Hook Hanger

[Bountiful Waters]

I spoke with Kim at Lure craft today about some swimbait molds. She related that the bait can be poured with the weighted hook inside the lure. To do this, she mentioned that something like a hook hanger needs to be used. Does anyone have a photo of one of these in action? She also stated that a video will be released soon on how to do this. I do not like the inserts to where you fish a treble. I want to rig with hook exsposed top side.

Would you recommend doing this, or use a weighted shad head?

[Delw]

A hook hanger basically suppends the hook and weight over the plastic. you can get creative and use paper clips and small wire.

in alum molds we cut the hook out in the mold so the hook and weight will set into a cavity usually by the hook eye and the bend to the tip of the hook. then when you pour your pastic the weaight and straight section of the hook is imbedded in the plastic.

now you can do the same when making a pop mold or a silicon mold, of coarse this only works with 2 piece molds except in the case of a silicon mold cause the mold is bendable.

I am guessing in your case you want the hook to come through the top and the eyelet to come out the nose both having no plastic on it. so hook hangers will not work unless the flatside of the bait is were you want the hook to come out ( underside). with the exception in a mold with out the properly cut hook pocket the hanger will hold the hook steady so it doesnt tilt to one side or another same with a silicon mold. an alum mold or even a pop mold there is no reson for hangers as the mold when closed will hold the hook perfectly. ( kinda like a do-it jig mold)

If its on the Chub e mold we have or one like the Baby e, A hook pocket needs to be gooved into the mold. we alter these all the time for people taht don't like or want the treble hook on the bottom.

some of our customers want it so they have the option of using the treble on the bottom or a single weighted hook on the top. its a very easy fix.

the nice thing about the hook throug the top is that in heavy brush you wont get snagged as easy. or if you want to rest the bait on the bottom of the lake bed.

A weighted shad hook will also work however when I fish the baby e style baits with a weighted shad head I don't swim them I work them like a jig, you might be surprized on the results.

a 1 oz foot ball head is what I use with a 6/0 hook and even a 5/0 hook

for a through the top of the bait hook I reccomend a 6-7/0 on the 5" bait and a 5-6/0 on the 4" bait. Just so you have hook penitration and clearance from the plastic itself for a hook set.

Delw

[Delw]

Here is a pic of what I think your looking for as far as the hook pocket and how its held. this is just for this particular hook size and shape.

Hooks are very precise any more due to the way they are made. Especially hooks like Owner and Gamy's.

They don't vary in thickness more than .001 from lot to lot as least that has be my experience.

This is extreamly nice for the guys who want molds built to hold a hook precisely and perfectly centered.

There is a down fall to this however. and that is if you change the hook style or size you have to re machine the hook pocket to hold the new style of hook.

there are a few ways to do it so you don't have to send it back to a machine shop to have them re cut the mold.

take a dremle tool and cut out the hook pocket for the new hook to fit. then fill it with an epoxy and stick a coated hook ( with some type of oil so it doesn't stick) in the old cut out. then take something flat and lay it on top. its best to use both halves of the mold with a piece of wax paper in between so any mess will not stick both your molds together.

On one of my customers has customers that want really big hooks in the same mold and also smaller ones , plus he wanted to offer different brands to his baits). I designed a hook pocket insert that would except different hooks. while that is kinda expensive ( more than just cutting your hook pocket it was able to have him make baits using a gamy 6/0 hook or a owner 5 /0 hook.

Fishermen all have there favorite hook they like to use, he did say he sells quit a few with owner hooks but does have 2 stores that only want gamy hooks.

this way he has an option for his customers.