single hooks on lures instead of trebles

[jungleboy]

How many of you guys switch out your treble hooks for singles on spoons and plug? I have done a few hooks in the past and they work fine.
I'm sick of battling with the trebles in the net, as well as the damage they can do to the fish. I don't understand why lure makes don't put singles on in the first place. I just ordered a hundred pk of hooks and intend to swap all my lures over to singles.

[OL_JR]

It depends on the baits and the fishing. Some of my favourite pike spinners come with double trebles and a lot of the time the pike hammer them so hard it's a gong show trying to unhook them so I'll either cut a hook off and fix the dressing or just go to single hooks. Same with crankbaits if a guy is on a good bite. If the fish are in a good mood I've started to switch to single hooks but still like the treble if it's a light bite. Takes little time to swtich between the two.

[Drewski Canuck]

Well since you asked .....

I run circle hooks, 4/0, 3/0, etc. Plugs don't stick on rocks, only fish.

You can only run two, and each has to face the opposite direction to balance the plug. Two facing the same direction wrecks the action.

The Circle hooks keep pike from getting deep hooked, and once stuck, they are really really stuck in the fish.

Drewski

[JareS]

Trebles and double trebles are great till that big fish you're intending to release (or required to release) inhales your lure into its gullet or gills.

A lot of the time the hooks that come on the popular lures are of inferior quality. I like Gamakatsu hooks

[old dog]

Have switched some out and work ok. Most of my hook sets are around the mouth and I release most of my fish at the side of the boat and never touch a net.

[cranky]

Funny i just switched out a few new Rap. CD7's and 9's today. I cut off the one in the middle and switch out the tail one for single siwash hooks. think thats how they are spelled.
Dont lose as many to snags and easier for me to C&R.

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Well since you asked .....

I run circle hooks, 4/0, 3/0, etc. Plugs don't stick on rocks, only fish.

You can only run two, and each has to face the opposite direction to balance the plug. Two facing the same direction wrecks the action.

The Circle hooks keep pike from getting deep hooked, and once stuck, they are really really stuck in the fish.

Drewski

That's interesting that you are using circle hooks . Most of the stuff I have read says circle hooks won't work in that application. Obviously they didn't actually try it.

[BPman]

Switching trebles off spinners and spoons is easy enough but some plugs depend on a certain weight of hook for their action. With these I have taken to weighing the trebles I take off and replacing them with a size larger single weighing close to that of each treble. A powder scale works perfectly for weighing hooks.

[coyoteman]

At a gas station in geraldton,to make conversation, i ask the kid on the pump,were to get a-some good fishing.He drew me a map.A wood bridge crossed a deep river on a back road,The 5 of diamonds with minnow quickly hooked a 10-12 lb pike--with needle nosed pliers,I had a hard time to unhook,for release.I soon cut off one of the trebles,and flattened the remaining barbs,A longstick on hand for the pike to bite on,while i detached the hooks.I releasedclose to 20 large pike.A large single hook would have been I think ideal---Pike are tough,for sure no casualties.

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by JareS

I like Gamakatsu hooks

I put a Gamakatsu on the end of most of my Rapalas and leave the triple treble on the mid section. Much easier to get out if a fish inhales the hook

[aulrich]

Lots of time the hook weight is required to make the lure run properly so be prepared to up size the hook

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by aulrich

Lots of time the hook weight is required to make the lure run properly so be prepared to up size the hook

This is good advice and can also be used to adjust the action on baits as well. Lighter hook will result in wider action or even blow out on baits designed to hunt. Opposite with heavier hooks and you tighten or nullify the action depend on the design

Personally I run singles on spoons and spinners but stick to trebles on crank baits/jerk baits. Swimbaits it depends on if it’s a light or heavy bite and how I am using them. Basically pick the hook I think will do the best job for how I am fishing

[dodger]

I have cut one of the three hooks off my trebles for the last 15 years. The double hook catches fish and are easy to remove from the fish..

Dodger.

[dodger]

BF27E05B-34A3-4A7B-AF98-9FF0B6CF8136.jpg

[walleyechaser]

It works well. Make sure to use the correct size hook as you will want the weight to be the same as the original treble. This means upsizing, which helps with hook ups anyway.

Siwash hooks are popular on spoons/cranks, but circles work well if you upsize correctly
Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[Stinky Buffalo]

I've been clipping my trebles as well, down to two, typically.

I like the idea of a large single hook on the tail section.

[Sooner]

On a plug or rapala, I take the front treble right off. Have a few go to spoons where I switched out the treble. All hooks have pinched barbs. I'm not keeping so I want a quick release with the best chance to avoid a multi hook or taken too deep.

[barbless]

If switching out hooks that have no split ring go with the siwash as they can be pinched on. Check the action and up size if needed. I have cut the middle hook off a treble and had good success and can adjusted nose ring on certain lures and have bent the front of some spoons to alter action that have a replacement to single hook. All the lures I use have the barbs pinched off (hence the name) but still have a lot that have not been washed in lakes yet. Before they get washed I pinch the barbs. Good advice and ideas here for sure. Thanks to all and keep em comin.

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I like the idea of a large single hook on the tail section.

Try it out, bet you don't go back. Makes pulling the hook ensuring a quick return to water much easier.

Like others have mentioned upsize the single hook

[catnthehat]

I have been clipping the downward hook on my trebles for many years, far less snagging on my diving plugs and the hook ups are still there .
My spoons get a single on the back
Cat

[cube]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

How many of you guys switch out your treble hooks for singles on spoons and plug? I have done a few hooks in the past and they work fine.
I'm sick of battling with the trebles in the net, as well as the damage they can do to the fish. I don't understand why lure makes don't put singles on in the first place. I just ordered a hundred pk of hooks and intend to swap all my lures over to singles.

I know this seems counter intuitive but generally trebles result in lower mortality. I was going to switch out my trebles for singles when a Member here (Levy http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=135017&page=2) posted on the forum that the biologist from Cold Lake had told him by going to singles he could actually be increasing fish mortality.

I did not necessarily believe it so headed down to my local university library where I accessed their Scientific research paper data bases and found that the biologist was indeed correct. Not only are trebles generally better but the more trebles on a lure the better.

I think Malchoff and MacNeil summed it up nicely

Malchoff,M.H.andMacNeill,D.B.(1995) their work published in Guidelines to Increase Survival of Released Sport Fish, Released Fish Survival Sport
Fish Fact Sheet. Cornell cooperative extension, Sea Grant.
"The use of treble hooks is usually associated with longer handling times and prolonged time out of the water. DESPITE THESE EFFECTS, MORTALITY RATES ASSOCIATED WITH TREBLE HOOKS ARE USUALLY (BUT NOT ALWAYS) LOWER THAN FOR THE USE OF SINGLE HOOKS.


Hence, I left my trebles on and use large lures as they are less likely to be taken deep.

Thank you for thinking of the fish and have a great season.

[cube]

Originally Posted by BPman

Switching trebles off spinners and spoons is easy enough but some plugs depend on a certain weight of hook for their action. With these I have taken to weighing the trebles I take off and replacing them with a size larger single weighing close to that of each treble. A powder scale works perfectly for weighing hooks.

The research has shown that single hooks can go further down into the fish and because the shaft to point distance is larger it can hook deeper into the fish causing mortal damage. (A brain infection is not likely recoverable).

I think I will have to try Drewski's circle hook meathod. I know they say that Circle hooks should not work for this purpose but it seems to work for him.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

How many of you guys switch out your treble hooks for singles on spoons and plug? I have done a few hooks in the past and they work fine.
I'm sick of battling with the trebles in the net, as well as the damage they can do to the fish. I don't understand why lure makes don't put singles on in the first place. I just ordered a hundred pk of hooks and intend to swap all my lures over to singles.

I don't switch them out on plugs, but I do switch them out on spoons and spinners, especially in my "bank box". Unhooking a squirrely pike can be tough at any point, but when one is waste deep in water and trying not to dunk their reel the single hook makes a big difference.

On hookups, I think there are days where I get a higher hooking percentage with trebles. That said, I think I get more solid hookups with the single hook and land a higher percentage of fish that I hook. Especially if one likes to flatten their barbs, the larger size and deeper bend of a larger single hook makes it harder for the fish to throw verses the smaller treble.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by cube

I know this seems counter intuitive but generally trebles result in lower mortality. I was going to switch out my trebles for singles when a Member here (Levy http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=135017&page=2) posted on the forum that the biologist from Cold Lake had told him by going to singles he could actually be increasing fish mortality.

I did not necessarily believe it so headed down to my local university library where I accessed their Scientific research paper data bases and found that the biologist was indeed correct. Not only are trebles generally better but the more trebles on a lure the better.

I think Malchoff and MacNeil summed it up nicely

Malchoff,M.H.andMacNeill,D.B.(1995) their work published in Guidelines to Increase Survival of Released Sport Fish, Released Fish Survival Sport
Fish Fact Sheet. Cornell cooperative extension, Sea Grant.
"The use of treble hooks is usually associated with longer handling times and prolonged time out of the water. DESPITE THESE EFFECTS, MORTALITY RATES ASSOCIATED WITH TREBLE HOOKS ARE USUALLY (BUT NOT ALWAYS) LOWER THAN FOR THE USE OF SINGLE HOOKS.


Hence, I left my trebles on and use large lures as they are less likely to be taken deep.

Thank you for thinking of the fish and have a great season.

While I am familiar with this theory, it has been contrary to my own findings. First of all I have not seen a greater tendency for the lure to be taken deeply. Second of all, in my experience, gill damage is a far more likely complication than brain damage, and in my experience single hooks have less tendency to cause gill damage. And thirdly one mostly avoids the all too familiar situation where both jaws are hooked shut, often transforming what should be a relatively simple release into a more complicated operation, usually making bringing the fish aboard and using jaw spreaders necessary at the very least.

I do think that theory probably has merit, depending on the species of fish, and the size of the lure/ hook that one is using, for instance catching species like bass on huge wide gap worm hooks. But for the species I fish for, and the size of lures that I am swapping hooks on, in literally thousands of fish I have not seen anything but positive results with single hooks, regardless of what the experts say.

[cube]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

While I am familiar with this theory, it has been contrary to my own findings. First of all I have not seen a greater tendency for the lure to be taken deeply. Second of all, in my experience, gill damage is a far more likely complication than brain damage, and in my experience single hooks have less tendency to cause gill damage. And thirdly one mostly avoids the all too familiar situation where both jaws are hooked shut, often transforming what should be a relatively simple release into a more complicated operation, usually making bringing the fish aboard and using jaw spreaders necessary at the very least.

I do think that theory probably has merit, depending on the species of fish, and the size of the lure/ hook that one is using, for instance catching species like bass on huge wide gap worm hooks. But for the species I fish for, and the size of lures that I am swapping hooks on, in literally thousands of fish I have not seen anything but positive results with single hooks, regardless of what the experts say.

Your probably correct for your situation , your catching much smaller fish than I am

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by cube

Your probably correct for your situation , your catching much smaller fish than I am

Lol, that's probably it. You'll have to give me lessons one of these days.

[Frank_NK28]

I change all my spoons and plugs to singles. I've been toying with the idea of swapping out my crankbaits to singles too.

[Lowrance Fishburn]

Just de-barb your trebles, get used to handling and holding all types of fish and get a set of long needle nose fishing specific pliers and you should not have any issues. I've had pike engulf hooks deep into their gills and gullet, but with proper handling and often the use of jaw spreaders you can get the hook out nice and easy with no bleeding and certainly no tearing of gills or innards - clean release. PRETEND YOU ARE A DENTIST

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Lowrance Fishburn

Just de-barb your trebles, get used to handling and holding all types of fish and get a set of long needle nose fishing specific pliers and you should not have any issues. I've had pike engulf hooks deep into their gills and gullet, but with proper handling and often the use of jaw spreaders you can get the hook out nice and easy with no bleeding and certainly no tearing of gills or innards - clean release. PRETEND YOU ARE A DENTIST

As I have pointed out, in this thread and others, there are other benefits to switching hooks over to singles. But yes, the ease of release is a big one.

[57charlie]

I've been using single hooks on all my lures for the past 30 years. I don't think I've lost any fish due to using single hooks during this time and it makes it so much easier to catch & release.