Crank Baits

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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Won't actually fish them till next year, but will prob need to test them in a fresh water stream when the double hooks arrive. Wanted to run just a tail hook but might require a belly hook to balance and swim correctly. The turned belly hook ring is functional for aligning a split ringed treble, but not for directly attaching an open double. Nope, no game fish in local streams.

Point upright double hooks will hopefully be more snag resistant and less likely to foul hook than trebles.
 

Shoemoo

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Nov 1, 2011
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Boise, ID
You can cut the forward facing prong on a treble hook to make it into a double. It's usually welded on anyway, so removing the point won't hurt the strength on the remaining prongs.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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True, but since I'm spending so dang much on the cranks(compared to do-it-myself jigs) anyway, figgered may as well splurge on Gamis. Plus, the stock trebles look undersize so the doubles will be up a size or few.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Well, shipping cost hammered the Gami double hook prices up there - $25.22 for 35 hooks!
But they are nice, super strong and sharp as expected from Gamakatsu. Water test in a fishless pond indicates that the cranks have a noticeably more vigorous wobble and dart with only a tail hook. The weight of double ball bearings in the belly appear to prevent rollover even without a belly hook. Pic shows my chosen #6 double hook tail only config, stock #10 treble, and size comparison with a 1/8 oz. #4 2x hook jig which will probably be my heaviest for next years trouting, replacing the more easily thrown 1/5 oz.

View attachment 8
 

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JUNGLEJIM1

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Mar 23, 2010
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Saint Louis,Mo
I think you are on to something there Hawn. They should be more snag and moss resistent and not decrease hookups. Another plus is one less hook to remove from fish and 1/3 less chance of hooking yourself.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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Hahaha, I even manage to hook myself with single hook jigs once in awhile. Yes, the double on the tail will ride points upright and without a belly hook should be significantly less likely to hang bottom. Another good feature of Gamis is the barbs are smaller than the pictured Eagle Claws(?) and less likely to damage fish. Anyone who fishes stock cranks knows what a mess multiple stuck trebles can cause. Shoots, I had to eat a fish that washed downstream from a cranker this past trip.
 

papaperch

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Mar 28, 2010
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Northeast Ohio
http://www.landbigfish.com/images/store/swatches/StrikeKingBitsyPond.jpg

I use this particular crank bait in ponds up here in Ohio and have great luck with it in small bodies of water. It is made by Strike King and is in almost all wally world store up here. Have caught crappie bass larger bluegill and some HUGE channel cats on these. Usually use bandits on the larger bodies of water. Along with small raps and some other less known smaller plugs

The crank bait pattern up here is rather short lived and seems to be a post spawn thing. Usually this pattern does not deliver quantity but the quality factor goes really up.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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OK, now I've got all these double hooks to use, so was considering the recommendations for Bandits & Bitsys. Lots of reviews online, and both seem to suffer from quality control issues and requiring "tuning" to run right. What does this mean?

The Strike King Bitsy seems the most appropriate for my apps, would this crank run true without rollover with only a tail hook?

What qualifies as a "HUGE" channel cat on light gear?
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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OK, the Dynamic Lures HD Trout (gold only) got well tested. Due to the weed debris in the Miracle Mile WY my go to Boolies got propeller fouled on nearly every cast, and the prop-less shad dart jigs fared a bit better but still hung debris every other cast or so. The HD as tuned with a single small tail double hook had such a vigorous wobble that minor weed hangs were flung off or didn't seriously kill the action. A single double hook probably resulted in a lower hooking percentage than twin trebles but did far less damage to C&R catches. So, missed a lot of strikes but nonetheless latched onto a fair share of quality bows & browns. In fact, the HD Trout worked so well it was the ONLY lure I used during the last 5 days of my stay in WY.

Besides weed fouling resistance, another huge advantage was that the neutral suspension was advantageous in avoiding bottom snags in shallow rocky river runs. Since the bill creates a sinking wobble, trick was to slow down the retrieve and allow the crank to rise and "float" over visible obstacles. Didn't lose any to bottom snags tho one beast managed to use bottom structure(felt it) for a break off.

The only negative is that the Gami doubles somehow manage to detach from the lure! I didn't have any spare hooks and had to pirate from the spare cranks. Only one hook left at the end.
 
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