Bluegill Crankbait tip!

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

I have read a few discussions and see lots of great photos of and about gilling with crankbaits. They are loads of fun! I want to pass along a trick I started doing many years ago. Most bluegill size cranks have the smallest trebels known to man on them, makes sense. Problem is getting those trebels out without causing damage to the gills mouth and your fingers. To resolve that issue, I like to remove all tiny trebels, especialy the front one, if it has one, and replace them or it with the smallest circle hook I can find. You want to use the smallest because bigger hooks may throw off the action of the crankbait. Play around with it. You will catch just as many fish, if not more! The reason more, is you'll be able to get the fish released quicker!

[bluegillboogieman]

Clueless here, what's a circle hook?

Boogieman

[John Sheehan]

Will any make circle hook do...are the eyes big enough to go around an o ring?

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

John, I like Owner's Mosquito circle hooks size 10. Gamagaktzu makes the Octopus circle hook as well. It takes some finessing to get them on. It is easier to get smaller split rings, thread the hook on the ring, and then thread the ring on the crankbait.

[steve b]

I did something similar yrs ago with my smallest Rapala's. though I replaced stock mini trebles with doubles one size larger. Yeah, them tiny trebles are a pain. steve b

[James Cho]

Hi Patrick,

Normally, crankbaits come with 2 treble hooks, one on front and the other on the tail.
So, do I need to remove all of them and place one circle hook on the tail side only leaving front of the body without a hook?

I have noticed that Bill "Musky" Mod recommended size 6 O'Shaughney hook wiht long shank on the spoons. Do you think it would work well also on the cranks or do you have any particular reason to use Mosquito circle hooks?

James

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

Hi there James! You are exactly right! No hook on the front (toward the head) of the bait. Crankbaits are going to be considered a big meal for a gill and from my expeirences 98% of the time they are caught by the rear hook. I like circle hooks because they require virtualy no hook set and the hook lands in the corner of the mouth all the time! Good luck, friend!

[James Cho]

Thanks a lot for the nice tip.
I can't wait to try it.

James