often for my liking.  

[thinkingredneck]

Are you replacing with octopus hooks, J hooks, Siwash?  When I lived in the Pacific NW, a lot of guys used Siwash hooks on spoons for Steelhead and Salmon.  I thought I read in an earlier post that someone had used circle hooks on spoons for bass with good results.  The photo looks sort of circle, but not quite.  I think I will change some out.  Please let me know how you are doing this.  I hate treble hooks for all of the above stated reasons.

[the reel ess]

You can take the fish and eat it if you feel guilty. You might kill them with single hooks too.

[The Bassman]

I'm on foot and have no way of keeping fish unless I stop right then and leave.  Crawfish and turtles serve a purpose.

[Crankin4Bass]

On 4/26/2018 at 10:11 AM, thinkingredneck said:

Are you replacing with octopus hooks, J hooks, Siwash?  When I lived in the Pacific NW, a lot of guys used Siwash hooks on spoons for Steelhead and Salmon.  I thought I read in an earlier post that someone had used circle hooks on spoons for bass with good results.  The photo looks sort of circle, but not quite.  I think I will change some out.  Please let me know how you are doing this.  I hate treble hooks for all of the above stated reasons.

I've had some problems with trebles with small bass and trout. Stuck one in my thumb once. I also read about Siwash hooks being used in the Pacific NW so I ordered some.  I found the eyes were too small and turned the wrong way so they didn't allow the hook to swing freely. I just got some Owner single replacement hooks in sizes 2, 4, and 6 to test out. They have large inline eyes like the ones on the prop bait James posted.

 

https://www.ownerhooks.com/product/single-replacement-hooks-x-strong/

 

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

For my larger 3 hook rapalas and other similar baits that I use for casting/twitching( not trolling). I like to remove the very front treble so that there are only 2 trebles on it instead of three.  I do this for two reasons first: it seems to cut down on snags and grass collecting up front. Secondly when the fish is flopping around it prevents all three hooks from getting stuck somewhere in the fish and unintentionally tearing the fish and or net up

[MassYak85]

Generally the only fish I kill with trebles are dinks (I'm talking fish a bluegill could bully) where I could not get the pliers in their mouth to remove the hooks. I've killed far more fish with worms hooks getting caught in the stomach or gill rakers than on trebles. I do however use single hooks with crushed barbs when ice fishing but that's for slightly different reasons (ease of hook removal when it's 10 degrees is beneficial, both for me and the fish). 

[thinkingredneck]

So do you go up a hook size from treble to single, to keep the action right?

[The Bassman]

Ordered some of the hooks mentioned above and they recommend jumping two sizes.

[thinkingredneck]

Thanks