Spoon Hooks (singles)

[AtticaFish]

Got in some small (1/8 oz) casting spoon blanks on a whim. Some will be used for spoon-droppers vertically, but others to troll and slow retrieve. Want to avoid trebles if i can to keep out of snags... figure a single hook attached with a split ring 'should' ride hook point up. Works in my head anyway.

My dilemma........... i need some hooks with large enough eyes to fit a #2 split ring. Looking for them in sizes #4 & #6 if possible. I do not want cheap wire aberdeen hooks that have the potential to bend out - my target will be crappie with them, but large walleye, bass and catfish are welcome on my line and i would not want to loose them to a cheap hook. What model/style should i be looking for?

I did order some (on sale) Mustad UltraPoint BLN Siwash (#2) hooks but they have open eyes that i was not expecting. oops! They do have large enough eye holes for the split rings and i can close them with a pinch of pliers, but would like some smaller and with CLOSED eyes if possible.

Maybe i am just thinking this one to death...... :huh:

 

[Hawnjigs]

Well, I personally didn't have good luck with singles on spoons, so...
http://www.barlowstackle.com/Mustad-7826-Double-Hook-P506.aspx

The Gami doubles are as PERFECT as I've seen but the shipped cost was horrific.

 

[Bucko]

I was going to recommend those as well. Relatively cheap too. There's a trout fisherman I know that uses those on his spoons and he dresses them too. He uses thin wire to secure the gap then ties onto the wire.

 

[AtticaFish]

The double hooks are a good suggestion - thanks. Both hook points should stay up and off any bottom snags. Going give some of them a 'candy' coating so will post them up when they are done.



Hawnjigs - No luck with singles on spoons...... that's not what i wanted to hear, but can kind of remember a discussion about that once now that you mention it. Can't remember if was you on this forum or a different one. Wonder why you would get less hook-ups on fish with them? The vast majority of jigs only have a single hook and they hit home quite well. Could the split ring be causing the hook to be pushed away to easily on a strike? Something would have to cause the missed strikes. Hmmmm.........

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished spoon. Double hook makes sense. I might have to check out some casting spoons,have some jigging spoons that I havn't touched yet other than painting them. What about clipping a hook off a treble for the double hook?

 

[quivira kid]

I have used Mustad 3366's and Mustad C49S scud fly hooks before for ice fishing...

 

[Bucko]

as far.as hookups.on a single hook goes, I have my own theory. in my experience I have seen fish strike my spoon and most doe it in a swiping motion, where as a jig.they suck it it. when the single hook is fluttering behind there is no way to know from which direction the fish will strike. if at the moment it strikes your hook is facing the opposite way, the hook could blow through its mouth and not get hooked. when you use a treble or a double you always have a hook point in the right position. just my thoughts and experience. I.used to use singles in place of trebles on muskie spoons and on rear hook jerk baits to help keep the weeds off, but missed too many fish on good bites. switched them back now and have better hook up ratios again.

 

[Bucho]

Lot of single hook spoon fishing over here.:icon14:

I tend to go a little overboard with hook quality, for my summer/autmn seatrout spin fishing I like teflon coated carp hooks. Other than that, VMC Seawash are my first choice. What they grab, they land, period. However there´s other hooks such as the Owner S-61 and the Gamakatsu LS-3423F if you prefer closed hookeyes, although the seawash over here are mopstly closed, too.

With the snags - I frequently let the lure make a full drop into the sea weed to put deceicive pressure onto following fish. I therefore tie a piece of 15-20lbs mono over the hook gap to make them weedless. Works like a charm.

Then again, seatrout chase the lure and hit multiple times if not hooked at first. Never been fishing for crappie though, dunno what they would do.

 

[AtticaFish]

Thanks for the input all... going to try them a couple different ways.

Crappie have very large mouths so i think the larger hooks should work but we will see. The #8 (suggested size for the spoon) seems smaller than what i thought it would be. New to buying hooks other than a few jigs hooks and lots of fly tying hooks.

Quivira Kid - The Mustad 3366 does barely fit on a #2 split ring but does not go over the doubled up wire of the split ring and move smoothly. They might work. Have a couple options now.

 

[quivira kid]

Would an octopus hook do any good? I have never tried them for that purpose....

 

[Hawnjigs]

From experience, a swing hook loose on a fastener and a hook imbedded in a casting perform very differently on hooksets. Also from experience with swing hooks, a double will hook up more often than a single, and a treble more often than a double.

On the other hand, especially in heavier castings, a fixed hook might be more easily thrown than a swing?

If avoiding bottom snags is tantamount, try a single circle hook and report back.

 

[papaperch]

Without seeing how big spoon is hard to accurate to comment on. However I can almost assure you predator fish have no trouble vacuuming an 1/8 oz of weight. Regardless if it is fish flesh , metal spoon , or leadhead jig. I have seen crappie suck chubs down that had to weigh as least 2 oz.

I have landed large fish of all species on thin wire hooks. But I don't use off brand hooks. Mustad , Eagle Claw and VMC have all performed well for me on larger fish. In fact if I had to guess I would say over half of all the fish I have caught in my lifetime have been on a # 4 aberdeen hook of some type. A walleye fanatic friend of mine preferred a bait holder # 8 hook for walleye. Watched him land some mighty nice walleye on those small # 8 s.

Quality of the hook is of prime importance. Look at some of the huge trout caught on those teeny fly hooks.

I like the double hook myself but the only place I use them is on blade baits. Like the heddon sonar and the Vibee. I remove the trebles that come on them and replace with doubles. Reason for this has nothing to do with hooking ability. It just gives one less hook to catch on the edge of an ice hole. It does not entirely prevent it but it sure helps. Watching a 4lb or bigger walleye get off your bait because the hook catches the rim of the ice will bring most ice fishermen to tears.

Spoons belong in every fishermans arsenal though. As I have seen on camera nothing calls the fishes attention the way a spoon does for vertical fishing. No guarantee they will smack it but it will pique their interest. Seen spoon action draw them in and then they would hit a deadsticked bait in the next hole. As we all know first you have to get their attention.

 

[creekychub]

I've had great success replacing the treble hooks on kastmasters, jigging spoons, and crankbaits with VMC 9171 hooks . I've used sizes 6, 4, 2, and 1. They also make a size 8. 2X strong with a large eye, should be right up your alley...




View attachment 5

 

[Hawnjigs]

Interesting that the closed eye 9170 appears to be only available in large 5/0+ sizes.

Fun size wiper - arguably the best fighting USA inland species for its size. Caught on...?

 

[creekychub]

Couldn't agree more about the wiper!! Caught this one (and many others) long line trolling a Berkley "Flicker Shad" crankbait with single hooks instead of trebles and and extra split ring to make the hooks run in-line with the bait (and acting more like a swivel instead of a pressure point to pry a hook out)

 

[AtticaFish]

Thanks for the link - price is not all that bad either. #6 or #8 should be about the right size.