VMC, Rapala Develop New Single Hooks For Plug Fishing
Bob McNally 10.28.16
Almost all fishing plugs come equipped with treble hooks. And while they indeed barb fish, it can be difficult to unhook fish to be released unharmed. Further, two or three plug trebles tossing around the mouth of a flopping fish have barbed more anglers than the fish they were intended to snag as anglers struggled to unhook their quarry.
For years many fishermen have removed all but one treble from plugs. Using wire cutters, some folks even snipped off two of the three hooks on the remaining treble.
But the folks at Rapala have come up with a new “Inline Single” hook design that takes the ouch of using trebles on plugs, especially heavy hooks on marine plugs.
The hooks come in stout wire, some up to 4X, with a special eye that easily slips into plug split rings replacing pesky treble hooks that cause so much trouble. The new hooks have an oversize eye in-line with the hook shank so they hang just right below a plug and don’t impede lure action.
Some of Rapala’s new line of saltwater plugs come with such VMC hooks and are sure to be well received by sportsmen.
