single hooks for lures?

[ALLANM]

Hello. Can anyone recommend some single (or double) hooks as replacements for the trebles on my lures? I have read that changing to singles can reduce the chances of harming fish/finding snags etc but I've not seen any specific hooks recommended. Would be grateful for any suggestions......

[Ken L]

Yes.

Pluggin' Singles from Daiwa but they're not available in the UK.

Great for spinners intended for chub etc and have an oversized eye turned side on. This means that they sit point down when mounted as a belly hook on a plug and the eye is big enough for the hook to swing free on a split ring.

 

For bigger lures, some of the ring eye livebait singles sold for saltwater use might work.

 

Opinions vary on circle hooks, personally, I hate them and have watched fish take the lure several times without getting hooked.

[ALLANM]

Yes.

Pluggin' Singles from Daiwa but they're not available in the UK.

Great for spinners intended for chub etc and have an oversized eye turned side on. This means that they sit point down when mounted as a belly hook on a plug and the eye is big enough for the hook to swing free on a split ring.

 

For bigger lures, some of the ring eye livebait singles sold for saltwater use might work.

 

Opinions vary on circle hooks, personally, I hate them and have watched fish take the lure several times without getting hooked.

 

Thanks Ken, I'll see if I can find a source for the Daiwa hooks. I'm mainly using smaller spinners/plugs for chub/perch/trout so these sound ideal.

[ALLANM]

Ken, I've not had any luck in sourcing the Daiwa pluggin' hooks, any ideas? Can anyone recommend some that are available in the UK?. Are the eyes on regular size 8/10/12 single hooks (such as Drennan etc) big enough to get on to a split ring or do I need a specific type/brand of hook? Any help would be appreciated, cheers.

[Ken L]

I might have a pack left. If I get chance, I'll photograph the packet and hopefully you'll be able to trace them.

[Dick Dastardly]

Try buying some "Stinger Hooks" these have eyes big enough for you to slip them over another large single as on Spinner baits.You wont have a problem getting these on to split rings.

[Tim Kelly]

Unless the eye of the single is in line with the bend of the hook, unlike conventional hooks, I would expect they would make an already bad idea worse!

 

I really don't understand why hook hangers on lures are always angled in line with the body of the bait. If they were perpendicular to it a treble, or indeed single could be fitted to the split ring and would hang evenly. This would reduce the hook rubbing to some extent, and make "T"ing the hook better and would mean that the trebles were in a good attitude for maximum hooking with one point forward and two evenly spaced at the sides.

 

Probably doesn't make a blind bit of difference, but it has always irritated me!

[Peter Waller]

Some of us have had success using barbless sea circle hooks. Well worth trying but let the fish hook itself, striking is not needed.

[ALLANM]

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated as this is my first post! I think snipping one of the points off the trebles to turn them into doubles may be the best solution. The stinger and circle hooks only seem to be available in large sizes, not sure these would be suitable for the small lures (up to 15g) I'm using for chub and perch. The hooks on these lures are usually sizes 8, 10 & 12.

[Newt]

Gamakatsu makes their Octopus Circle hooks down to #8 but I think I'd go for #6 as a replacement for #10 and #8 to replace #12 trebles on smaller lures.

 

Clipping one of the hooks from a treble certainly can work but you might want to get a packet of the circles and try both methods.

 

I'm not overly fond of the really small treble hooks. They seem to usually have a lighter wire than I'm comfortable with so that when the occasional larger fish takes the lure, the hooks just aren't up to the task.