Trailer Hook VS Just Using Longer Hook

[1984isNOW]

Is there any reason I shouldn't just use a 5/o Hook to make a spinnerbait instead of using a smaller Hook with a trailer hook?

[Bankc]

The option to remove the trailer hook and downsize.  A thinner gauge wire for easier hooksets.  A smaller hook is less likely to get hung up and easier to break free if it does.  And a trailer hook will probably trail further back to catch more short strikes.  

But I wouldn't think any of them are deal breakers.  And I've never fished a spinnerbait with a trailer hook.  Buzzbait, yes.  But spinnerbait?  Never had the need.  I'd be perfectly fine with the 5/0.  

[Pat Brown]

I've been finding that with a trailer hook on my buzzbait I get a LOT less bites.  When I downsize my trailer/skirt/profile instead of adding a trailer hook, I find that I get a lot more bites and thus opportunities to hook them but it is easier to pull it away.

 

I'm finding that night fishing is about the only time I'll ever put a trailer hook on a buzzbait.

 

On a spinnerbait I've never even considered it.  

[1984isNOW]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

The option to remove the trailer hook and downsize

The bigger hook is already a but if a downsize - from having a trailer hook. Seems like it would fall somewhere in the middle of average hook and trailer hook.

 

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

A smaller hook is less likely to get hung up and easier to break free if it does.

If any hook is easy to break it should not be put on any lute haha.

 

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

And a trailer hook will probably trail further back to catch more short strikes.

Which is the point of using a longer hook, but technically it's all in relation to skirt and blade placement as well, a longer hook with shorter skirt would equate to a trailer hook catching those short strikes. This would also lead to less snags without a dangling free swinging trailer hook.

 

2 hours ago, Bankc said:

I'd be perfectly fine with the 5/0.

This would be a 5/o larger than a typical straight shank spinnerbait hook, it seems the jig hooks for those are shorter by comparison in general.

 

56 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

with a trailer hook on my buzzbait I get a LOT less bites.

No trailer...

1 hour ago, Pat Brown said:

 it is easier to pull it away.

I feel like it makes my buzzbaits run strange sometimes, or my craws I've been putting on'em. Either way I'm hoping my homemade long hook (can add length through placement on wire) will balance out this issue.

 

I've hooked like 2 on a trailer hook all season, most times it's sideways on their face, I wonder if it's more in the way. I'm still thinking the long hook will make for good security.

[FryDog62]

Berkley's new Slobberknocker (chatterbait) and Power Blade (spinnerbait) have longer hooks for the specific reason of eliminating the need for a trailer hook. 

[Bird]

Never had the need for a trailer hook on a Spinnerbait or buzzbait BUT my fishing partner of over 40 years won't throw either without a trailer hook........go figure.

[LrgmouthShad]

I like smaller, stout hooks on my spinnerbaits. These hook more fish, hold more fish, and snag less than spinnerbaits with obnoxiously large or long hooks.

 

I do not believe there is any need for a trailer hook, unless you are fishing around spawning fish. 
 

I do like trailers sometimes, and admittedly more than I have in the past. Growing very fond of utilizing a zoom split tail trailer

[ironbjorn]

Where I fish spinnerbaits, a trailer hook is the worst modification ever.

[1984isNOW]

@FryDog62 those jerks stol emy idea

 

@Pat Brown also, I could downsize profile, while still using a hefty enough weight to zing it out there and using a bit larger hook and maintain that finessier presentation.

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I like smaller, stout hooks on my spinnerbaits. These hook more fish, hold more fish, and snag less

Do others agree? Anybody contend?

 

1 hour ago, ironbjorn said:

Where I fish spinnerbaits, a trailer hook is the worst modification ever.

How would you like a slightly longer hook but isn't free swinging and snaggy like a trailer hook?

[Zcoker]

I won't fish without trailer hooks on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, or chatterbaits. I've lost too many nice fish from not having a trailer hook. I like 2/0. Especially chatterbaits, I used to loose tons of fish on those. Not anymore. Can't recall a fished lost on much of any trailer-equipped bait. Ironically, no issues with snags either. I fish the everglades, mainly at night, yep, and not a worry in the world about getting snagged. Check out Pat Cullen, he's a big trailer hook advocate, catching thousands of 10 pounders, I'd be an advocate too! 

[1984isNOW]

@Zcoker so how would you feel about just using a longer shank hook? All else being equal a hook that is about the same length from jighead to bend of trailer hook?

[Zcoker]

54 minutes ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

@Zcoker so how would you feel about just using a longer shank hook? All else being equal a hook that is about the same length from jighead to bend of trailer hook?

 

You could try it, sure. I just don't trust spinnerbaits without some form of trailer hook. Spinnerbaits have a bad habit (usually a good thing) of attracting very large bass. Here in south Florida those fish are usually 7 pounds and up with over 10 pounds being very possible. No way I want to risk loosing a fish like that. Most of my comments come from direct experience because when I do bring up a fish that size with a spinnerbait, the trailer hook is the only hook that has them pinned tightly. Maybe it's the the free swinging nature of the trailer that keeps them pinned, that opposed to a rigid length. Some of the bass I've lost on spinnerbaits without trailers still haunt my memory. I can see them now, blasting out of the water with a white mouth the size of a basket ball, shaking and tossing that single hook spinner bait a country mile. After numerous scenes like that, I just made up my mind to always use trailer hooks. In fact, right now if I don't have a trailer hook on, I feel self conscious and naked and won't fish until I get one on. That's just me. Others may certainly differ. 

[LrgmouthShad]

I think a large part of this trailer hook/ longer hook debate may be driven by different styles of hook setting. Myself, I want to ensure that a bass has my spinnerbait engulfed before I swing. A tick or sudden misdirection is not enough reason for me to swing. Unless that tick is followed by some mushiness or sudden loss of feeling of the blades. Then I swing, but that’s a different sensation entirely. 
 

Now, I do think there are bass that are going to just slap the bait or not really commit to it. Y’all that throw trailer hooks and y’all that have a hair trigger when you set the hook, you may bring that fish in. I will not. I’m okay with that, because not jumping the gun, in my mind, helps me hook, hold, and land the fish better that truly commit to the spinnerbait. We each are going to miss fish. That’s part of fishing. But the fish we each miss will be for differing reasons, and I will be able to throw my spinnerbait in places that those throwing trailer hooks will feel mighty uncomfortable about. You will lose some fish because they may more often be poorly hooked. I will lose fish because I didn’t attempt to hook a fish that just slapped the bait, rather than try to eat it.

I know very well by now the type of sensations I’m feeling for when I’m fishing a spinnerbait that mean a fish has eaten my bait and is in position for me to swing. Sometimes that sensation comes so fast that there isn’t much of a pause at all. But I’m still feeling for it

 

[LrgmouthShad]

3 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Check out Pat Cullen, he's a big trailer hook advocate, catching thousands of 10 pounders, I'd be an advocate too! 

Pat Cullen fishes at night. Not a bad idea to use a trailer hook then. Bass just have a harder time fully getting something that’s moving. They still can get it, don’t get me wrong, but they are a little more challenged 

 

Is anybody thinking about how having a larger hook or utilizing a trailer hook is influencing how the spinnerbait runs? 

[Jar11591]

If I’m fishing where there is a high chance of pickerel bycatches, no trailer hook gets used. If I’m not expecting to catch pickerel, trailer hook every time. I see no downside to using a trailer hook unless around esox. 

[Zcoker]

1 minute ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Pat Cullen fishes at night. Not a bad idea to use a trailer hook then. Bass just have a harder time fully getting something that’s moving. They still can get it, don’t get me wrong, but they are a little more challenged 

 

Is anybody thinking about how having a larger hook or utilizing a trailer hook is influencing how the spinnerbait runs? 

 

Yes, he does and so do I. Even in daytime, I use them. Don't see any difference in the way they track with or without a trailer hook. Blade selection is a much bigger influencer for spinnerbaits, imho. 

[LrgmouthShad]

23 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

Don't see any difference in the way they track with or without a trailer hook.

The larger hook or trailer hook is going to pull the spinnerbait down from the bend. How much depends on the added weight, of course. To maintain the same running angle, then, you need to marginally increase the size of blades or marginally increase the speed of retrieve, as two options. 
 

All of this is fine. But it’s worth thinking about

[Zcoker]

Typical night bait that I modify for shallow running. It's all in the tinkering. Big main hook. Trailer hook not sneaky at all, as if saying, come and get me! Tracks perfectly well. Most of all it holds the fish like glue so I can net them. 

 

 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

That’s a great lookin SB

[Functional]

I dont think I've ever caught a bass with a trailer on a spinner or chatterbait. Not sure I even got any hits when using a trailer hook. 

 

Im the same breath I HAVE to have some kind of trailer on the spinnerbait. I get short strikes if not using one, odd...because the trailer hook would help here but cant get the strikes with it. 

[Pat Brown]

If they can see good, I'll skip the trailer hook and if they're missing it I usually feel more compelled to change my retrieve/weight/trailer action/profile/skirt color or something.

 

Super muddy water or darkness, trailer hook seems wise.  They're just not very accurate in the dark....or at least they're not as committed.

 

Another time I might use a trailer hook is if they want me to burn it hard.  

[ironbjorn]

18 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

@FryDog62 those jerks stol emy idea

 

@Pat Brown also, I could downsize profile, while still using a hefty enough weight to zing it out there and using a bit larger hook and maintain that finessier presentation.

Do others agree? Anybody contend?

 

How would you like a slightly longer hook but isn't free swinging and snaggy like a trailer hook?

I don't find that I get a lot of short strikers. It's definitely happened, but the times I've used a trailer hook in more open water, I've never felt the trailer hook made a difference. In my experience with a spinnerbait, the more cover the better (so no trailer hook) and they're going to eat it or they're not the vast majority of the time. However, we know bass fishing is weird and for some reason we all have different experiences. It may never make much sense why one thing works for one person but not another, even on the same body of water, fishing for the same fish. It's a very weird sport. All that is to say I don't find myself wishing for longer hooks. 

[1984isNOW]

Well... apparently one of you went blabbering about my idea to Berkley...

 

 

 

But at least I can feel validated that Berkley stole my idea, I'm on the right track haha

[Munkin]

Personally I use a trailer hook about 10% of the time and mostly at night. If the fish are short striking a spinnerbait during the day then they are interested but not totally commited. When this happens you need to make a slight change in speed, color, blade size? They like what they see but are hesitant for some reason? Last year I had bigger fish swallowing the bait blades and all so no need for a trailer hook. For longer than average spinnerbait hooks I recommend a Gamakatsu 550 or VMC 7250 hook.  These hooks are a little longer and IMO 4/0 is the best overall size unless you live in FL or TX.

 

Allen 

[Bazoo]

I fish both with trailer hooks and without. I make my own by using some trotline hooks I have with some clear tubing.

 

If I'm going to be throwing into some heavy stuff, I generally remove the trailer hook, but I will throw a spinnerbait or buzzbait that has a trailer hook into heavy stuff if I'm not in the notion to take the time to remove it. Like yesterday when I threw my buzzbait and spinnerbait, both with trailer hooks into a couple fall downs on the river I was fishing. No bites, I tangled up a couple times but worked free.

 

On Freeman Lake, which is heavily bank pressured. I've gotten a bass on a spinnerbait, on the trailer hook. I got a nice 5 pounder on a buzzbait, which had a trailer hook, but didn't utilize it. Prior to that strike. I had witnessed a smaller bass nip at my skirt and miss the hook, so I added the trailer hook.

 

I witnessed the same thing on 2 separate occasions a few weeks prior, when a bass nipped at my spinnerbait skirt but didn't get the hook. For these bass...I think a trailer hook is better. But I'll throw either, and I have spinnerbaits and buzzbaits rigged both ways.

 

Personally, I would use a normal short hook, and a trailer hook, rather than lose the versatility.