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| Walleye fishing is a complex subject, but fortunately there are only a few hook designs every walleye angler needs to embrace including Octopus, Treble and Slow Death. |
Fish hooks are all created equal right? At first glance it does
seem like one fish hook is as good as the next, but upon closer inspection the
reality sets in. Fish hooks designed for walleye fishing are as different as
the lures and live baits they get paired with.
To be brutally
honest, “hooks” are the one piece of gear we could not catch a fish without.
It’s also true that most anglers give their hooks little more than passing
attention, preferring instead to worry about more glamorous topics like lures,
line, lure color, electronics and on and on again.
Paying attention
to the fundamentals routinely helps the Fishing 411 crew stay on fish and catch
more walleye. Picking the right hook for the job is one of those fundamentals
many anglers overlook.
TREBLE HOOKS
Just about every
crankbait and trolling lure on the market comes factory equipped with treble
hooks. To keep the cost of these lures modest, many manufacturers equip their
lures with “bargain” treble hooks.
In the trolling
game using “sticky sharp” hooks is the hands down best way to insure the fish
that bite end up flopping in the bottom of a landing net. Because most walleye
trollers are getting their lures out to the side of the boat with the help of
planer boards, when a fish bites there is no opportunity to “set the hook” as
in other fishing methods.
Hooking these
fish is largely about using hooks sharp enough to penetrate with minimal
pressure. Most hooks, even many of the brand new hooks that grace fishing
lures, are far from being “sticky sharp”.
Lots of anglers
compensate by physically putting an edge on their hooks with a flat file. Other
anglers prefer to sharpen using a hone with a grove that cradles the hook
shaft.
Hold the hook
with the point facing away from you and make three or four passes with a file.
A file removes material quickly, so tread lightly when filing hooks.
A hone removes
material more gradually and generally requires a few more passes to achieve the
same results as a flat file. Because a file can quickly remove too much
material and ruin a hook, many veteran anglers favor using a hone to sharpen
their hooks.
Sharpening hooks
is an acquired skill that takes time, patience and more importantly the
willingness to attack this never ending job. To avoid all this filing and
honing of hooks, a growing number of anglers switch out the hooks that come on
their favorite lures for after market premium quality hooks.
Virtually every
major manufacturer of fishing hooks sells, “premium quality” hooks these days
that are factory sharpened using a variety of different technologies to be
“sticky sharp” right out of the package. Founded in 1925 and the only company
to make fish hooks in America, Eagle Claw is the nation’s most recognized brand
when it comes to fishing.
In the premium
hook category Eagle Claw produces the Trokar series of surgically sharpened
hooks and also the Lazer Sharp series of
needle point hooks. Considered by many to be the sharpest hooks in the
world the TroKar and Lazer Sharp series
offers anglers a wide variety of hook types and sizes to choose from.
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| Walleye fishing enthusiast Dale Voice caught these beautiful fish by using a “sticky sharp” fish hook. Using premium hooks and keeping a hook hone handy is the best way to convert every bite into a hooked and landed fish. |
To say these
hooks are sharp is an understatement. Since I started using Trokar treble,
octopus and slow death hooks I’ve got in the habit of carrying Band-Aids in my
wallet. I’m living proof that it’s not just the fish that bleed when coming in
contact with these exceptionally sharp hooks!
CRANKBAITS AND TREBLES
The biggest down
side to super premium hooks is the cost. This goes double or triple when talking
about crankbaits! To mitigate this problem I replace only the tail hook on most
crankbaits. If a crankbait starts getting bit frequently I’ll pony up an extra
Trokar or two on hot baits.
Trokar trebles
are produced in two versions including a round bend TK300 and also a wide bend
or Kahle style TK310. On most crankbaits sizes 6, 5, 4 and 2 hooks are perfect
for the job.
Many anglers
recommend replacing factory treble hooks with larger hooks that feature a wider
hook gap. This is a slippery slope as many crankbaits are delicately balanced
and changing hook sizes can disrupt the action of these lures.
The best advice
here is to tread lightly when replacing factory treble hooks on crankbaits.
Increasing hooks “one size” is normally acceptable, but going any larger
increases the risk of impacting negatively on lure action.
For as sharp as
premium hooks are, they will eventually get dull from use and need to be
sharpened. Trokar hooks feature a knife style cutting edge and are best
sharpened using a hook hone.
OCTOPUS RIGGING HOOKS
The No. 2 size
Octopus or Beak style of hook is the most common design used for walleye live
bait rigs. Octopus hooks featuring a turned up eye are ideal for tying snell
knots. This hook type allows anglers to position the hooks precisely and also
to create rigs with one, two or three hooks.
In recent years
a bunch of walleye guys have gravitated to using red anodized octopus hooks on
their walleye rigs. Using red anodized hooks adds a touch of color to rigs.
Unfortunately, the problem with anodizing is it quickly wears off, exposing the
natural bronze finish of the hook.
Eagle Claw
solved this problem by producing power coated octopus hooks in the Lazer Sharp
series that come in a host of color options. The durable paint finishes hold up
much better than anodizing and gives anglers far more hook color options to
choose from.
Trokar also
produces a octopus hook, but only in the traditional black finish.
Hooks are always
an issue, but usually the leader on a walleye rig will fail long before the
hook is dull and needs sharpening or replacing. The most critical area of the
rig to examine is the area between the hooks.
Walleye often
swim up from behind and nip at the bait, causing them to get hooked on the tail
hook. The sharp teeth of the walleye in turn rake back and forth on the leader,
quickly shredding the line.
Fish tend to
break the leader right at the back of the boat as they are thrashing near the
surface, or when one hook catches in the net and the fish rolls in the landing
net. When nicks and abrasion appear on the leader, it’s time to replace the
harness or re-tie using the existing hardware, a fresh piece of fluorocarbon
leader and new hooks.
SLOW DEATH HOOKS
One of the least
known of the walleye rigging methods is a presentation known as slow death.
This ultra slow presentation consists of a half a nightcrawler threaded onto a
thin wire No. 2 hook bent in such a way the piece of worm slowly rotates in the
water when pulled around 1.0 MPH.
Normally the
slow death presentation is teamed up with a bottom bouncer and the hook is tied
onto about a 40 inch piece of 10-12 pound test fluorocarbon leader.
This ultra slow
walleye rigging method is ultra deadly on those days that fish aren’t
interested in traditional spinner rigs. Most anglers set their slow death rigs
exactly the same way as a bottom bouncer and spinner rig. Ideally the bottom
bouncer should tick along making contact with the bottom every few feet.
Meanwhile, the piece of nightcrawler slowly spins in the water a few inches off
bottom.
A slow death rig
is best fished in a rod holder as a dead stick. Because the rig is moving very
slowly and typically the fish are less than fired up when using this set up, it
takes a razor sharp hook to stick fish.
Most hook
manufacturers have thrown their hat into the “slow death” hook market. Eagle
Claw’s contribution is a hook known as the Re-Volve and it features the
surgically sharp Trokar technology.
SUMMING IT UP
Walleye
fishermen don’t generally use or carry a wide assortment of fish hooks. The
Fishing 411 crew typically carries just three hook types including trebles,
octopus and slow death.
Sharpening hooks
religiously and using premium hooks is the fast track to walleye fishing
success.
