No More Trebles

[Andy Macfarlane]

I answered a question on another forum and wrote the following. I think it sums up my feeling on trebles.

 

If I was using singles for deadbaiting and I missed fish, I'd be wondering was it the hooks, was it the barb, are my hooks big enough, are they too big, would trebles have caught me that, was it the pattern of the hook, was the throat deep enough, do I need a wider gape???

Argggggggh!!! No, I'm not putting myself through those kinds of thought processes. If I'm not 100% confident about my cast in any way, I'll pace the bank and wear a hole until it's sorted. I don't want to be wondering if I would have caught a fish, had I been using different hooks. I know trebles work. They've been tested by far betters pikers than I'll ever hope to be, for decades and that means I can think about other aspects of my fishing. More important aspects of my fishing, like location, presentation, bait and suchlike.

[Newt]

If I'm not 100% confident about my cast in any way, I'll pace the bank and wear a hole until it's sorted.

So if you miss a good take, you then quit using that style rig or that style hook?

 

Half the fun for me is trying new combinations or (hopefully) improvements on the old ones. Some work, some don't, all were fun to try. I enjoy new baits, new lures, modifications to old lures, new waters, new electronics, etc. and since I don't eat what I catch, I don't worry overmuch about missed fish.

 

I do worry about damaging fish though and will discard any tackle that seems to cause overmuch of that.

[Andy Macfarlane]

So if you miss a good take, you then quit using that style rig or that style hook?

 

Half the fun for me is trying new combinations or (hopefully) improvements on the old ones. Some work, some don't, all were fun to try. I enjoy new baits, new lures, modifications to old lures, new waters, new electronics, etc. and since I don't eat what I catch, I don't worry overmuch about missed fish.

 

I do worry about damaging fish though and will discard any tackle that seems to cause overmuch of that.

 

Cor, you got all that from one little statement? Not quite lol. I went through a lot of trebles looking for the pattern I'm happy with. I know it works, I'm confident in my unhooking skills and I catch my fair share of fish. If I don't have a problem with my choice, why would I want to make life difficult and start on another quest to find a hook, to solve a problem that I didn't have in the first place?

I like trying new ideas, bits and bobs and all manner of things too but I leave that for places like my local ressie. It's only down the road so I can try new ideas, bits of tackle and all manner of things. The species are smaller but they at least give me an idea that a new rig or a new item of tackle might work on the big fish waters. If something works, it goes into my 'proper' kit.

When I then go on a long haul session up the Highlands or something, I'm not going to start experimenting with new ideas. I've just spent a lot of cash getting to where I am. I'm going to use what I know has been tried closer to home, works and isn't something that might work.

I don't go fishing to experiment. I go fishing to catch fish.

[Newt]

No reason to change if you 're happy with what you have.

 

I guess you wrote one thing and I read another. Always a worry with forums where all you can do it put on words with no expression and usually, without knowing the other person.

 

I don't go fishing to experiment. I go fishing to catch fish.

It may be an age thing or maybe just me but I love to experiment and if I catch, that just adds to the fun. I think there was a time when the catching was more important though.

 

At the end of the day, we all fish to have fun and 'fun' will certainly not be the same for all of us.

[five bellies]

Where abouts you been livebaiting for the bass Leon, was it also over reefs or wrecks, anything of any size, any photo's regards bass mad barry, specially with live bait.

 

Never tried pout before as i have difficulty in catching them.

 

 

I beg your Pardon ?

[Leon Roskilly]

Took a mate down the Rother today.

 

He was first in, on his first cast, with a fish around 5lb taken with a circle hook in the scissors. Being unfamiliar with circles, it took him a little longer to unhook it than I manage now (there is a knack to rolling a circle hook out).

 

He then had another, lost at the net.

 

I had one of around 6-7lbs, the only take I had on deadbait, again hooked in the scissors, and unhooked quickly without having to open its mouth.

 

I then had another on a Toby lure (with single treble), great fun, hit the lure hard just as I started to wind in and convinced me I had a double for a while, staying down deep and putting a real bend into the rod, but only around 5-6lbs.

 

I had another about 8lbs on the Toby, which managed to unhook itself in the net, when the treble caught in the mesh, then swim over the edge of the net. Not sure I can count that one - cheeky little blighter!

 

I changed the treble on the Toby to a circle, but had no further takes

 

My mate's alarm bleeped, then nothing. Then it bleeped again and he wound into a double, taken on a snap-tackle with trebles.

 

The bottom treble was only just visible, almost in the gullet, and I took over unhooking at his invitation.

 

Cursed the hook with three points, but got it out OK, and the fish swam off strongly despite having been out of the water a little bit longer than I was really comfortable with.

 

He then hooked into another, probably larger fish, but lost it at the bank (again on the rod with trebles).

 

Two others fishing down there had several fish, and lost several at the bank, despite using conventional trebles on snap tackles and lures with traditional trebles.

Edited October 22, 2008 by Leon Roskilly

[Neil G]

Sure we've all lost fish with trebles and singles, I see that as just part of fishing really never going to be certain they'll hold or not.

 

TBH I tend do to loose the most fish (some good ones too) on lures with trebles but this may be due to flattening the barbs

[Leon Roskilly]

Sure we've all lost fish with trebles and singles, I see that as just part of fishing really never going to be certain they'll hold or not.

 

TBH I tend do to loose the most fish (some good ones too) on lures with trebles but this may be due to flattening the barbs

 

Most fish are lost 'at the bank'.

 

The reason is that the rod is held high at this stage, so cannot act so efficiently act as a cushion, and especially if using mono, there isn't so much line out to cushion a sudden surge.

 

Added to which, the fish is likely to panic as it sees the angler/net and thrash in desperation.

 

 

And the angler is off balance, net in one hand, rod in the other.

 

A couple of things that can be done is firstly to recognise and be consious of the precariousness of this stage. Loosen off the clutch as the fish comes towards the bank, and be fully prepared to drop the net, lower the rod, and let the fish go on another run if it wants too.

 

I like getting a fish in as quickly as possible. But if it then uses that surplus energy thrashing about in the net and on the bank, delaying swift unhooking, it will lead to less losses and less stress if the fish is played out before coming to the net (but not on a small still-water on a warm Summer's day!)

 

Most important of all is for the angler to recognise how critical those last few moments are, the factors working in favour of the fish and its last sudden desperate thrashing, and the need to be prepared and alert, and not overly excited at having the catch just inches from the edge of the net.

 

Be prepared to let it go away if that's what it wants, and fewer fish will be lost at this final stage.

[Anderoo]

As promised, I'm going to give circle hooks a go at the weekend for perch and pike on the Thames. I'll report back

 

Quick question - is crimping OK or does the crimp get in the way when tightening up?

 

I've just had a thought about this - as the hook engages when the line is tightened against the fish, does this mean it's possible to create the first effective self hooking rig for pike? Or would the resistance of a lead not be enough to pull the hook into the scissors?

Edited November 6, 2008 by Anderoo

[Andy Macfarlane]

I suppose you could just tie a trace directly onto your line with a bit of rig-tubing, on either end of the swivel and then just attach a 4oz weight to the swivel with a paperclip. You could quickly turn a wobbling rig into a bolt-rig, if you fancied a seat, while you had a sarnie or a spliff or something.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Andy Macfarlane