aulrich Posted April 30, 2015 Report Share Posted April 30, 2015 Is there a rule of thumb for matching hook size to a body. and does the depth of the body effect the required hook as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted April 30, 2015 Report Share Posted April 30, 2015 A very good question and one I have thought about many times. All that I could come up with is; if it looks right then it IS right. There are other things to consider; the hook and related hardware are part of the lures ballast system, so the size and weight of the hook is all part of the lure design; too large and you may stifle the action, too light and.... well you get the idea. With a new design, hook size is the easiest parameter to experiment with, before you start having to trim lips and move eyes. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 30, 2015 Report Share Posted April 30, 2015 First rule is the hooks shouldn't foul each other. After that, I try to use the biggest hook I can without changing the action, or consistently catching the lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 30, 2015 Report Share Posted April 30, 2015 For the most part I subscribe to Dave's idea that "if it looks right then it is right". Deeper diving cranks will usually be the least effected by hook size as far as ballast goes. Shallow cranks and hard body jerkbaits will be effected the most by changes in hook size due to their smaller size and subsequent lack of floatation when compared to larger baits. I like to use short shank, extra strong hooks on most of my cranks. Especially on smaller cranks where hooks can become entangled with each other or even hang on the diving lip. I also like to use the biggest hooks I can get away with as long as it doesn't prove detrimental to the action, or flotation, of the bait. So I guess the answer to your question would be no. Sizing hooks, for me at least, depends on several variables. Size of lure......buoyancy of said lure............distance between hook hangers as well as the diving lip...............etc. etc. You can also throw in the size of the targeted species of a given lake. I sure wouldn't want to go after a muskie with a crank that had #8 trebles on it. Hope this helps more than confuses. good luck, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted April 30, 2015 Report Share Posted April 30, 2015 In my book, the main consideration in hook selection is whether the hooks can tangle and whether the front hook can foul on the lip of the bait. I don't want either. Body size per se is not especially relevant - it's more about where the belly hook hanger is located. I keep a variety of regular and short shank #6, #4, and #2 trebles on hand to solve the problem. There is a trend among fishermen to upsize trebles wherever possible, which I agree is advantageous but I also want the trebles to look "right-sized" for the bait. Dave is certainly right that the hooks you put on will influence its performance in the water. But the difference between a set of #6 and #4 trebles is usually about .02 oz, which isn't huge in the overall scheme of things. On the other hand, even very tiny differences in a crankbait can make appreciable differences in its performance, so some experimentation is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncustered Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 One other consideration is making sure that the belly hook is protected by the lip to prevent/reduce snagging on grass or wood... An example is the strike king kvd 1.0/1.5/2.5 series. They are designed to knock wood without getting hung up. How you plan to use the lure has to be included in hook selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
