is their any advantage of cutting vmc's vs split rings

some lures run true(r) w/cut hooks.

I would advise against cutting VMC hooks. The ones I have seen have a tremendous amount of corrosion at the cut. The cooosion could acutally migrate within the grain structure of the hook and next thing you know you break off a hook where you "only saw a tiny bit of rust"

it depends... I trust SL more.

Some could argue that SL's allow the the hooks to swing more which COULD have your hooks swing out and miss a hookup. Also the plug action will change with one versus the other. Whether that is good or bad (or even detectable) is on a plug by plug basis.

I use either pre-cut Mustads (I know some people hate them)

Or VMC's w/split rings. Cut VMC's rust very quickly.

the obvious advantage is that on a 2 belly hook plug, the hooks can now be further apart so they don't end up married on a cast and fowling .
if you put some nail polish on the cut, it helps a lot with corrosion

split rings help with hook swing when you need the hook to be free swinging, or on a tail loop that might be a little too small, you can use a split ring so the hookeye doesn't bind up.

I have some old mustad cut hooks(the good ones) that I use for dannys, but I'm almost out.

I was worried about corrosion on cut VMCs so I took some clear finger nail polish and put a drop into the gap and let it dry thoroughly. IT WORKED! No corrosion. I've also painted a very thin layer onto sharpened hook points and it kept the points from rusting over the winter in my damp basement. I find that the loop area of VMCs rusts the most, perhaps due to the the galvanizing being worn off when the hook swings around.

Just keep this in mind--4x and 6x VMC hooks are shorter in overall length than 3x Mustads. A VMC on the proper sized Wolverine triple split ring is probably no longer in overall length than a cut Mustad standing alone on the barrel.

Great point by Mike P: this is why I prefer to go the uncut VMC/ split ring attachment on all plugs possible to do this with! With the right split- ring this is always stronger than any cut- hook approach. And the added free- movement of the hook vs. cut/ direct- attachment aids in preventing a hooked fish from getting leverage enough to open hooks (and I've had more than a few 4x trebles opened up on me!). :err:

Mike's point about shank (& weight) differences between modern VMC 4x's... and old- school Mustads, are why I never think twice about spit rings on plugs killing action. I even disagree w/ Bobby about his own plugs: he says cut treble always on his Darters & Cowboys, among others. I've test- swam them with 4x's and splits for 5+ years now, and they swim just fine! And on his large/ old- style Cowboy I even go to a 5/0 VMC 4x & split ring! Would take a lot to kill the sweet action of a husky BM plug! :rocketem:

Finally/ unfortunately, many plugs including Bobby's Dannys & A40s & large Darters mandate the use of cut- trebles, as they sport head- swivels too close to the lip/ front of the plug to do otherwise. Here I cut my own VMC's (4x & 6x) and yes, they corrode quickly & can weaken... but no problem as long as you don't try to go a whole season of hard fishing on the same treble. My hard- fished plugs get 2- 3 new cut VMC's per season... & the max I go with a cut treble is one season. No break- offs yet! So far, the hook bent out, or the head swivel popped, whenever "Ms. Big" got away! Never the cut failing even once in 5+ years for me being dilligent about replacing them... :humpty:

Now if I can only find open- eye Siwash hooks that I can trust will hold once closed!... :uhoh:

Now if I can only find open- eye Siwash hooks that I can trust will hold once closed!... :uhoh:[/QUOTE]

Boy is that the truth!! I had a box of 100 6/0 Mustad Siwash open-eye hooks that broke so many times I ended up throwing them away.
I bought a 100 VMC Siwash open-eye hooks from Mikecc and haven't had a probelm in 2 years.

I cut em.I like to get as big a hook as I can.I have never had a problem with the cut VMC breaking. I have had issue's with all of the quality split rings..It's just another link.I think the more u eliminate links the better.

for those of you who cut them, what is the recomended method of cutting?

Thanks

Even with split ring pliers, I find changing hooks onto split ring to be a major PITA.... therefore cut VMCs/mustads are a viable solution for me.

Now if I can only find open- eye Siwash hooks that I can trust will hold once closed!... :uhoh:

Boy is that the truth!! I had a box of 100 6/0 Mustad Siwash open-eye hooks that broke so many times I ended up throwing them away.
I bought a 100 VMC Siwash open-eye hooks from Mikecc and haven't had a probelm in 2 years.[/QUOTE]

The Mustads are stainless steel and are notoriously brittle :af:

Bernzy

Some plugs run better without a split ring. The split ring makes another pivot point and can alter the plugs action. Take the 2 oz pikes I used to make. My favorite way to use them was with a cut VMC on the front. A split ring could be used on the back without much difference. I started putting split rings on the front and back because that is how guys wanted them. I never had a cut VMC fail from the eye openning up. Had quite a few hooks straighten out but that could be due to too tight of a drag.

Beachmaster cowboys and their darters are another 2 examples of plugs working better with a cut hook. My suggestion is ask the builder what he suggests with his plugs as far as split ring versus cut hook and follow that advice.

I have been cutting VMC's for years without a breaking problem (Springer - with a metal nipper tool you can get at HD called a dike). Corrosion? Hell yeah. Just change the gd things.

BUT...I have found that a cut hook to a hard point (not a swivel) on a plug (esp my favorite, Mambo Minnows) allows for the fish to get leverage and bend the hook, or worse, the hard point on the lure. I have lost hooks to find the hard point, not the hook, gave way.