Am I the only guy who doesn't replace hooks?

[Sphynx]

Depends on the bait, things like a Rebel Pop R I always change them, same with the majority of my jerkbaits, crankbaits are going through some testing this year, and I'm going to compare my hookup ratio between stock hooks and the Owner ST-36's I have obtained as replacement hooks.

[DaubsNU1]

I've only replaced hooks when they break and/or fall off. Been fishing 40+ years.

[Armtx77]

On 9/22/2020 at 12:46 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

My findings (literally, from the dozens of baits I find), show that most people roll with the stock hooks and they're in pretty rough shape a majority of the time. Some is obviously from weathering, but in the cases of baits that haven't been lost for long, I still find hooks that I wouldn't use for catfishing on hard baits.

 

I don't trash the hooks I remove. Instead I save them, sorted by size. Every winter when I decide it's time to move all the baits I've found, I clean all the baits up and put new split rings up and whatever hooks I deem appropriate from the piles of hooks I've removed from other baits. They're brand new still, and someone who doesn't care if they're the best or sharpest hook out there, gets a new to them bait, with new hooks on it.

 

I get why people don't change them, I never use to. I'm just at the point now where I spend too much time and effort into catching fish and trying to catch larger fish especially that I want to give myself every advantage possible.

Those are great little baits. I love that smaller size for a finesse jerkbait in cold water, especially for ponds and clear water. I can't imagine trying to handle a redfish on those tiny treble hooks though. Wonder if you could find inline single hooks and replace them with those? They'd be a lot stouter I'm sure.

 

And it is not everytime with Reds either, but I will do a 'walk the dog' type of retrieve and toss in a pause. That is where the Reds just can't handle it anymore.

The LB? If I put it within 10ft of them, they are coming down on it with bad intentions. I may invest in some backstock, just in case they stop making them. My wife can't believe I fish with them..."they are so pretty and fancy" she says.

[Crow Horse]

On 9/21/2020 at 2:56 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

It isn't all about changing hooks because they're bent or damaged, some hooks just aren't very sharp right out of the package.

 

I guess I see it completely different. I'm not losing the fish of a lifetime because a  stock hook is "maybe good enough", when I can put a hook on that I know is one of the best, sharpest hooks made that gives me every chance to land it when a monster comes along. Spend too much time chasing them to lose them over trying to save a few pennies or being lazy/complacent.

I agree 100%. Every name brand hook (EWG) that I've come across is NOT sharp enough. I've used an industrial microscope to photograph out of the package hook points. Trust me, they aren't sharp enough. I use a Razor Edge's hook sharpener which is a turret style hook sharpener that produces insanely sharp hook points. Pic of a new suture needle point & a Gami used but sharpened hook point....

[Bankc]

I'm with you.  I rarely switch out hooks.  Sometimes they need a bit of sharpening right out of the package, but I know how to do that properly (hint: Don't buy those "hook sharpeners" they sell at bait shops.  They're junk.  Buy a series of real whetstones and use the wide sides for knives and the thin sides for hooks.).  A higher quality hook will hold a sharper point longer, but a cheap one can be made just as sharp.  

[BassNJake]

3 hours ago, Crow Horse said:

I agree 100%. Every name brand hook (EWG) that I've come across is NOT sharp enough. I've used an industrial microscope to photograph out of the package hook points. Trust me, they aren't sharp enough. I use a Razor Edge's hook sharpener which is a turret style hook sharpener that produces insanely sharp hook points. Pic of a new suture needle point & a Gami used but sharpened hook point....

I liked the thread you had on here showing the sharpness of the hooks before and after.

That sharpener does a great job

[Boomstick]

On 9/20/2020 at 1:54 PM, Rusty_Shackleford said:

Better hooks can be the difference between a fair and an awesome day especially with JBs.  When the bait is sitting still on the pause you don't have contact with the bait. If a fish takes a shot at it during the pause, the sharper hooks catch on the inside of the mouth whether he tries to spit it out or not.

I have to second this. There have been a number of times where I've had a fish hit it on the pause and jerk it again to find a fish on it but really got a chance for a proper hookset.

[the reel ess]

On 9/22/2020 at 11:37 AM, Sphynx said:

Depends on the bait, things like a Rebel Pop R I always change them, same with the majority of my jerkbaits, crankbaits are going through some testing this year, and I'm going to compare my hookup ratio between stock hooks and the Owner ST-36's I have obtained as replacement hooks.

What do you change the Pop R hooks to? What brand and what size? The standard size Pop R is one lure I feel has hooks that are too small. The Chug Bug seems to do a lot better job holding fish.

[Bird]

Always have dedicated an afternoon to hook sharpening, pays off. Imo

 

I watched this fish bump a Jerkbait and hook itself.....notice no hook on inside of mouth. 

[Sphynx]

On 9/28/2020 at 8:11 AM, the reel ess said:

What do you change the Pop R hooks to? What brand and what size? The standard size Pop R is one lure I feel has hooks that are too small. The Chug Bug seems to do a lot better job holding fish.

ST-36, use a hyper wire ring, I do not recall the sizes off hand but you'll know when you get it right, they don't tangle themselves up.

[MassYak85]

I usually leave the stock hooks to start unless they're obviously garbage or I'm looking for a different size or style. But the second I bend one I replace them with quality hooks, either Owner or Gammy usually. 

[the reel ess]

On 9/28/2020 at 11:33 AM, Bird said:

Always have dedicated an afternoon to hook sharpening, pays off. Imo

 

I watched this fish bump a Jerkbait and hook itself.....notice no hook on inside of mouth. 

I caught a 6 pounder recently on a Chug Bug that only had one of the rear hooks in the nostril.

[Big Rick]

I have way too much money in rods, reels, line, boat, tackle, truck,(shall I continue) to let a dull hook stand between me and my fishing success. Like @A-Jay I like nice gear that WORKS. And I spend too much time prepping and insuring that gear is ready to accomplish any task I set forth to cheapen out on hooks that are subpar to the rest of my gear. The ONLY point of contact between me and my fish is the hook!  Next to that is the line!  If I am going to commit time and money to this sport I want the experience to be as pleasant and enjoyable as ever. And losing a good fish to a bent out hook ruins the whole day. YMMV. 

[Brett's_daddy]

I will replace hooks on cheaper baits like basically anything under $10 as needed (I do the fingernail scratch test) but I absolutely refuse to replace hooks on baits costing $15 - $25, IMO those baits are so darned expensive they had better come with good hooks to begin with...last thing I want to do is buy a $20 jerkbait and turn around and have to add another $6 worth of hooks to it. I know $6 isn't much but at that point it's a matter of principle. Will it cost me a fish...maybe but I'm not a tournament fisher, just a weekend warrior who tries to get out as much as life permits .

[roadwarrior]

58 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

I will replace hooks on cheaper baits like basically anything under $10 as needed (I do the fingernail scratch test) but I absolutely refuse to replace hooks on baits costing $15 - $25, IMO those baits are so darned expensive they had better come with good hooks to begin with...last thing I want to do is buy a $20 jerkbait and turn around and have to add another $6 worth of hooks to it. I know $6 isn't much but at that point it's a matter of principle. Will it cost me a fish...maybe but I'm not a tournament fisher, just a weekend warrior who tries to get out as much as life permits .

Some guys just like certain hooks. I acquired a stash of brand new, never used Katsuage hooks

(Megabass Vision 110 OEM) that were replaced by a BR member. I'm digging it!

 

[Luke Barnes]

Ive yet to replace a hook except when I find crankbaits when I'm out fishing and the hooks are rusted. Never really felt like I needed to replace them and alot of my cranks came with either VMC or other decent quality hooks. 

[Jonas Staggs]

On 9/20/2020 at 6:11 AM, billmac said:

Perhaps I don't catch big enough fish, or I'm just cheap and lazy, but I never replace the hooks on my lures.  Apart from snags, I've never had a hook break or bend, and if I bend it on a snag, I just bend it back.  If I don't feel like a hook is sharp enough, I sharpen it.  Just wondering if I'm the only one.

 

Im the same as you. Im sure some super great crazy sharp hooks are great, but at the end of the day I feel its just more marketing to get us to buy  more crap. Same goes for nail weights and rubber wacky o rings to save your plastics. I get yum bags for 2 bucks. Im not worried about saving the plastics with some more extra BS bells and whistles to buy. I dont use tungsten although I can agree its better for sure. and split shot does the same thing as a drop shot weight, and will slide off if snagged. Split shot is pretty awesome. T-rig a weightless plastic. Add a split shot just above the hook. now u got a jig head. Move it a inch away from the hook, now you have a moveable/hinged jig head or whatever they are called. All easy to change without retying.

[Luke Barnes]

1 hour ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

Im the same as you. Im sure some super great crazy sharp hooks are great, but at the end of the day I feel its just more marketing to get us to buy  more crap. Same goes for nail weights and rubber wacky o rings to save your plastics. I get yum bags for 2 bucks. Im not worried about saving the plastics with some more extra BS bells and whistles to buy. I dont use tungsten although I can agree its better for sure. and split shot does the same thing as a drop shot weight, and will slide off if snagged. Split shot is pretty awesome. T-rig a weightless plastic. Add a split shot just above the hook. now u got a jig head. Move it a inch away from the hook, now you have a moveable/hinged jig head or whatever they are called. All easy to change without retying.

I used split shot for drop shot for a long time until I bought an Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp bass kit that had drop shot weights in it. Also that's the most expensive hooks I buy is Lazer Sharp and I have no complaints. I dont but trebles at all except once to replace ones on a few lures I found. I do have one lure that the trebles are stupid dull, but I think that's a defect and not the hook brand. 

[Ktho]

Other than when a treble gets destroyed in the line of duty only time I've replaced hooks was on some SK Red eye shad and went to the Mustad KVD hooks right off the bat. Honestly didn't notice that much of a difference so just stay stock now.

[billmac]

Good idea on the split shot.  I'll use a rubbercore sinker, or a dipsy sinker with an easy-to-pull out granny knot for drop shotting.

[scaleface]

I should change all the hooks on my Berkely Dredgers to cheaper ones . I keep hooking myself with them .

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I should change all the hooks on my Berkely Dredgers to cheaper ones . I keep hooking myself with them .

Longer rod, shorter leader and only back-swing to 10 O'Clock...that should solve the issue.