Spybait hooks

[KMcClure]

Anybody try swapping out the stock hooks on duo spybaits? I can’t seem to get smallmouth in the boat with them. Most of the time they’re hooked for a few cranks then they’re off

[DrewFlu33]

I threw one a bit this year and had the same issue with losing fish. I tried sticking KVD triple grips on it as you don't seem to lose many fish on them, but it destroyed the action. Admittedly all I had was #6 which, given the wide gap and heavy wire on those hooks, was just too big. So I put the stock hooks back on and haven't thrown it since. I've got some Gamakatsu Nano Finesse #6 in my Tackle Warehouse cart to try next. I've had good luck with those on jerkbaits, and with the MH version on my older DT16s and DT20s that came with those awful "Sure Set" hooks. Owner ST36s might be an even better option, and they're available down to size 8 at Tackle Warehouse and even smaller at other places....I use them to replace hooks on some of my ice fishing spoons and they're as sharp as the Gamakatsu Nano Finesse. VMC Barbarians could be another thing to try.

Another thing that's crossed my mind, at least in the way that I fished them, was that I didn't have enough stretch in my setup. They suggest straight fluoro, but being the stubborn person I am, I refuse to spool up straight fluoro - particularly for one technique. So I was fishing it on braid with a 15 foot Sniper leader on my drop shot rod. Going with straight fluoro and/or a more moderate action rod would probably help.

[BoatBuggy]

Look at your gear and technique before changing the hooks. I don't change the hooks on a Duo but I do change the back hook on the Storm Arashi spybait to a #6 KVD triple grip.

When I first started throwing spybaits I lost pretty much every fish that hit them, usually on the first jump. I was using my dropshot rod because that's what I had read to use but I think the rod was too much of a noodle and I was never getting a hook into them. I started throwing them on stouter rod and putting a little bit of oomph into the sweeping hookset and rarely lose a fish anymore. If they stay on after the initial jump then the key is to give them drag and let them tire themselves out. Trying to horse them in at the side of the boat usually doesn't work out very well.

I throw spybaits with casting gear because I'm much more comfortable with it than I am spinning gear. My goto setup is a GLX 852c with either a 5.5:1 Zillion SV TW or 5.8:1 SV105 reel and 12 lb Sunline FC Sniper. My second setup is a Megabass XX Flatside Special with the same reels and line. Both reels have excellent drags.

[KMcClure]

I’m using my dropshot rod at the moment which is an nrx 822dsr. I tried braid with leader and now I’m on straight 6lb sniper. I do have those gamakatsu nanos to try. I was also thinking about the barbarians since I know they’re a pretty light wire and also really sticky

[BoatBuggy]

I’m using my dropshot rod at the moment which is an nrx 822dsr.

That's what I was using. I think it's way too much of a noodle for spybaits. Braid and leader is fine, my buddy fishes them using that but he finally gave up on using the NRX 822DSR as well and is now using a GLX 1 power walleye rod (I think it's a WRR8501S). He's landed a lot of big St Lawrence smallies with it and if I liked spinning gear I'd probably get one too.

[KMcClure]

I’ve been looking at the megabass flyssa for them. Just unsure about it being a 2.5 power

[BoatBuggy]

I’ve been looking at the megabass flyssa for them. Just unsure about it being a 2.5 power

I have no idea what a 2.5 power Megabass would be like but i've long been intrigued by the Megabass Hein which is a 3 power casting rod and spybaits are one of the things mentioned in the list of things it can be used for. I'd hazard a guess that the Flyssa would do well with spybaits.

[gary_fritz]

gonna bump this up for the original question... what hooks to replace the duo realis spybait hooks?
Yesterday my wife hooked me in the back shoulder blade area with a g-fix 80, she really wound up for that cast too as she buried to barbs on one hook pretty deep. After getting the hooks out I noticed the split ring was stretched and one of the points was bent out. I just stole the hooks from another duo realis spybait so she could continue fishing her favorite one but would like to replace the stolen ones at some point. As Drew noted, I don't want to kill the action. Just to note, we have the occasional fish come off with the stock hooks but our hook to land ratio is pretty good so I don't mind the stock hooks.