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Are you using the right crappie hook? by Brad Wiegmann
Search the internet and you will find thousands of YouTube videos and articles on how to choose the right fishing hook, however, it seems like most of them are not specie specific or to generic. The challenge it seems is there are so many hooks to pick from. To clear up any confusion we are going to get the facts and best choices from two hook experts TTI-Blakemore Team Crappie Hooks along with Mitch Glenn with PICO Lures Vanguard Tackle terminal gear.
“You have so many hooks to pick from including red, gold, blue/black and Cam Action snelled hooks when picking out a hook to go crappie fishing with,” Ron Stallings (www.ttiblakemore.com) went on, “Personal preference plays a big part of what hook an angler is going to use when they are on the water fishing. Past history and successful fishing trips reinforces what hook an angler is going to use.”
Stallings noted that water clarity also plays a major part in what hook and angler is going to use on what body of water they are fishing. “Red is a strike inducing color pattern and about 96 percent of all hard lures have red hooks.” Stallings went on, “Lots of anglers like the gold hooks because of the shine it has in murky or clear water situations, however, our blue/black colored hooks it’s something that disappears under the water making the minnow look completely natural. That being said most crappie anglers seem to prefer hooks that are brightly colored like red or gold and that goes back to water clarity or personal preference. My personal preference is the red Team Crappie Hooks because it’s a strike inducing color.”
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Another popular Team Crappie Hooks product is the pre-rigged packaged snelled hooks. The pre-rigged Team Crappie package includes a light wire cam action snelled hook and high quality mono leader. “Most of the anglers using our pre-rigged Team Crappie packaged snelled hooks are using them when fishing multiple rigs,” Stallings continued, “A lot of anglers like them for ease of use.”
For angler’s that can’t make up their mind Stallings noted they have a Team Crappie Hook Kit. “Our Team Crappie Hook Kit comes with red, black/blue and gold hooks in it so you can pick the hook color you want on the fishing conditions you are fishing in,” said Stallings. The Team Crappie hook Kit comes with 72 hooks with a variety of sizes from size 2-, 4- and 6-bronze, red and gold hooks. Note that the size 6 hook doesn’t come in this hook kit.
Unlike any other hook, TTI –Blakemore Team Crappie Hooks have an offset cam. This design forces the point of the hook upward and results in the hook taking hold, a deepest possible hold. Think of it this way; you step on the head of a rake and the handle comes up hits you in the head. That’s what Team Crappie Hooks do when a fish strikes the hook and it turns and catches the crappie in the mouth.
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“Truthfully, hooks aren’t the sexy thing we sell, but everyone needs them for fishing,” Mitch Glenn the owner of PICO Lures and regional Vanguard Tackle distributor, “For crappie anglers we have a 10 pack gold Aberdeen crappie hook in 6-, 4-, 2- and 1/0-sizes. These are the most popular sizes crappie hooks with the 1/0 being the number one choice. I always recommend a crappie angler to use a big hook when crappie fishing because more big crappie are lost from anglers using too small a hook.”
“True story, PICO Lures Pro Lance Hughey always used bronze Aberdeen hooks before I convinced him to try our gold Aberdeen hook for his homemade double drop spider rig,” Glenn went on, “So he tries out the gold hooks and finds out that he loves them. Plus the Vanguard Tackle Gold Aberdeen hooks are super strong with a long shank so he can set the hook and get big crappie in with these hooks.”
Glenn noted they also had a line of Vanguard Tackle snelled gold Aberdeen hooks in 8-, 6-, 4- and 2-sizes with 2 being the most popular. “I know most anglers use these because they are easy to use,” Glenn went on, “Anglers use a weight above a snap then connect the loop on the snelled gold Aberdeen hook and if they get hung up they let the weight drop down to knock the hook free from being snagged.”
