Change hooks on a Whopper Plopper?

[the reel ess]

Normally, I would say these are some fine quality hooks. But Amazon screwed up and sent me 10 boxes of 9 #2 Gamakatsu EWG trebles. Would you think these are better for hookups and keeping bass hooked up?

[Bankc]

I'd say they're about equal quality.  I think the Gamakatsu's will be a bit thinner, so they might hook up slightly better, but would also bend out easier, depending on which versions you currently have on your Whopper Plopper.  Either way, it's just slight differences and probably not worth your time.  I'd save those hooks for other baits if I were you.  But if you want to swap them out, I wouldn't try to talk you out of it.  Either choice is a fine quality hook.

[the reel ess]

5 minutes ago, Bankc said:

I'd say they're about equal quality.  I think the Gamakatsu's will be a bit thinner, so they might hook up slightly better, but would also bend out easier, depending on which versions you currently have on your Whopper Plopper.  Either way, it's just slight differences and probably not worth your time.  I'd save those hooks for other baits if I were you.  But if you want to swap them out, I wouldn't try to talk you out of it.  Either choice is a fine quality hook.

Well, I went ahead and did it. I'll report back. And I did keep the other hooks. Thanks.

[Aaron_H]

I prefer a stouter hook on WPs, I use the Owner ST-56 for them. I don't see why the Gamakatsu ones wouldn't work though, definitely easier to bend out than the 3x but still a high quality treble; I use them on a lot of my baits.

[the reel ess]

3 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

I prefer a stouter hook on WPs, I use the Owner ST-56 for them. I don't see why the Gamakatsu ones wouldn't work though, definitely easier to bend out than the 3x but still a high quality treble; I use them on a lot of my baits.

Well, the EWG hook would have to be bent out just to equal the gap in the straight shank hooks that came on it. I use the WP with the drag set pretty loose because it's a MH rod and I use braid on it. I also turned the front hook so it has two points down instead of one down and the other two laying against the lure.

[Aaron_H]

I've bent out a couple of the Gamakastu EWGs on lipless cranks on ~2lb bass, but as you said never past the point where a round bend would be. Should be able to lean into them easier with the better penetration and avoid overstressing them. Curious to see your results, I do think they're a great hook. Just don't stick yourself in the leg with one like I did this spring, that easy penetration is a double-edged sword... ?

[the reel ess]

44 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

I've bent out a couple of the Gamakastu EWGs on lipless cranks on ~2lb bass, but as you said never past the point where a round bend would be. Should be able to lean into them easier with the better penetration and avoid overstressing them. Curious to see your results, I do think they're a great hook. Just don't stick yourself in the leg with one like I did this spring, that easy penetration is a double-edged sword... ?

I've been very fortunate to this point in my fishing career to never have a hook buried in me past the barb. I'm 51. Knock wood.

[Aaron_H]

Caught the first one in my hand a few years ago with the other hook still attached to a snook. Was hoping it was a one-time deal, but I guess fate had other plans.

[the reel ess]

16 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

Caught the first one in my hand a few years ago with the other hook still attached to a snook. Was hoping it was a one-time deal, but I guess fate had other plans.

My dad got one that was attached to a striper and the fish flopped all over the boat. He finally clubbed it with his shoe. The hook went in and out his finger. We had to cut the hook.

[GReb]

33 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

My dad got one that was attached to a striper and the fish flopped all over the boat. He finally clubbed it with his shoe. The hook went in and out his finger. We had to cut the hook.

Had that happen years ago with a crank bait. One treble through my finger and out in corner of nail bed. Other treble hooked to a 3lb bass flopping everywhere digging the hook further and further in me.  Not a good day

[Bluebasser86]

I actually swap my plopper hooks out for short shank EWG gamakatsu hooks and have a much better landing ratio with them. I think they're not able to get as much leverage since the bait can't flop around as much with the shorter hooks so they tear loose less frequently. 

[Deleted account]

I've settled on large short shank light wire hooks for the 110, 1/0 or 2/0. I fish it with 20 lb BG and a Fury 704 on a tight drag. They stay pinned fine, and hardly loose any. The stock hooks are wrong to the umpteenth degree. The only other one I fish is the 75, and the stock hooks do ok there. All the others I have no use for.

[the reel ess]

22 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I've settled on large short shank light wire hooks for the 110, 1/0 or 2/0. I fish it with 20 lb BG and a Fury 704 on a tight drag. They stay pinned fine, and hardly loose any. The stock hooks are wrong to the umpteenth degree. The only other one I fish is the 75, and the stock hooks do ok there. All the others I have no use for.

Do you play them aggressively or take it very easy? I see pros playing fish caught on trebles very easy. But the WP 110 is a heavy bait and that does allow them to gain some leverage and spit it. They also rarely get it so far in their mouths that they can't spit it.

[Deleted account]

55 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Do you play them aggressively or take it very easy? I see pros playing fish caught on trebles very easy. But the WP 110 is a heavy bait and that does allow them to gain some leverage and spit it. They also rarely get it so far in their mouths that they can't spit it.

The first one.