7 replies to this topic

[ww2farmer]

As I have whined about before, early spring jerkbait fishing has never been my strength, but I am making an effort to do more of it this year, and am catching plenty of fish, some bass LOL, but mostly pike and a few walleyes. I have been using the Luck E Strike RC STX jerkbait, the Xcailiber EEshad, and the Xrap. The Clunn bait has been the best so far, with the Xcailiber a close second..........I am done with X-raps as a cold water bait, they just do not produce for me.

I am going to order some more Clunn baits today, The stock hooks were average at best, what are you guys replacing them with? I swapped them out with short shank #6 Gamakatsu Magic eye trebles, but they seemed a bit heavy for it. Insted of suspending near perfectly like it did with the stock hooks, it seemed to slowly sink. I need a lighter wire hook.

[Dwight Hottle]

I used the gami EWG's and they seemed to balance out fine. I switched out the split rings as well.

[smalljaw67]

I use the Mustad triple grips, not the 2X short shank but the regular shank because of weight issues. Suspending jerkbaits are tough to change hooks on when they don't tell you what hooks they use because the bait was balanced using that specific hook but I like the holding power of the triple grip plus the regular shank model doesn't seem to upset the action or suspending ability of the baits, I've used them on suspending rogues, Pointers and Xt3 twitch baits and all worked and more importantly suspended just as they did with the stock hooks. Owner hooks are stronger hooks so unless you can downsize the hooks I stay away from them, I tend to like those for regular crankbaits.

[mrmacwvu1]

wait about another week or so or whenever the water warms up just a few more degrees and the x raps will end up being a go to bait

it is a slash bait not a jerk bait

[ww2farmer]

Thanks guys, I went with the round bend regular shank, standard wire Mustad KVD hooks.

I was surprised to see you guy changing them out with EWG's or TG's, I am not a fan of the EWG or Triple grips on baits like jerkbaits or topwaters where fish tend to swipe at baits. I didn't have any issues with the stock split rings on the Clunn baits but the hooks were not very good. I have yet to catch any big bass on them, handfull of LM up to 3lbs, but I have had a few walleyes over 5lbs, and a couple 30" + Pike and the rings held up.

[Hooligan]

Best replacement hook I've found that matched in size and weight has been one of three: Owner ST 36 #6, Gammy RB #6, Katsuage #6.

[Bluebasser86]

I've been using VMC short shank #6's with good success. Haven't had any more problems with the split rings and I've heard the hooks are better but I change my hooks out on almost all my new baits anyways so I can't say that's true or not.

[Quillback]

I like Daiichi Deathtraps in size 6. Be careful as they are scarey sharp. They'll slide into your finger like a hypodermic needle.