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crank bait trebles

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:10 am
by cubs23
I recently started changing my hooks on the smaller square bills I use to a higher quality wider gapped hook but I'm still having issues losing fish from time to time. Should I go to a larger hook? I have been apprehensive about doing this because of fear of the bait losing some of it's action. Thoughts?

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:37 am
by Hulkster
I switched all mine to Gamakatsu EWG #4 trebles. they are super sharp. if you think the #4 size is too big you could go to a smaller size, but I swear by the Gamakatsu EWG hooks, crazy sharp.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:59 am
by cubs23
Thanks, I'm a big fan of Gamakatsu hooks. Do you use the same size that came stock or do you size up? I'm pretty sure most of my smaller square bills have #4's on them.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 12:57 pm
by Cracker
I love those short shank Owners STY-MF35 series for crankbaits.

Second pack from the left.

Image

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 1:40 pm
by mark poulson
I only use Mustad EWG triple grip short shank trebles now.
They keep fish pegged, stay sharp, are strong, and allow me to upsize my hooks without them tangling each other and fouling.
Something about the angle of the hook point, pointing more toward the split ring, seems to provide a more direct pull, and less chance for the fish to throw them. Plus when they eat the belly hook, the tail hook still swings around and grabs them again most of the time. I even find that to be true on jerkbaits.
I'm sure other brands of EWG triple grip short shank trebles are also fine, and will do the same job. I just started with Mustads when they first came out, and they have performed for me, so I never felt the need to switch.
https://www.barlowstackle.com/Mustad-TG ... P1963.aspx

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:16 pm
by FamKench
Make sure you're putting the hooks on correctly. The belly hook should lay with 2 points flat against the belly and the rear hook should have one point up and 2 down. Tacticalbassin on YouTube has a good video explaining it.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 8:25 am
by poisonokie
I like Owner ST-41's for squarebills. They are pretty heavy duty wire and have cutting points, which makes them ideal when used with a stiff, regular action rod and heavy mono.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:02 pm
by Hobie-Wan Kenobi
cubs23 wrote:I recently started changing my hooks on the smaller square bills I use to a higher quality wider gapped hook but I'm still having issues losing fish from time to time. Should I go to a larger hook? I have been apprehensive about doing this because of fear of the bait losing some of it's action. Thoughts?
Welcome to the forum!!!

What type of line and also what type of rod are you using? Are you losing the fish close to the boat or, shortly after hookset?

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:16 am
by cubs23
Thanks! I usually lose them shortly after hook set. I use 10lb. mono. I just recently received a couple of cb glass rods in the mail (st. croix & dobyns) so I haven't had a chance to try them out yet. Hopefully that's the problem. I was using a med. action graphite rod.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:25 am
by mark poulson
cubs23 wrote:Thanks! I usually lose them shortly after hook set. I use 10lb. mono. I just recently received a couple of cb glass rods in the mail (st. croix & dobyns) so I haven't had a chance to try them out yet. Hopefully that's the problem. I was using a med. action graphite rod.
I have found that the reason most treble hook fish are lost is because the hooks never penetrate the fish's jaw. Since I switched to 30 lb braid, with a direct tie, I don't lose fish.
I do, however, have hooks open occasionally when I'm unhooking the fish, especially with jerkbaits. That's why using strong trebles is so important.
I just fished a brand new KVD deep jerkbait all day in a tournament, and caught probably 20 fish on it. I had left the stock hooks on, because the description said, " Fitted with three razor-sharp trebles". The hooks were sharp, but not strong enough. I Just replaced them with #4 Mustad KVD EWG triple grip short shank trebles, like I should have before the tournament.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:24 pm
by hungry_cow
I have expirimented with allot of different brands and styles and to be honest as long as its a premium hook I don't notice any different landing percentage between brands or styles. But there is a big drop in landing percentage if you aren't using a true crankbait rod, if your using the same fast action rod you use for other techniques you will use allot more fish. But if you combine a true crankbait rod with any premium hook landing percentage will go way up.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 5:29 pm
by OhioChamp183
I like a #5 treble on most of my cranks. Not too many companies make a #5 though. I use VMC short shank, wide gap VMC 9651's.

Re: crank bait trebles

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 8:23 pm
by Crankbaitmaker
I use the ST 41s and standard VMC hooks like the ones on the old Poes for many of the baits I make. I have tried so many hooks over the years and they just work fo me. Another hook that I use one my personel baits are Eagle Claw. I know many feel that it is just a cheap hook. But the numbers of fish landed on my crankbaits with those hooks is just tremendous. I like curved points. Both the Owner and Eagle Claw have them. But I hand sharpen the Eagle Claws till they are like needles. How many of us have caught fish on a crankbait and saw a big rip or gash cut into the roof of a fish's mouth. The curved poit eliminates that. The VMC hooks don't seem to do it much either. Even though it is a straight point, it doesn't happen much to me.

As mentioned earlier, your equipment system has to be right too. Throw all you have read out the door and start experimenting with what you have. Try different setups with your stuff. If you can't come up with a cofiguration that works then ask yourself what it is that is wrong and start buying equipment that suits you...not someone else. Eventually you will have your own system and you can just forget that part of the equation just like Fritts did. Remember....David built his name and won a Classic on a $34 Browning Sileflex rod.

Crankbaitmaker