How do you rig the hooks on your poppers?

[Brandon Khoo]

Just out of interest, I'm curious as to how most of our members are rigging their poppers and stickbaits. I posted a thread a while back on the various methods but wondered whether most people were using the more traditional two trebles or had converted to using Bakers or even the assist-rigged single. Also, do you right stickbaits differently?

For me, I use all of the rigs depending on how they feel on a popper but my standard is a treble off the belly and a single off the tail. For stickbaits, I tend to use the Baker off the belly and a single off the tail as this seems to result in the best action. I won't use the assist rigged single on a stickbait as to me, it impacts on the action and in particular, makes surface stickbaits swim in a really odd manner. Mind you, this may make the fish look even more injured!

www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=1397.0

[Chuen Fan]

I still prefer a treble off the belly of all poppers/pencils and either a big single or another treble off the tail. For stickbaits, baker rigged with a single off the tail on everything except gt gamma's. Haven't tried the head assist yet but it does look mighty efficient going off the various nomad dvd's.

[Angus Hulme]

One thing I've noticed about hanging a treble off the belly of a lure is that it tends to rub and mark the finish of the lures a lot more than Baker rigged belly hooks. For this reason, on new lures I run Baker on the belly and a single on the tail. Old lures that are already chewed and carved up, I mostly run trebles on both front and back.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Still prefer trebles for most scenerios. The weight is near even and acts like a keel to keep lures running true, in the case of stickbaits the additional weight helps sink the lure (running sub-surface is usually my preference, even then, rod tip up or faster retrieve and you can still have it snake on the surface). The other virtue is of course plenty of hook exposure!

[Stephen Polzin]

split rings and trebles all the way for me. 

[Travis Heaps]

Run baker on belly and a larger single off the rear on all my lures (ie SJ51 9/0 on belly the SJ51/41 11/0 on tail). Don't use trebles at all.  Originally I used to run trebles but found they damaged the fish on occasions (rips on side) which I really don't like.  I have noted when writing my trip reports recently that when thinking about it we do miss a lot of strikes, maybe need to relook at hook configurations?  Recently tried Realbait 170's with the baker/single rig and think they would have really benefitted from a large treble to help stabilise. 

As an interesting experiment when you're really bored one day is to try swimming your stickbaits with no hooks....you'll soon see just how dependant on the hook weight they are for their action. 

[Mark Stotesbury]

trebles for yellowfin tuna , want to tire the fish quick and find with 2 big trebles on a popper- the fish cant close its mouth so the fight is shorter - still 30-45min though ..this is for the table . GT's gone to baker / single rig . any one got trebles for FCL SQUIDPENS ??

[Jay Burgess]

When I fished with Nomad last year we dropped a ridiculous amount of fish despite using singles and it just didn't convince me that the hook retention rate is more superior. That said, none of the fish were really over 40kg and I suspect the more powerful fish with stronger jaws and longer fight time could change the scenario but I've just decided to stick with trebles for the time being.

[Travis Heaps]

When I fished with Nomad last year we dropped a ridiculous amount of fish despite using singles and it just didn't convince me that the hook retention rate is more superior. That said, none of the fish were really over 40kg and I suspect the more powerful fish with stronger jaws and longer fight time could change the scenario but I've just decided to stick with trebles for the time being.

Dropped as in dropped post hookup or missed strikes?  In our normal fishing we don't go through anything like the number of fish as you what catch on Nomad but I have to say that using baker/single once we do come up tight on a fish we generally never drop it if you maintain pressure - I can't remember the last time in fact.

[Jay Burgess]

When I fished with Nomad last year we dropped a ridiculous amount of fish despite using singles and it just didn't convince me that the hook retention rate is more superior. That said, none of the fish were really over 40kg and I suspect the more powerful fish with stronger jaws and longer fight time could change the scenario but I've just decided to stick with trebles for the time being.

Dropped as in dropped post hookup or missed strikes?  In our normal fishing we don't go through anything like the number of fish as you what catch on Nomad but I have to say that using baker/single once we do come up tight on a fish we generally never drop it if you maintain pressure - I can't remember the last time in fact.

Dropped post hook up, hook up rate was about the same as my experience with trebles but it really spun me out how many fish were dropped after we hooked up.

[Dave Foyle]

Hi guys,

Stick baits - Baker on the belly with a single on the rear.

Poppers - I was a treble on the belly & single on the rear man.  But having tried an assist from the front of the lure at Jewell last year with good success (didn't miss many and didn't have many drop off). I'm going to give that a go on the next trip and see how I go.

Tight lines   Dave

[Travis Heaps]

When I fished with Nomad last year we dropped a ridiculous amount of fish despite using singles and it just didn't convince me that the hook retention rate is more superior. That said, none of the fish were really over 40kg and I suspect the more powerful fish with stronger jaws and longer fight time could change the scenario but I've just decided to stick with trebles for the time being.

Dropped as in dropped post hookup or missed strikes?  In our normal fishing we don't go through anything like the number of fish as you what catch on Nomad but I have to say that using baker/single once we do come up tight on a fish we generally never drop it if you maintain pressure - I can't remember the last time in fact.

Dropped post hook up, hook up rate was about the same as my experience with trebles but it really spun me out how many fish were dropped after we hooked up.

Damn beginners 


Interesting observation though.  Any ideas why?

Also does anyone else have the trouble with ripping the fish while using trebles or did I just get unlucky?

[John Campbell]

Hey Travis

I found that trebles were doing a fair bit of damage also, i have been using the assist hook on the
front of most poppers and one single on the rear for pretty good results, on the smaller poppers
using the baker on the belly and single on the tail

stickbaits baker on the belly and single on the tail,  tried bakers on the belly and baker on the tail
on the last trip and stickbaits swam really well but the fishing was quiet so couldnt comment on hookup rates


John

[Jay Burgess]

When I fished with Nomad last year we dropped a ridiculous amount of fish despite using singles and it just didn't convince me that the hook retention rate is more superior. That said, none of the fish were really over 40kg and I suspect the more powerful fish with stronger jaws and longer fight time could change the scenario but I've just decided to stick with trebles for the time being.

Dropped as in dropped post hookup or missed strikes?  In our normal fishing we don't go through anything like the number of fish as you what catch on Nomad but I have to say that using baker/single once we do come up tight on a fish we generally never drop it if you maintain pressure - I can't remember the last time in fact.

Dropped post hook up, hook up rate was about the same as my experience with trebles but it really spun me out how many fish were dropped after we hooked up.

Damn beginners 


Interesting observation though.  Any ideas why?

Also does anyone else have the trouble with ripping the fish while using trebles or did I just get unlucky?

None whatsoever, the guides were speachless (and frustrated...), but there was nothing we were doing wrong.

[David Sharples]

Re fish falling off, I think you just get days like that. No idea why though. We had days in Seychelles last year where we were dropping them 4 times for each capture. And that is dropping after a big run against a decent drag suggesting that the fish was well and truely on. All the other geets I've hooked have stayed on. I've only lost them from reefing.

I think it might be some behavioural thing where sometimes they just grip the bait and run rather than eating it.. Or something like that!

Happens with other fish species as well. Then you go out the next day and smack them. One of those things.