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I know many of you replace the hooks on your crankbaits, spoons, spinners, etc. I have several that I need to replace now due to being bent or just general use and wear and tear. I have replaced many in the past, but I usually just got whatever ones I could find and they were generally adaquate.
I am thinking of replacing the old ones with red hooks because of some things I've heard from different fishing buddies(they could have been just BS-ing), but, I myself ,have not noticed much difference with the lures that I have that originally came with red ones as far as being more productive or having better hook-up precentages(maybe they came with a cheaper version). I figure the high quality replacement hooks would be sharper and stronger, but, also more expensive.
Have you had any experience with them and did you think they were worth the extra expense ?
So, I was wondering what kind of hooks you've used and where do you generally get them ? Are they available locally ?
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]VMC Barbarians! Gamakatsu and Excaliber make great hooks too.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Viner Hand ITC"][#ff4040][size 3]I once read an article in In-Fisherman that said red hooks on cranks seem to attract more fish. They said to jus put one red hook on the front. It was supposed to make the bait looke like it was injured or something like that. I have yet to try it because i usually only fish with jigs.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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There have been times when wiperslayer and I have used the same lures and the only difference was the red hooks on his lure. I can't say it makes a difference every time but they have worked for him. I went to Sportsmans the other day and bought several different size treble hooks. I think they were 2 to 3 dollars for 5 or 6 hooks. WH2
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I've switched several cranks over to red hooks and I don't think the difference is night and day, but on days when the fish are inactive there may be some subtle advantages. More important than color though is size, especially with suspending baits. If the new hook causes a suspender to sink then you've ruined the advantage of that bait. If the new hook allows it to rise you can add suspention dots (little lead sticky weights) to return the lure to neutrally bouyant. Even hooks of the same size can have a difference. New hooks can also change the rate at which floaters and countdowns rise or fall. It's important to check all cranks in the sink or tub after switching hooks before returning them to your tackle box.
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Hey Guys - thanx for the input !
fairwayphilly,
Funny you should mention that - about the size. I changed out some hooks a few years ago on a crank bait that I really liked and had lots of success with before, and afterwards it was never the same and has never produced anything since. The hooks looked like the right size, but I've always thought that somehow I changed the action of it by replacing the hooks. It seems to swim about the same as it did, but I really can't say for sure and looking at it as I pull it beside my boat I can't tell if the action is the same as it was - at the time it look all right to me, but apparently it doesn't to the fish. I'll probably have to buy another one just like it to test out the action of it and to see if I can more closely match the size, shape and weight of the original hooks. I saw on the Cabella's web site that they do have replacement Rapala hooks - maybe the one in Lehi carries them.
Anyone know what hooks might match the original aluminum looking hooks on a Producer ? I have several of those that are bent, and they don't make them anymore - I think.
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You can still replace the hooks on your producer with new ones. The reason they are all straight is because they were cheap to start with. You just need to watch the rate of fall before and after you change them. If they are floaters and they still float then you're fine. If they are countdowns you may simply have to adjust the rythem of your count (slower or faster). It's the suspending baits that I've had a real problem with in the past. When dealing with suspenders error on the side of lighter hooks, it is much easier to add weight than to remove it. By all means don't let this info detour you from upgrading hooks, just be aware of possible hiccups in the process.
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Thanx again fairwayphilly,
Actually some of the lures I want to change out are diving ones and suspending ones - so, your info is very timely. The one that I ruined when I changed the hooks was a diving lure - it still dives but I have no idea as to the depth it goes now and the only thing I am sure of in regards to that particular lure is that it no longer catches fish anymore like it used to.
However, the Producers that I need to change are floaters, and I know that they came with cheapo hooks - they even looked cheapo-depot and dull from the start. But, they did work for a while untill I caught a few larger fish with them, then the hooks bent real bad or straightened out.
Looks like another opportunity to experiment with the trial and error method - or, as I have learned to call it - the S.W.A.G. principle(Scientific Wild A** Guess).
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Most of, if not all Rapala's use VMC hooks. I know Cabela's have them in their catalog.
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I bought some Northland jigs here in town the other day, and they came with red hooks.
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