Jerkbaits!

[smalljaw67]

Those triple grips are good hooks. I haven't bought a new rogue in a long time (1996), so maybe the hooks have improved. I use mine until the paint is worn off, then I repaint them. You are right about some other companies also being guilty of cheap hooks, I just got 2 Bomber crankbaits, an A6 and a fat-free fry. The fry had really small, cheap wire hooks and the split rings were terrible. The A6 had really good hardware, and all the hooks need is a little red dye.

It is a shame that big companies making great lures go this route, I'm tired of buying treble hooks for baits but you are right about the rogues andd they are the bait that made me start buying trebles in the first place. There were times though when they used the Xcalibur rotating trbles but they rusted quick so you had to replace them but I always waited because any fish hooked with them stayed hooked and then the limited series had the gammies but so many other companies doing the cheap hook thing that you just have to replace them. Cabelas makes a really good alternative to the the X-Rap, it is called the Escape minnow but you need to change the hooks on those too as they are weak and bend and break pretty easily. At least the rapala VMC hooks are good enough that there is no need to change them out.