Top Water Replacement Treble Hooks ?

[A-Jay]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

Has anyone really had a split ring fail?  And I don't mean a rusty old one, but say split rings on a decent $5-10 bait?

No because I used Owner Hyper Wire ~

 But I get it J,  and it's not so much the 'failure' as much as durability.

I change trebles quite frequently on the baits I use most (when they are getting bit of course) and stock rings often do not possess the ability to withstand this without 'hanging open'  . . . . 

Additionally, I find it interesting that for a long time I was very willing to change line quite often, but never trebles & rings.

Then the light went on - fresh line  may only really matter when I'm hooked up - - 

YMMV

A-Jay

 

[J Francho]

I try to buy baits that come with good hooks.  I HATE changing trebles.  I HATE split rings and split ring pliers.  I'll change them out if they feel dull.  I rarely see issues with the split rings, unless a pike or something big mutilated them.  I have a few sizes for backups.  I buy Owner, Spro, even Eagle Claw Razor work well. 

[Dwight Hottle]

21 hours ago, J Francho said:

Has anyone really had a split ring fail?  And I don't mean a rusty old one, but say split rings on a decent $5-10 bait?

J I have had smallmouth twist a treble out of elongated & mangled stock split rings on quality jerk baits several times. It does happen. 

[J Francho]

I probably have too, when unhooking with pliers.  I just don't think it's been enough times for me to take the effort to change out the split rings on all 5,798 jerkbaits in my collection.

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

I probably have too, when unhooking with pliers.  I just don't think it's been enough times for me to take the effort to change out the split rings on all 5,798 jerkbaits in my collection.

Seems - I actually do have that kind of time . . .

It's called winter.

A-Jay

 

[Big Rick]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Seems - I actually do have that kind of time . . .

It's called winter.

A-Jay

 

Me too!  It keeps me from going insane waiting on the next time I can actually USE a treble hook.... I pretty much empty my boat, clean it all out, and go thru my tackle as I put it back in the boxes. Often it's quite entertaining when I pull a bait out of a box that I had totally forgotten that I bought....

[J Francho]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Seems - I actually do have that kind of time . . .

It's called winter.

A-Jay

 

I actually fish all winter for my pet trout. 

[CountryboyinDC]

So everyone seems to recommend the Owner split rings, which are not cheap.  Anyone used anything else they liked, SPRO or maybe another one?  I've never had one fail from bass fishing, but I have had them pulled into an egg shape.  And when you do need to switch out the trebles a lot of the time the split rings get 'sprung', for lack of knowledge of the correct term.  I bought some Eagle Claws at Cabelas, and those get sprung while I'm putting the new treble on.

[J Francho]

Spro and Eagle Claw Lazer have worked fine for me. 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, CountryboyinDC said:

So everyone seems to recommend the Owner split rings, which are not cheap.  Anyone used anything else they liked, SPRO or maybe another one?  I've never had one fail from bass fishing, but I have had them pulled into an egg shape.  And when you do need to switch out the trebles a lot of the time the split rings get 'sprung', for lack of knowledge of the correct term.  I bought some Eagle Claws at Cabelas, and those get sprung while I'm putting the new treble on.

Something else that could also be "not cheap" is purchasing  several different brands / packs of less inexpensive split rings,  only to finding out they usually have a one and done life span.  Been there myself and have offered the Owner product in an attempt to save you the hassle.

A-Jay 

[Big Rick]

1 hour ago, CountryboyinDC said:

So everyone seems to recommend the Owner split rings, which are not cheap.  Anyone used anything else they liked, SPRO or maybe another one?  I've never had one fail from bass fishing, but I have had them pulled into an egg shape.  And when you do need to switch out the trebles a lot of the time the split rings get 'sprung', for lack of knowledge of the correct term.  I bought some Eagle Claws at Cabelas, and those get sprung while I'm putting the new treble on.

In my experience, Owner Hyper Wire split rings can be used for the life of the bait. I'll replace my trebles 10 to 1 to my split rings once I've installed Hyper Wire's.  They really are a "one and done" split ring that is WELL WORTH the additional costs in my book. 

[CountryboyinDC]

Thanks for the responses @J Francho, @A-Jay, and @Big Rick.  Sometimes there are things that just pain me to pay what they cost, and dollar apiece split rings are one of them.  I guess I should just go ahead and get a good supply of Owners.  Then I'll probably throw every one of the plugs I've put them on in a tree on the first cast with the $3 worth of trebles, knowing my luck.

[zell_pop1]

I use Spro split rings and KVD Mustad trebles or Gammys in odd sizes .

[primetime]

I buy saltwater grade split rings which I think are Tsunami and have also purchased the Spro and Eagle Claw Lazers and Mustads and not had any issues. If the rings are good enough for landing Tarpon, Stripers, and Redfish, I figure they will hold up for Bass fishing.

 

For Trebles I buy Round Bends, and I usually buy what is on sale from VMC, Mustad Triple Grips, Xcalibur rotating, but the VMC trebles have been good. 

 

Alot of the good topwater lures on the market come with good hooks and rings except maybe some of the Heddon and Rebel lures like the Popper which has a really thin wire hook which is only good on light line. I always replace the front hook with something 2x-3x strong.

 

I don't like changing trebles on topwater unless I have to, baits from BPS always have cheap hooks I don't trust but sometimes it changes the action or how the lure sits....Instead of going up in size, I will go to a thicker hook since I usually throw topwater lures like Poppers on heavier line then designed.

 

One thing I have learned is that not all silver stock hooks that come on the old school lures are cheap. Sometimes when a lure has thin guage hooks, its because the lure is designed for lighter line situations. 

[NorthernBasser]

It's really too bad some of these baits, that are already pricey enough, don't come with quality hooks/hardware.  

[ChrisD46]

Interested to read that you always want to use as small a split ring as possible on the nose of a walking bait - where none is supplied you may be better off using a small VMC #0 crank bait snap or tie direct. . For the hook split rings you want to match the existing lure size split rings closely to keep the lure working properly for top water .