Whopper Plopper with inline single hooks....?

[Crow Horse]

Has anyone tried this combo out and if so, what was your experience? I've started swapping out the trebles with VMC 7237 hooks in several sizes. I'm looking forward to trying them out. I'm hoping to minimize injury to hooked fish. It'll probably require some adjustments but I'm pretty excited about the possibilities.

[MediumMouthBass]

Ive been thinking about this for awhile, also thought about trying to put hooks with weed guards on them to throw them over lily pads. Keep this forum updated please with results on how that works.

[IcatchDinks]

I'm looking forward to updates on how this works. Hooked a fish pretty bad tonight with that lure. I think he'll survive, but I didn't do him any favors. 

[looking45]

I swap out almost all of my trebles for in-line hooks. Hook up and retention ratio is a lot better. Single hooks are easier to get out and fewer problems tangling with a net. A single hook has a bigger gap than a treble 

[Crow Horse]

I'll post my results. Hook removal should be greatly improved and that includes freeing them up from my net. It's rather amazing how tangled up in a net a plug with trebles can get in a split second or two. I also crush the barbs and I'm willing to accept the penalty of more dropped fish. My feeling is that it's easier on the fish and being that I'll be releasing them anyway, they were very thoughtful in sparing me the task of unhooking them.

[ChrisD46]

A few comments : First , also consider your split rings with single in line hooks (may need to beef up the split rings) . Next , VMC and OWNER are the only single in line hooks I am familiar with . Owner is carried by TW but not the VMC to my knowledge. Hook sizes for converting from treble hooks may be a little different between the VMC and OWNER single in line hooks . I like the idea as nothing strikes more fear into me than a wildly thrashing bass with treble hooks in its mouth !

[Crow Horse]

1 hour ago, ChrisD46 said:

A few comments : First , also consider your split rings with single in line hooks (may need to beef up the split rings) . Next , VMC and OWNER are the only single in line hooks I am familiar with . Owner is carried by TW but not the VMC to my knowledge. Hook sizes for converting from treble hooks may be a little different between the VMC and OWNER single in line hooks . I like the idea as nothing strikes more fear into me than a wildly thrashing bass with treble hooks in its mouth !

I replaced the split rings with Owner Hyperwire #4 (50#) split rings as precautionary. I haven't had any problems with the original split rings, but why take chances? Mustad also has a line of inline hooks that could be considered. One should keep in mind that sizing varies between manufacturers. There are several charts for the conversion online and they should be considered as suggestions, or a basis to make any adjustments, either up or down in sizing.

[JediAmoeba]

I know a lot of people that put quads on baits - this concept screams missed fish to me, especially smallies since they just slap the bait or hit it close-mouthed a lot of times.

 

Curious to know the hook up ratio here.

[TLHSS]

Do any of these companies make a thin wire in-line hook?

[Crow Horse]

Apparently swapping out trebles has gained favor with the striped bass crowd. I have not seen any thin gauge variants as of now. 

[JN94]

I've done this on all my plugs and will never go back. I run just a single rear inline on my crankbaits. Hook up and landing ratio is great

[Crow Horse]

I got out on the water today under less than optimal conditions. It was brutally hot & humid, the water temp ranged from 76°-81° and the water clarity was very murky due to recent heavy thunderstorms.

 

Tossing a WP75 with #1 VMC inline hooks with crushed barbs, I was quite disappointed in the hook up ratio. They were less than enthusiastic in their strikes and the several I actually hook into were dropped shortly after the hookset. I then used a WP110 with VMC trebles and had pretty much the same results although I was able to land 2 fish. I'm thinking that I need to use larger hooks and will do so when I receive them.

 

One thing to note and it does support my belief that large hook sizes are warranted is the that the conversion charts I've found seem to indicate smaller hook sizes than another method of determining the inline hook size. The other method was to measure the width of the treble that you want to replace and match it with an inline hook. For instance, the WP110 comes with #2 trebles and the inline hook size would be a 4/0 using the above method. The charts indicate a 2/0.

 

More testing and experimenting is needed.

[Crow Horse]

 

[Crow Horse]

[Crow Horse]

Mini update. Using a 110 equipped with 4/0 VMC inline hooks, I managed 2 fish that were solidly hooked. Certainly not definitive, but it is encouraging. The topwater bite was almost nonexistent but I kept working it. So far, so good. I did add a 3" curly tail grub to the trailing hook. More testing is needed.

[RRocket]

A guy I know uses shrink strap on the rear hook. 

 

It points it straight out (almost like a trailer hook) and keeps it more weedless.

[Crow Horse]

Video clip of a bass jumping and trying to shake free of a Whopper Plopper 110 with 4/0 inline hooks

 

 

[IcatchDinks]

Not a bad bass, either. ?thanks for sharing.