My question is simple, what’s the best way to get rust off hooks??? I have a few lures that have rust on them and was wondering. Thanks for all your advice 

Soak em in vinegar for a bit 

I use my dremel tool and the wire wheel. 

File 13 ?

You might be treating the symptom and not the problem.

Perhaps reassess your current lure storage/stowage deal.

May need a new plan.

btw- leaving salty trailers on hooks for extended periods 

can speed up oxidation.

A-Jay

 

I carry a small box when I'm bank fishing. It's about 1" thick. I drilled several small holes through the box to let air circulate in it. It seems to help. 

2 hours ago, Catt said:

File 13 ?

 

I frequently use a rust removal solution like Metal Rescue or Evaporust for rusted, found tools. Have also use it for small rusted bits in automobiles.

 

Would work for any rusted metal bits.

 

I also have a small ultrasonic cleaner for small stuff.

 

Scrub them using the edge of a penny . An older penny made of copper. Then wipe them off with a rag sprayed with a little WD40.  

2 hours ago, Mobasser said:

I drilled several small holes through the box to let air circulate in it.

 

I do this with my small Plano type boxes. One 1/8" hole in each compartment, and on both sides of the box with the holes aligned on each side so air can flow through. It works really well. On rare occasions a treble will find its way through one of the holes, that's the only downside.

 

I found Scotch-Brite pads work well for removing rust from hooks, but really, generally once something rusts, it will eventually keep coming back in the same spot no matter what you do. The finish is ruined. The exception is when the rust is from contact with something else that's rusted.

Pretty much any mild acid, followed by a rinse (to neutralize the acid) should work.  It'll also sharpen the hook.  But, it'll also eat the rest of the metal and dull the finish.  Acid eats all of the steel, but eats the rusted steel much quicker.  

 

Some easy to come by mild acids are acetic acid (found in vinegar, be it white, apple, balsamic, whatever), carbonic or phosphoric acid (found in most sodas and some beer), citric acid (found in lemon juice and some fruit flavored sodas), and tartaric or malic acid (found in wine).  In other words, most any liquid you have in the kitchen that isn't milk (which is only slightly acidic due to lactic acid).  

 

The stronger the acid, the less time you want it to soak.  Avoid using really strong acids like muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, as it's too dangerous and too difficult to control the time.  Typical household vinegar should probably soak somewhere around 1-4 hours for something small like a hook.  

 

Though, you don't want to get acid on the rest of your lure, as it'll eat that finish too, so you'll have to remove the hooks anyway.  Which means with all of the time and effort involved, it might be a better idea to just buy new hooks.  Plus, if you don't quickly and completely remove the acid before it gets exposed to too much air, the acid residue will quicken the rusting process, sometimes in a matter of minutes.  

 

 

In my experience, any rust on a hook has degraded the hook to a point that it will fail.  I change every hook that gets rust, every single one.  I use thin wire hooks for single hook baits and they are more susceptible.  Treble hooks are the same.  I spray my hooks when in storage Plano with WD40 and I put chunks of chalk or desiccant packs in with them as well.  

I just replace the hooks.

I would replace them. Once it gets on there, there is no sense in keeping it.

 

I am not totally convinced of this but I get the sense that fish can smell or taste rust and they don't like it. 

13 hours ago, TOXIC said:

In my experience, any rust on a hook has degraded the hook to a point that it will fail. 

He appears to be talking about surface rust from storage, in which case there is little degradation.

 

Certainly not to the point of failure.

 

YMMV.

10 hours ago, RRocket said:

He appears to be talking about surface rust from storage, in which case there is little degradation.

 

Certainly not to the point of failure.

 

YMMV.

I can attest to the fact that once rust has eaten away the outer black coating on a gamakatsu thin wire hook and rust is not possible without that, the hook will be compromised at that very point.  I’ve snapped too many hooks retrieving them with pliers at those very points. If I see rust, the hook is done.  You may trust it but I won’t.  

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

I can attest to the fact that once rust has eaten away the outer black coating on a gamakatsu thin wire hook and rust is not possible without that, the hook will be compromised at that very point.  I’ve snapped too many hooks retrieving them with pliers at those very points. If I see rust, the hook is done.  You may trust it but I won’t.  

As with all things, there can be caveats. A thin or otherwise tiny or dainty hook could indeed be compromised as there isn't much metal to begin with.

 

However, he said "lures" and as such those rarely have fine wire or delicate hooks.

 

At least in this case that is my presumption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t want to appear argumentative but my experience includes trebles on cranks, jerkbaits, lipless, football heads and every other treble rigged bait.  To be fair, thick hook baits like jigs and spinnerbaits may hold up but I’ve even snapped 4.0 offset ewg hooks.  I change out any bait that comes with the silver salt resistant hooks.  

17 hours ago, FishTank said:

I am not totally convinced of this but I get the sense that fish can smell or taste rust and they don't like it.

 

Rust smells like blood to me, but I think it's unlikely that rust would attract or repel a fish.

 

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

I change out any bait that comes with the silver salt resistant hooks.  

 

Chrome hooks? Why? I don't particularly like them, I never buy them, but I don't go as far as removing them from like all my Heddon lures.

Rust vs rust stain are 2 very different issues.

Rust is iron oxide as a result of base metal corrosion, the metal is weakened.

Rust stain is a result of the hook coming in contact of something else corroding, no base metal or hook coating damaged.

Throw away the corroded rusty hooks.

Clean rust stained hooks after determining it is stained, not corroded. Baking soda mixed a table spoon to a cup of warm water removes stains without damaging the hook coating.

Coke Cola is an acid that removes rust from corroded metal but you shouldn’t use corroded hooks.

Tom

5 hours ago, fin said:

Chrome hooks? Why? I don't particularly like them, I never buy them, but I don't go as far as removing them from like all my Heddon lures.

I’ve never had chrome or silver hooks hold a point like the black nickel.  Most aren’t even sharp out of the box. 

9 hours ago, TOXIC said:

I don’t want to appear argumentative.

Not at all! Please feel free to add your anecdotes, perspective, opinions and even you 2 cents. IMO that's what these discussions are for.

 

Here's my perspective: I fish with nothing heavier than 6lb mono and most often 4lb. I'm far more likely to have a line failure than a hook failure, and in fact, I have never had a hook failure. Ever.

 

As with all things, YMMV.

Prevention is the course that I chart. I use Zerust Plastabs, a VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor). I use them everywhere I don't want rust to form. They are inexpensive and effective.

 

If you do remove the rust from a hook, the next problem you'd face is it reforming. The rust will return to any metal whose coating is compromised. I feel it's best to just replace the hook(s).

 

Edited September 21, 20232 yr by Crow Horse