Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Osprey wrote:

If there are any jointed spoonbills in the mix I want a chance before Curly gets them all.

Jon DeHart came over a few weeks back and cleaned me out of those.  I do know Curly has a bunch because he bought a bunch from me when I 1st started purging.

Dominion Dan wrote:

I wonder if any of the big manufacturers makes a dressed single hook?

I get them at fishing shows....lots of folks make them for a tandem/teaser rig.

hookup wrote:

I'll tie you some dressed trebles if you need some Ernie.

What? More trebles?

Larger topwater using a 3/0 hook.

Bottom lure is not a single hook!

Ernie wrote:

Dominion Dan wrote:

I wonder if any of the big manufacturers makes a dressed single hook?

I get them at fishing shows....lots of folks make them for a tandem/teaser rig.

I asked the terminal tackle guys to keep an eye out for single dressed hooks in vendor meetings and catalogs to let me know. I'm curious to see if VMC or Eagle Claw, etc.. have picked up on this trend.

Those are nice! I sent some to Capt. Brady to dress up for me.....he knows exactly what to do plus he is an excellent fly tier.

Good looking indeed!

Fishfry wrote:

Wondering what you think about going barbless?  Great on trout, but I don't see it working well on LMB's or BG's.

So you miss a fish here and there....but learn ow to play them better. Who wins?

No issue with BGs on a fly as I am usually fishing barbless. The main reason is in case I stick myself with an errant cast (which are quite a few).

Looks like another convert in the making. This just in from Capt. Dennis Fleming (source- TidalFish Chesapeake forum):

The last two Sundays saw me in the doctors office with treble hooks embedded into my right hand. Ever have that happen?

I am 57 and have been fishing since I was 6, never had a fish hook in my body until 6 years ago when I got a size 8 bait hook in my hand. Would not pull out. Went to the hospital in Nags Head and the doctor told it was a good thing I stopped trying to pull it out, the barb had hold of a tendon. Last week I accidently got one in my thumb working on the boat in my driveway when my hand slipped down the T-Top and a popper was hanging on the lure rack. This past Sunday fish #128 got me as I tried to get it off a plug with a pair of needle nose. Fearing nerve damage from my previous experience, I prefer to go the doctor. Am I wasting my time and/or am I just a sissy? They make a BIG deal out of it at the clinic and maybe they should. X-Rays, irrigating the wound, antibiotics, pain meds if you want them.

I usually use a long 24" hook disgorger taking multiple fish off for clients, sometimes they can be hooked up 3-4 at a time. I don't want to handle the fish and the anglers want to get back in and catch another. I thought I was pretty good until recently...

So now I have been giving even more serious thought to prevention, and what is my protocol for when it should happen. I have always carried a large set of diagonal cutters for this reason, you need to be able to cut the strong saltwater grade hooks we use ASAP and eliminate trauma when a fish is stuck to the lure and hook stuck in you! Of course I have the first aid kit and antibiotic ointment at the ready.

I absolutely prefer single hook lures and now I am going to VMC in-line hooks in place of trebles. I just bought 3 packs. Even though I squeeze down barbs on treble hooks and most singles, I may institute a no treble hook policy on the boat. With the hot topwater bite going on now I think I am going to switch out all the treble hooks this week.

Example: https://www.terminaltackleco.com/prod_detail_list/758

Good looking dressed hooks!

Just ordered a lot of Bagley's and Raps last night... May need to finally make the switch.