Hook damage to topcoat

[u63405]

Hey everyone out there in TU Land!

I've got a question about the damage caused by hooks to the topcoat. Is this a usual occurence? I use devcon 2ton as my top coat and have had great results but after using the lures repeatedly there are hook marks on the sides of the belly and back where the hooks come in contact with the lure. You can actually feel and see the markings. Is it the hook placement? The topcoat itself? or Am I doing something wrong?

[Art Brush]

u63405,

Hooks will scratch devcon. If you have 2 coats on then it shouldn't be a problem. The hooks won't pierce the topcoat. The scratches can be polished out with Novus plastic polish.

Here's a link to get a free sample.

http://www.oldphones.com/novusfreesample.html

Tight lines,

Shawn

[out2llunge]

There is another stop gap measure you can take as well. It's called

"T"-ing your hooks or more appropriately "longhorning" your hooks.

1. Lay the hook flat against the belly of the bait. Let the hook decide what its natural tendency is when contacting the body.

2. You'll physically bend the two hook points that contact the belly. THe other hook point can be left for now.

3. Using two pairs of pliers physically bend the two prongs until the treble looks like a "T" At this point the hooks will no longer be sapced 120 degreees from one another. The two hooks that touched the belly will now be at 180 degrees to each other.

4. Bend the odd hook point so that it's 90 degrees to the other two.

5. Now bend the first pair, but just the tips so they face down and away from the belly (like a longhorn's)

I hope that made sense. I'll try and get a pic up if you need it.

I use this system on my muskie baits and really helps reduce hook rub. Some of my baits have HUGE gouges from hook rub. The bigger the treble the more damage it will cause. As a reference point, most of my hooks are 7/0's.

[Skeeter]

Regardless of the type of clearcoat used, hook rash will occur.

Skeeter

[mgodliman]

I'm not sure this is a big problem I prefer my lures to show the signs of heavy use they are usualy the ones that work,the more tatty they look the more affectionate I feel towards them.

I do touch in teeth marks and hook damage with super glue and paint etc to keep a lure going as long as possible before the devcon starts lifting too much too early,but whenever I have to repaint and cover a lure I never seem to recapture that previous liking for it,often by then I've got a new favourite any way.

[Chip]

Buy you some hook covers. They sell them at Bass Pro Shops and one piece slides over the whole treble. There are about 25 to a bag for 3$

Chip

[out2llunge]

Another little trick is to slide a piece of vinyl tubing over the shank of the treble before attaching the hook to the bait. That way the tubing rubs against the bait vs. the hook shank. Doesn't eliminate, but does help to reduce hook rub.