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[cool][blue][size 1]Most of us have experienced getting a lot more hits than hookups. Either that or losing a lot of fish before getting them in the net or on the ice, because the hook was not well planted.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]On some days fish seem to just nip at the tail on a lure, and drive us crazy trying to set the hook with nothing there. Savvy anglers often recognize this as a solvable problem and tie on a trailer or "stinger" hook. Bait fishermen also call it a "trap" hook, when rigged toward the end of a large bait.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have been having a few E-chats lately with mackologists who are trying different stinger hook rigs on large jigs, to try to get some iron in more macks. Seems like the fish are getting smarter and more adept at slurping bait off our jigs without contributing some exercise to the fisherman in return. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Guys that use stinger hooks rig them several different ways. Some simply tie a treble or large single hook on a piece of mono and then tie it on the main hook...with the right amount of mono to place the added hook where it will do the most good. Others use stainless wire or coated cable with crimps.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have successfully used a short length of heavy dacron line...left over from fly line backing...to premake several trap hooks with loops on the ends. After slipping a tube over the jig head, I add the stinger hook and hold it in place with a piece of rubber band or a bit of "recycled" plastic bait.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Strangely, the use of add-on hooks at the front of the lure can sometimes be just as effective as tieing on a stinger hook at the rear. Many predatory species are known for attacking their prey headfirst...to kill them quickly. I have even added a free spinning treble on the front of buzzbaits in the past, to catch bass that were hitting the bait from the front and missing the regular hook.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Thought it might be a good discussion to get other guys' thoughts and ideas on using stinger hooks. Where and when do you use them? How do you rig them? When do you prefer single hooks to trebles? Do you prefer mono, braid, cable or wire? Any other thoughts and observations?[/size][/#0000ff]
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[cool][blue][size 1]It ain't cool to reply to your own post, just to get it back to the top. But, in some PM's with Kent earlier in the day, I promised I would whup up some tube jig heads with a second hook molded into the front, to hang those fishies that bite from the head end. Here's the pics.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have two molds (See Pic) that allow me to mold in a stinger hook, with the large eye for going over the main jig hook barb. I slip this on the main hook before clamping the main hook in the mold. On one of the molds, the second hook simply rides up through the pour hole. On the other one, I had to use a hack saw blade and a small file to cut in a notch for the stinger hook to fit during the casting process. If you punch up the size on the mold pic you can see not only the notches but that I drilled out the hook eye cavity to take larger hooks too.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I originally altered that mold to allow me to add a piece of wire...for a "Tuberunner"...a roadrunner spinner blade addition on a tube jig. That piece of wire could also be used to attach a treble or single stinger hook.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]When the double hook tube jig is molded and cooled, the second hook is in there very solidly. It now looks like the ice jigging spoons made by Rapala and other ice lure manufacturers. If you should hook a fish on the front hook, it would play just as if you hooked it on the main hook.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The bottom of the second pic includes some options for rigging stinger hooks on the back. You can use wire, dacron, mono or coated wire with crimps. I couldn't find my crimps to make a sample for the pic. You can also use the stinger hook on the main jig hook, just like on a bass jig or buzzbait. Be sure to secure it with a piece of rubber tubing, rubber band or piece of plastic worm after adding the large ringed hook over the barb of the main hook.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Hope this provides some ideas for those who have needed help in hanging the sneaky ones.[/size][/#0000ff]
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Those pics are a very interesting rig-up. How ofter do you nail one with the stinger?
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[cool][blue][size 1]Obviously, you don't rig with a stinger setup on every trip. When the fish are "normal" and active, they act like they are supposed to...and hit the bait and get the hook most of the time. You bring out the sneaky stuff only when you are getting bit but not getting "bent".[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]Every angler has their own ideas about how to rig and what works best when. If you guess right most of the time, you will probably catch more fish than the guy who fishes the same way on every trip throughout the year.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]How often do you catch fish on the stinger hooks? I thing anybody who has used them (PROPERLY) will have stories of going zero for a whole buncha bites until they rigged a stinger hook...followed by hooking almost every fish that hit...mostly on the new setup.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Since rigging a stinger hook involves more time, tackle and potential snarling of gear, I do not bring out that stuff unless I feel it is the only way to teach those pesky bait stealers a lesson. You can get lots of tangles of stinger hooks around the line, etc., if you fish the stinger all the time...just because.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Bet you already knew that.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I'm into stingers. They can make the difference some times. 'Dude you have a great assortment of ways to rig them, that's for sure. Thanks for sharing the informative post and pic.[/size][/font]
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That is one great assortment of ways to rig a stinger hook. If one of those ways won't work that it aint meant to be.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]One more thing about stingers. They can be, literally, be deadly to a fish. A stinger sometimes gets taken deep and causes substanial damage to a fish. I've seen macks on the gorge caught with a trailer treble stinger, like the ones shown, and the fish were pretty messed up. Use'em if you need'em but if you're a catch and release kind of guy, know there is more of a chance with a trailer stinger to do damage to fish.[/size][/font]
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While I do agree that at times a stinger hook will do some damage to a fish because it takes it deep, I have also found that without a stinger walleye and some bass and the wiser trout will short strike your lure and you miss them, I believe its just another tool in your arsenal to take advantage of when the going gets tuff, and the fish dont want to play fair. [  ]
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i know one thing and i havent figured out the answer yet. the jig with the added hook on the end of the other hook through the eyelet does not work for our kind of jigs. makes it swim weird and it wraps. i want the extended hook behind since short strikes are the most common missed hookups. i think i will need to custom make some hooks with larger eyes and a smaller hook curve. and do some kind of tack weld to the main shaft of the hook on the jig. any other ideas?
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[blue][size 1]Don't get nervous, X. We would never suggest you try casting the "double-ender" jig...with hooks fore and aft. That is strictly for vertical presentations...either through the ice or from a boat or float tube. There are times when the fish smack the jig head on, and those front hooks get more solid hookups.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]As far as the trailing hook, think about using wire, not welding. A .020 stainless wire extension can be easily wrapped onto the shank of the jig hook before "dressing it" with the feathers or fur. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have attached a pic of one of my "spinner butt" jigs that includes a small spinner blade at the rear. That could just as well be a hook...single or treble.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you have never worked with wire, it can be "interesting" to learn the little tricks. I do not have any of my famous "writeups" on that subject, but I can put together a quick one, with some pics, if you would like to introduce some wire rigs into your own line of custom jigs. The wire is cheap, and you only need a couple of inexpensive tools to make loops and cut the wire properly.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I really think the wire idea would be a lot easier and offer greater options than custom making hooks or resorting to welding or soldering. And, it is almost impossible to find "trailer hooks" in sizes smaller than 1/0. These are the hooks with the large eye, for hooking onto the back of bass jigs, spinnerbaits or buzzbaits. That's what I had in my pic. You would probably want something a lot smaller, and you can use whatever size you want on wire.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]By the way, a heavy piece of mono would probably work just as well as the wire, for your needs. You would just pretie the hook you wanted, then fit the mono to the right length and wrap it down on the shank. Once the trailer hook mono is anchored, you finish the jig. I can make a couple of prototypes for you if you like.[/size][/#0000ff]
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the wire idea might work great. i am thinking of a solid flow on the hook in the rear. what i mean is that it stays perpendicular with the hook on the jig. and doesnt twist. ill try the mono with a hook first and see what happens. i tried the stinger before with the eye of the hook over the other hook and just didnt quite work the way i wanted it to. thanks for the ideas tube.
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Just curious as to how you use the stinger with the wire leader do you hook it to jig hook or to the eye. Also do you make them or can you buy them premade. I am also have problems with hooking lake trout and i have been using a few jigs made with the stinger hook with good sucess but my favorite tubes dont have them so i need to modify them.
thanks
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[blue][size 1]Yeah, rigging stingers on a tube is trickier. In the pic, I show some premade stinger rigs...from mono and dacron to wire. BLM and IFG have been playing around with a new design using crimped cable wire.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you are comfortable working with wire, you can whip out quite a few in advance of your trip. I attach the hook directly to the wire, but you can just make a loop and add a split ring when you are finished. Next, measure the length of the wire you will want trailing behind the jig hook. It should allow for the stinger to just extend to the ends of the tube skirt. Now bend and wrap another loop...just large enough to fit over the jig hook.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Make several lengths, if you use different sizes and styles of tubes. Put the tube over the jig head first, then the proper length stinger hook rig. To keep the loop on the wire from slipping back over the jig hook, run the hook through a small piece of plastic worm, or even a small chunk of rubber band.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]It takes some playing around and experimentation to get it just right.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you want to go for a single hook stinger, you can use a plain old baitholder bait hook...with the down eye and the little barbs on the back. You can snell it onto mono easily...or make a few turns around the shank with the wire after running it down through the eye. I use this method for making single hook spinners (see attached pic). I always overwrap the wire wraps with some heavy fly tying thread and finish it with chenille or jig paint...a little color doesn't hurt.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you need more pics or a diagram, shoot me a PM and I will try to whip something up for ya. And, NO I do not think they are commercially available. That falls into the category of personal creativity and craftmanship.[/size][/#0000ff]
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