Swapping out trebles

[Castinski]

Does anybody swap out the treble on jigging spoons, such as a buckshot or forage minnow, for a single hook? Is there any advantage to doing this in certain situations? I've seen plenty of dropper rigs with single hooks, but I'm not even sure why those don't use trebles. I suspect that single hooks could increase hook penetration on the hookset or perhaps help to get those shy fish to cooperate a little better.

Ideas?

[Chode2235]

I have done it on a few of my jigging spoons. Particularly on my Crocodile spoons, I find the ones that come with them are dull.

I will also switch out ones if they get dulled up from snags, or if they get a bit rusty over the summer.

I like to change them out with the Mustad light wire trebles. I really like these hooks, but I am sure other mfgs make light wire hooks as well.

[Northlander]

I have done it and found no better hook up %. I did however find that when I increased the treble 1 or 2 sizes bigger and went to a thinner wired hook I did get more hook ups.

On Lake Superior a lot of guys, including myself, have played with the single hooks during open water on trolling spoons. The theory there is that once hooked the fish cant thrash and tear their mouths open against a single hook as easy as they can a treble. Big difference is bringing in 100' or more of line with a fish on it in open water trolling VS the short lines we do ice fishing.

Oh and the hook ups ice fishing are almost always vertical. In current a bit less of course but not much out of vertical.

This is a great question and Im curious to hear others thoughts/experiences.

[mainbutter]

During the fight I have always had more fish throw a treble hook than throw a single hook, regardless of lure or bait style.

My best hookups come with thin-wired J-hooks

however.. Much of my fishing is done with thick-wire treble hooks. % of missed hits is low, and the thick wire lets you muscle the fish a bit more without worrying about bending your hook out.

[ozzie]

in-fisherman ice tv was talking about this the other day and they stated that they switch to a single hook at times as it is easier for the fish to inhale the single hook opposed to the treble hook.......makes sense if you have a fincky fish trying to inhale the bait rather than attacking the bait.

[Rippinlip]

I have switched out trebles with single red hooks when the bite gets tough.

I do not know if it the red or the single hook. I will change to different colors too.

I also just change out the trebles with colored trebles once in a while just to change it up.

I guess it is more of a confidence thing or change, not sure if it actually changes the percentage I hook up with.

[hydro]

I use both concepts. On some lures, I switch to a Siwash type single hook and have great results on hook set and retention. Especially with crappies and perch. Much easier to unhook the fish as well. I will also swap the thin wire trebles to 2X strong style round bend treble hooks. They seem to work as just as well as the thin wire hooks, and they survive the pliers when unhooking fish. Less time spent fixing things between fish when the bite is on.

[Ed Carlson]

Trebles on droppers tend to tangle more, so the single hook is more often preferred.

What is not often tried, but does work very well in my experance, is tiny circle hooks on droppers.

I go a little longer on the dropper than normal..up to 6"...and I often use a fathead minniow pinched off about half way down the body, with the air bladder still intact.

This allows the bait to float up a bit and I beat the Buckshot or whatever weighted jig I added to the dropper just to get it on the bottom.

I then lay the dropper/bait on the bottom and watch the Vex close for a sneaky scrounging sumo perch or walleye to slip in to slurp up the offering.

I do not set the hook, I just lift it to test for weight, and then I reel if the weight is there. A real good trick on deep bottom hugging fussy perch.

[PerchJerker]

It's not very often I replace a treble hook with a J style or Siwash hook. But there are many times I'll replace a treble with the next size larger treble hook.