Conservation based design

[pbadad]

With the current state of the fishery and mortality rate of c+r , have any put thought and time in redesigning your builds? I have been toying with some 2 belly hooks builds into single treble designs and inline hooks. Still testing .
I also spoke with Dave Anderson on his worm weight technique to compensate for the removal of 2nd belly on existing plug designs.
Would like to have a discussion amongst builders about possible changes in action and effects of said changes.

[piemma]

I have been using 2 single offset hooks, belly and tail. I increased the plug belly weight to compensate. I'll post a pic when I find them. I'm in disarray right now. CLEANING the boat house.

[spence]

I remove all hooks. Stand on the beach with VR googles running Laptew videos. No snags and I never get skunked. Rockhound even virtually drops my fish once and a while.

[afterhours]

Billy I've been oversizing belly hook and putting a flag on the rear of some of my smaller stuff. Mostly surface stuff now. When I start with my swimmers I will move front hook back a little and play with belly weighting.
Also working with magnets and inline hooks.

[pbadad]

Hi Don. Appreciate your reply. I feel as plug builders we should be able to offer options to fisherman. I think the worm weight does, making the plugs with 2 belly hook swivels but giving the fisherman either option, hook or weight.
I have done the mag darter with inlines and earth magnet. All 3 sizes. I did get 3 fish on the rear inline hook. I guess by seeing one of the belly inline wrapped and stuck into the body i assume they grabbed the plug , missed hooking the front hook but during hook set got caught on rear hook.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[piemma]

Originally Posted by spence

IRockhound even virtually drops my fish once and a while.

...again one of the funniest incidents of my fishing life.

[numbskull]

I had no success with inline hooks on needlefish (even with hook hangers instead of swivels), they loop over the back of the plug.

I had no success with in line hooks on danny plugs, even with hook hangers instead of swivels. The large eye of the hook is deflected by the large diameter of the plug and twists the bend/point of the hook to a horizontal position which results in a poor hook up rate. An "assist" type hook set up (i.e., a single hook on a piece of line) seems worth trying but I've not done so.

I had no success with inline hooks on large Magic Swimmer type plugs in the canal. When ripped at high speed the hook rolls over and the point lays flat against the side of the plug. Outside of the canal, when the plug is not worked as fast, they work well.

I use inline hooks on minnow swimmers, just a large belly hook and no tail hook. Works fine.

[afterhours]

Now working on a hook holding system for the inlines to prevent hook roll, thinking inserts that firmly pinch the hook in place but will let hook pull out with a fish grabs it.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by afterhours

Now working on a hook holding system for the inlines to prevent hook roll, thinking inserts that firmly pinch the hook in place but will let hook pull out with a fish grabs it.

Don, please post a pic when it's done.

[Diggin Jiggin]

I've got an old J plug at home that basically has a couple of wire holders on the belly that held a single siwash hook in place. The hook could pull free from the 'holder' when a fish was hooked. Kind of clever.

I messed around with some of those double hooks that can be held in place by pinning them with a screw on needles a couple of years back. When a fish hits they come off the pin and are just like any other hok on a swivel. But I was doing that just because I don't like dealing with trebles when I'm on a rock in the wetsuit.

If you fish just a belly treble and a flag on the tail, do you really feel like you are losing something from a conservation perspective ?

[afterhours]

If you fish just a belly treble and a flag on the tail, do you really feel like you are losing something from a conservation perspective ?[/QUOTE]

Not sure what you mean DJ, but you're losing half the hooks from a conventional rigging and if you crush the barbs I think that's a real good thing from a conservation perspective.