Fished a tournament this past weekend and managed to catch a fish on my second cast on a buzz bait (caught him on the trailer hook) -- about 6 casts later, I had one hit the buzz bait and was bringing him in when he came off.  Looked at the bait and the trailer hook was gone.  I had put the tubing over the eye of the trailer hook and then put it over the point of the main hook before taking off.  Has anyone ever had this happen -- BTW WHAT HAPPENED!?!

I think the trailer hook came off just like a fish throws a bait.  The rubber can tear off the eye of the trailer, or the barb of the main hook can tear through and release the trailer.

I've never had it happen but one of my brothers ties a piece of line on the trailer hook eye and then as short as possible, ties to the main hook's shank... then put the trailer hook on as normal.  If it lets go, you'll still have the hook tied on the line to get your fish in.  

I guess he's not the only one who has experienced this after all.  ...lol  

Wow, never heard of that before.  How thick was the plastic tubing?  In my experience it's tough to get the tubing back over the barb of the main hook even when I'm trying to.  I can't imagine how a fish could put enough force in that direction (back towards the front of the bait, the line, and you) to do that.  But obviously he did it.  

While I've never had it happen when I use to attach the trailer hooks that way, I have to agree with flechero on this one. The tubing more than likely tore and the bass turned just the right way (like they usually do for me) and threw the bait while keepiing the trailer hook.

I put the trailer hook on and then put a peice of tubing on the hook so to keep the hook from coming off but allowing it to swing more freely.

I agree with basser89 about putting the trailer hook on first then attaching the tubing to the main hook. It swings freely and gives you two advantages.

1-the bass can't use the weight of the bait as leverage to throw the hook(when hooked only on trailer)

2-bass don't really bite our lures, they suck them in by pulling water into their mouth and out the gills. When the trailer is swinging free then it gets pulled right into the direction of that vacuum the bass creates resulting in a better hookup %. IMHO

Posted by: basser89

I put the trailer hook on and then put a peice of tubing on the hook so to keep the hook from coming off but allowing it to swing more freely.

  This is really weird that this topic came up.  I was fishing less than a week ago and the same exact thing happened to me.  Caught a fish on a buzzbait and then it came off.  Reeled it in a sure enough, no trailer hook.  I used the method of putting the trailer hook on first and then putting the tubing on after to let it move freely.  Well, it still managed to come off.  I guess it like the 1 in 1000 odds type situation i've been told.  That is why I thought it was weird when another member had the same problem.  Just thought I would share my story, too.

some trailer hooks come with that clear plastic tubing which is junk

the good ones use surgical tubing which is tough rubber

never had the 2nd type release on its own yet

Thanks for the condolensces guys -- I have been fishing since Ole Shep was a pup and this was a first for me.  BTW, it was the surgical tubing that I was using (tan stuff).  I have tried using the "free swinging method" and alway had more trouble with hang-up's this way.  Maybe I need to give it another try.