Removing rear hooks.

[Grey Wolf]

Does anyone remove the rear hooks on crank baits ?

If so , was your hook up rate affected ?

[justfishin]

No but, I find this interesting. The less " trouble hooks " the better for me. I don't do well with treble hooks. I get them tangled in everything, including me.  

[Johanv]

This is actually a very interesting topic and would love to see the replies of other users. But the problem I have with removing the rear hooks. Is what if you get a short strike. Where the fish just grabs the back of the crank bait. I have seen this happen before and mostly hook the fish up on the rear hook.

[BIG M]

I'm curious as to why anyone would want to remove the rear hooks to begin with.  I can see removing the belly hook due to hang up problems, but I can't see a functional purpose for removing the rear.  Please give me some insite.

[Randall]

I remove the rear hooks on lipless crankbaits and replace the front hook with a larger hook. One bigger hook will land more fish than two small hooks. Fish don't normally short strike a rattle trap anyway when the water is cool which is usually when I throw it most often. When it comes to big fish over six pounds it will cause your hook/land precentage to not only go up but skyrocket.

[hookem12_0]

I have before on rattletraps and cranks.  I dont anymore because I would rather loose a bait than lose a fish.

[bugman]

I may change to a EWG from a round bend but not eliminate either hook. Dose removing a hook effect the action of the crank? Have any of you guys replaced the rear hook with a worm hook?

[BIG M]

Nice tip for the lipless baits.  

Removing hooks should not affect the action of a bait.  

Here's a tip for cranks if you have problems with them catching grass and hanging up.  Remove one hook point from the belly hook, now the double hook should ride closer to the body of crank.  

[the ohh face]

When it comes to big fish over six pounds it will cause your hook/land precentage to not only go up but skyrocket.

How can you tell the size of the fish if you missed hooking it? Fish a lot of clear water?