Gary Roach's crawler tips in the Strib...

[DaveyG]

Saw this in the Strib:

http://www.startribune.com/531/story/589146.html

Tip #5 says to add a piece of crawler to the front treble hook of a crankbait. Uh, wouldn't that be illegal?

[T-ProGuy]

Why would that be illegal?

It actually can be a very effective way to make an artificial lure more enticing.

[nofishfisherman]

it would be the same as putting a minnow or minnow head on the jigging spoons in the winter. Nothing wrong with that.

[DaveyG]

I thought it was illegal to use live bait on a treble hook:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing2006.pdf

See page 10, the first bullet under "Angling Methods"

"Anglers may use only one hook. An artificial lure is considered one hook. A treble hook, when not part of an artificial lure, is considered three hooks and is not legal."

By adding a worm to the first treble hook of the crankbait, you'd be using live bait on the treble hook and that would make that hook NOT artificial, right? So it would be illegal. Have I got it wrong? What am I missing?

[UdeLakeTom]

Where does a crawler harness fit into that regulation?

Is it considered an artificial lure? Had somebody tell me that while trolling they are ok, but when you are shore fishing, it is using more than one hook.

[T-ProGuy]

The treble hooks are a part of the artificial...adding live bait does not change this. You may add live bait to an artificial lure.

[T-ProGuy]

In regard to the crawler harness, (as far as I understand it)as long as it has a spinner on it, even though it has multiple hooks, is legal. The spinner is what makes a rig with more than one hook legal.

A treble hook or series of treble hooks is legal provided that it has a spinner or some sort on it (like a quick strike rig).

[LuckyNorm07]

Quote:

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A treble hook, when not part of an artificial lure, is considered three hooks and is not legal."

---

The crankbait is considered a artificial lure.. there for it is considered one hook..

[DaveyG]

I get what your saying, and the way the regulation is worded, it makes sense that the crankbait would be considered artificial even if a worm is added to it. It just seems weird to me. I'm sitting here thinking about the regulation and the intention behind it. Why would a treble hook with live bait be illegal? I'm thinking because it makes catching fish easier and because it could make caught fish die more easily (the fish swallows the live bait and it's impossible to get the 3 hooks out). So why is it suddenly okay to bait the treble hook if it's attached to a lure? Wouldn't the combination of a lure and live bait be more enticing for the fish to bite than if the baited treble hook was by itself? So why does it become legal?

[nofishfisherman]

I am sure the reg is trying to ban people from putting a minnow on a treble hook and still fishing that under a bobber. This would give the fish some time to ingest the treble hook and cause trouble.

An atrifical lure is intended to be trolled or casted so the fish will not have the time to ingest the hook before the hook is set. Thats why I assume it is not illegal to have trebles on lures.

[DaveyG]

That makes sense. Thanks.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Ive heard people say that about tipping cranks and just cant believe it would make a big difference. I think the crank goes by them and they have just enough time to see the color of the lure and decided if they'll hit it or not. I cant see how a small chunk of worm is going to trigger them. Plus, whenever I get debri on my lure I take it off so it wont distort the action. I dont want to be adding anything.

[T-water]

Hey good discussion! My thought is often the fish follows a crank for a while the worm would probably give off a lot of scent probaly help to trigger a strike, I worry about the worm screwing up the swimming of the lure.

[BobT]

I wonder if the added change in action caused by the addition of the live bait could also trigger strikes.