Pete-K Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I have about 100 baits I need to replace hooks on. These are from around 1987 to 1989, Some are AC Shiners, Bandets, The old first 20+ and a couple of the Baby - baits. Whole lot of wooden baits that were killer baits back then. These almost made me kill a person, He had looked at my Big Possom Belly tackle box. Then did not pull out the flip up cover on the front or snap down the top. Well even bad he had moved it out of the basement and rain had filled it full of water. Guessing it had to sit there for a couple of months before I got home and found it. There was around 300 baits in that box. Not junk, but baits I had faith in and could catch fish with. After digging through them all I threw away around 200 that has rusted the eyes off where they were not worth messing with. The rest has been stored and forgotten about, unit this evening. Came in from chruch and was hunting something else. When I stumbed upon the box that were placed in. So now that I have an intrest in bass fishing again. Plans are to add new hardward and good hooks. Pass some of them down to my grand son in a few years. Then some more down to the other grand son but hes only 1 LOL Plus fill up all 7 air brushes and paint part of them, in colors I have been dreaming about working up. Anyway back on point, Need to have a good ideal on the hooks that will not break the bank. But are worth adding to good baits. Guessing I will have to order 3 different sizes. So will just get 1000 of each and always use them to swap out some others I need to add good hooks to also. between these and the 375 Rattle Traps I have that also needs new hooks. That should keep me busy for a while. Pete Quote
BasskingKeith Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Mustad and Gamakatsu hooks are good. Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted January 12, 2012 Super User Posted January 12, 2012 Pretty much subjective. I replace my trebles with 4x for my freshwater lures and usually step up 1 size, as of late vmc has been my choice. I don't know who makes them but the stock hooks on mirrorlures are the best hooks I have ever used. Quote
FL_Sharpshooter Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I have about 100 baits I need to replace hooks on. These are from around 1987 to 1989, Some are AC Shiners, Bandets, The old first 20+ and a couple of the Baby - baits. Whole lot of wooden baits that were killer baits back then. These almost made me kill a person, He had looked at my Big Possom Belly tackle box. Then did not pull out the flip up cover on the front or snap down the top. Well even bad he had moved it out of the basement and rain had filled it full of water. Guessing it had to sit there for a couple of months before I got home and found it. There was around 300 baits in that box. Not junk, but baits I had faith in and could catch fish with. After digging through them all I threw away around 200 that has rusted the eyes off where they were not worth messing with. The rest has been stored and forgotten about, unit this evening. Came in from chruch and was hunting something else. When I stumbed upon the box that were placed in. So now that I have an intrest in bass fishing again. Plans are to add new hardward and good hooks. Pass some of them down to my grand son in a few years. Then some more down to the other grand son but hes only 1 LOL Plus fill up all 7 air brushes and paint part of them, in colors I have been dreaming about working up. Anyway back on point, Need to have a good ideal on the hooks that will not break the bank. But are worth adding to good baits. Guessing I will have to order 3 different sizes. So will just get 1000 of each and always use them to swap out some others I need to add good hooks to also. between these and the 375 Rattle Traps I have that also needs new hooks. That should keep me busy for a while. Pete I personally use the Mustad KVD Elite Trebles. Owners are good hooks too. As SirSnook mentioned, it's all pretty much objective. Pretty much subjective. I replace my trebles with 4x for my freshwater lures and usually step up 1 size, as of late vmc has been my choice. I don't know who makes them but the stock hooks on mirrorlures are the best hooks I have ever used. I'm pretty sure mirrolures use VMCs. Quote
A-Rob Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 You can get a lot of VMC roundbend/fairly wide gap trebles for $2-3. I have had no problems with the hooks. They are strong and sharp, held their point pretty good for me all season. Otherwise trebles at $6 for 4 of em can get expensive! Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 12, 2012 Super User Posted January 12, 2012 Katsuage is the best hook I have ever used: http://www.megabassusa.com/products/katsuage-out-barb-hooks However, VMC are great, easy to find, inexpensive and are marketed in a variety pack. Since you are replacing a lot of hooks, the VMC is probably your best bet. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 12, 2012 Super User Posted January 12, 2012 VMC Vanadium Inlines and Owner Stinger ST-36 are your best bets. I wouldn't replace 1,000 or more hooks at a time. Get rid of the rusted parts, and set up a few dozen of each that you want to use. Otherwise, You risk ruining another batch of hooks. The baits store better without their hooks anyway. Quote
Maico1 Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Another fan of Owner ST-36BC treble hooks. You probably will be using sizes 4 and 6 with more going to the size 4. I also keep spares on the boat at all times. Quote
FL_Sharpshooter Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Question for the people using the st-36s -- why not the 41s? Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 12, 2012 Super User Posted January 12, 2012 The Cutting points are better for bigger baits, and bigger game with hard jaw flesh. For average size cranks, the needle points penetrate bass jaws with little pressure. 1 Quote
bassin is addicting Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Gamakatsu's are a good value. and a great hook. IMO Quote
Tmmytomato Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Pick any of the hooks already mentioned and you'll be OK. The best dollar value might just be VMC. VMC makes an "INLINE X STRONG - VANADIUM that lays prefectly flat against the belly of the crankbait - not slightly offset like all the others. They also make an excellent ROUND BEND TREBLE and a BARBARIAN TREBLE. All VMCs are extremely sharp. The BARBARIAN 2X STRONG has a slightly longer shank than the other two. The Mustad KVD ELITE 2X SHORT, 1X STRONG and the Mustad Elite are both X strong and X short, making them ideal for crank baits. I like the KVD ELITE with the triple grip type bend for keeping hooked fish hooked. The priciest hook I use is the SpinTech 2X rotating hook. I have never yet lost a fish one these hooks. They don't allow the fish to get any leverage because they are free-spinning. But they are very pricey. You already have more than enough info from the other posts listed here - have fun! Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 12, 2012 Super User Posted January 12, 2012 The priciest hook I use is the SpinTech 2X rotating hook. I have never yet lost a fish one these hooks. They don't allow the fish to get any leverage because they are free-spinning. These are interesting. What I don't get about them spinning is usually BOTH hooks are in the fish. They wouldn't spin, but then I guess that isn't when you have risk losing them as much as if just one hook in them. Quote
Tmmytomato Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Generally, you are correct - both trebles are usually in the fish. But not always. We've all had short strikers caught only on the rear hook or a smaller (1-1.5# fish) that strikes from the side very near the boat and gets swung into the boat almost immediately, having been hooked only on the belly hook. No doubt that having said that, Murphy will show up in my boat next time out and his law will bite me. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 12, 2012 Global Moderator Posted January 12, 2012 I'm another guy that likes the VMC's. Great value hooks, $6.99 for a 25 pack at my local Cabela's. Mustad Triple Grip are good hooks also as are Gamakatsu. Quote
baluga Posted January 13, 2012 Posted January 13, 2012 Question for the people using the st-36s -- why not the 41s? The 41 are heavier, it uses a thicker wire. It changes the bouyancy of the lure. It will make your slow float lure to be suspending and the suspending lures to be slow sink. I use it when I want to change the float /sink rate of my LC and other stick baits. Also when using fresh water lures for saltwater species. 1 Quote
1234567 Posted January 13, 2012 Posted January 13, 2012 I may be the odd man out here but I now have switched all my cranks and topwater to Owner ST-41 1/0 2X strong. This has increased my hookup ratio times ten. So far, it hasn't really subdued the baits action and I havn't noticed a decrease in bites because of the big hooks. These have worked so good for me, I've thought about going to 2/0 for deep diving cranks. Every once in awhile the hooks grab each other on a cast but surprisingly not as often as you'd think. Last week out I threw a KVD squarebill with these hooks and fouled the hooks maybe 4-5 times in 8 hours. As stated above smaller lures will probably be affected more with these. Quote
River Rat316 Posted January 13, 2012 Posted January 13, 2012 I am a fan of both Owners, (big surprise I know) usually go with the 36 but have used the 41 on bigger baits and like em both. I don't throw hardbaits much anymore, but if I did would really be looking at switching every bait to an Owner Quote
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