# Treble or single hooks on slabs



## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

I cooked up a couple dozen 1.5 and 2 oz long slabs today. Similar to what WBF makes. I'm thinking about putting regular hooks on them for safety reasons. Any opinions on how many hookups I may give up doing this? I'll be using them for stripers mainly.
By the way, it is possible to overcook powder paint if you are doing chicken fried steak at the same time. (Not in the same fryer, I mean...I was just distracted and forgot them for 40 minutes....they got a bit scorched.)


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Mark,

Just my opinion...but if I was concerned about safety, I'd mash the barbs down and/or snip one of the hooks off the treble....but I would not go with a single hook.


----------



## chucktx (Sep 12, 2011)

you cook your paint and eat food from the same oven??? not healthy at all.........i use a seperate oven,,,,,,,


----------



## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

chucktx said:


> you cook your paint and eat food from the same oven??? not healthy at all.........i use a seperate oven,,,,,,,


I do too.


----------



## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Never know till ya go!! Give it a try Mark if the fish are in a feeding frenzie you will hook up but you will have to be quick on the set and a smaller hook will work better. You can always replace the hook with a good split ring.


----------



## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Wouldn't it be easier to just dip the lures instead of powder coat??


----------



## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

I think that you will miss a lot of fish with a single hook. However, it is an idea. Might be a little more sporting. Please keep us informed.


----------



## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

markbrumbaugh said:


> I cooked up a couple dozen 1.5 and 2 oz long slabs today. Similar to what WBF makes. I'm thinking about putting regular hooks on them for safety reasons. Any opinions on how many hookups I may give up doing this? I'll be using them for stripers mainly.
> By the way, it is possible to overcook powder paint if you are doing chicken fried steak at the same time. (Not in the same fryer, I mean...I was just distracted and forgot them for 40 minutes....they got a bit scorched.)


just don't burn the CFS! LOL


----------



## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

It does allow you to shake the fish off faster, to get back to the action... less chance of a hook in the hand!


----------



## berger1b (May 6, 2012)

I normally use rattletraps for whites and strippers busting shad on top. I have had my hands bleeding all over from treble hooks and gill plates when the whites are on top and I am trying to boat as many as possible before they would go back down. I starting using a #13 pet spoon on a light action rod and found the single hook was a lot easier to unhook and safer on my hands. I didn't loose anymore fish with this setup than with a treble hook rig. The pet spoon was easy to keep on top without sinking beyond the fish. I would be interested in hearing how your idea works out. The only issue I can think of is rigging so the hook doesn't snag the bottom.


----------



## Bluiis (Aug 20, 2005)

As Meadowlark mentioned, cut off one hook of a treble.

This is what noted guide Royce Simmons of Richland Chambers always does on his boat.


----------



## fishin_envy (Aug 13, 2010)

For the sake of getting fish off the hook quick, I tried the single hooks on slabs a few years back without much luck. The reason lures like spec rigs or pet spoons are effective is that the hook does not wiggle around on a split ring. I equate it to be like trying to gaff a fish with a single gaff hook attached to the pole with a giant split ring. I think Meadowlark's thought is about as good as it will get with a slab unless you modify your slab mold to have a long shank hook embedded into the slab.


----------



## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

We used to change the hooks on our Rooster Tails when fishing for schooling whites. It sure makes it a lot easier. Nothing worse than all three hooks of a treble buried in a closed white's mouth when the action is hot.


----------



## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

fishinganimal said:


> Wouldn't it be easier to just dip the lures instead of powder coat??


I dip some, but it drips for a long time...all over everything and isn't as durable.


----------



## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

I think I'm going to stick with the trebles unless I have my grandkids in the boat. So I'll make some of each...I think the wobble on a split ring WILL make a single hook much less effective, now I think about it.


----------



## OrangeS30 (Jun 21, 2009)

I agree with Meadowlark on the double hook idea. We changed out the treble hooks on our Little George's to double hooks and they haven't missed a beat. The fish are much easier to unhook when the action is fast. We haven't tried it on a slab, but I think it would work great. If you don't try it, I might.


----------



## Lonestar Proud (Oct 26, 2010)

I switch out the trebles to a size 1 short shank red Owner hook on probably 75% of my slabs, doesn't seem to affect the hook up rate when compared to fishing with someone using a treble hook slab. On most of my single hook slabs I'll rig them like the freestyle slabs, where the hook is attached to the snap ring using a loop of heavy braid, I like this rigging the best as the hook is kind of independent from the slab and a fish can't use the slab as leverage to come unhooked. Just my $.02


----------



## Lonestar Proud (Oct 26, 2010)

I forgot to add, if I have a treble hook on I smash all three barbs down flat or file the barb off. Might lose a fish every once in awhile but if you're actually on fish you'll have another one hit shortly anyway.


----------



## lite-liner (Mar 15, 2005)

I run large singles when casting & retreiving, or in rivers like up here @ Denison.
bite to hookup ratio has not decreased, and on some days increased. I also fish a fluke/jighead with excellent results. single hooks are great for that technique.
for slabbing in lakes,(vertically) I use trebles, but I mash the barbs. helps when you have younguns, newbs or just dont wanna clean fish.


----------



## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Lonestar Proud said:


> I switch out the trebles to a size 1 short shank red Owner hook on probably 75% of my slabs, doesn't seem to affect the hook up rate when compared to fishing with someone using a treble hook slab. On most of my single hook slabs I'll rig them like the freestyle slabs, where the hook is attached to the snap ring using a loop of heavy braid, I like this rigging the best as the hook is kind of independent from the slab and a fish can't use the slab as leverage to come unhooked. Just my $.02


I like this idea. I'll give it a try.


----------



## Longshotjames (Jan 20, 2009)

> ...I think the wobble on a split ring WILL make a single hook much less effective, now I think about it.


I find this very intriging. That is opposite theory on most salt water anglers who replace the hooks on spooks and corkies with "ringed" hooks to the split ring.


----------



## big-john (Jan 6, 2011)

fishin_envy said:


> For the sake of getting fish off the hook quick, I tried the single hooks on slabs a few years back without much luck. The reason lures like spec rigs or pet spoons are effective is that the hook does not wiggle around on a split ring. I equate it to be like trying to gaff a fish with a single gaff hook attached to the pole with a giant split ring. I think Meadowlark's thought is about as good as it will get with a slab unless you modify your slab mold to have a long shank hook embedded into the slab.


I have used single hook jigs for ice fishing with no problem getting hook ups but like Fishing_envy said the hooks on those jigs are almost always embedded in the jig it self.


----------

