Bent treble hooks

[ThirstyBalboa]

So this may be a little off topic. In south Florida we have lots of species, one of which is the butterfly peacock bass. This is actually a cichlid not a bass but they fight like hell and are fun to catch. So that being said they hit fast and hard. A buddy of mine says he keeps bending xrap hooks. I keep telling him to loosen the drag and he swears it's not that. My mindset is if the drag gave the hook would not. I dont know what his setup consists of as far as line, rod, reel. I have 3 friends that swear they need top notch hooks and super heavy duty split rings. It became a debate lol anyways, ideas?

[Dwight Hottle]

Rapalas all come stock with VMC hooks, a company owned by them. I have always found them sharp out of the box but I always replaced them at the first sign of dullness or hook bending. I have had hooks bend out by smallmouth all the time with a properly set drag so it does happen. 

[MickD]

It's more than just drag.  Heavy duty split rings and maybe even more than 2X treble hooks are in order.  For these fish the hardware requirements are the same as for king salmon.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, ThirstyBalboa said:

So this may be a little off topic. In south Florida we have lots of species, one of which is the butterfly peacock bass. This is actually a cichlid not a bass but they fight like hell and are fun to catch. So that being said they hit fast and hard. A buddy of mine says he keeps bending xrap hooks. I keep telling him to loosen the drag and he swears it's not that. My mindset is if the drag gave the hook would not. I dont know what his setup consists of as far as line, rod, reel. I have 3 friends that swear they need top notch hooks and super heavy duty split rings. It became a debate lol anyways, ideas?

If you are catching the similar size Peacocks and not bending hooks on the same lures your buddy is doing something different. My guess is the hooks get bent removing them form the fish and once a hook is bent it softens the metal when re bending back into shape, basically ruining the hooks temper strength.

Proper set drag prevents line breakage, hook rarely straighten out from a fighting fish unless the hook point doesn't penetrate passed the barb. Bent hooks are usually a result of angler abuse removing them or the fish snagging itself and ripping the out while fighting.

Tom

[MickD]

With all due respect, the real problem is not removing the hooks from the fish, it is the initial  shocking strike.  Fighting the fish can be an issue, but it's really not the controlling issue being dealt with here.  

 

When you feel the hit, and find nothing on your line but a straightened  hook or open split ring, you'll know what the OP is talking about.

 

The solution is not more care in removing the hook because there often will be no fish to remove the hook from.  The solution is heavy duty split rings and hooks.

[Glenn]

It's all about having a balanced system - rod, reel, line... it's not ONE thing (like drag setting).  When paired and balanced properly, they work together as a system.  I explain it better in this video:

 

 

[ThirstyBalboa]

Thanks for the input guys! I just have a hard time believing a 3 pound fish bending hooks with a frequency so high that they replace hooks and rings before fishing the lure. Peacock bass do fight hard but I feel like with a proper drag setting the line would pull instead of the hook bending. I mean how do we even know it bends on the strike, it could bend during a period no drag is being pulled during the fight. Idk I guess maybe it's just a matter of opinion. Seems like an expensive fix for a lure that's ultimate fate is gonna be it smacking the side of a bridge and breaking lol

[fishballer06]

I've found over the past few years that the hooks (and even split rings) that Rapala puts on their jerkbaits are absolute garbage. I've straightened out both on the first or second fish I've caught on them. It's got to be a Rapala issue because I use the exact same setup with LC and MB jerkbaits and I don't have this issue. Your best bet is to swap out the split rings and trebles for something a little more stout. 

 

As for the hooks on the crankbaits like the DT's, they have a little more flex than I like but they work alright. Like Dwight said, I usually replace them after the first day or two. 

[MickD]

Regardless of the details of the problem, stronger hooks and split rings is a step in the right direction to solving it.  I think most anglers who haven't had fish like king salmon or peacock bass strike a lure on a short line just don't realize what a shock it can be.