Rigging With Single Hooks

[Ken Best]

I am rigging some stickbaits with Decoy JS1 and Owner Jobu single hooks both in 8/0.
Do you all think it makes a difference when rigging with the Decoys which way the point
faces on the rear hook, up or down?
And with the Jobu's, the point will be off to one side of the lure, should I use two split
rings to get it pointing up or down?
Or maybe I being too pedantic....

Thanks, Ken

[Luke Wyrsta]

Hi Ken,

Haven't really thought about it too much - i would say that all mine are rigged back hook pointing down. You can also rig with a swivel (which i don't like). The Heru/BlackJack/Nomad stickbaits are now coming with a swivel attached to the back - i would cut it off straight away as it's qaulity is average - attach a high quality one for piece of mind or remove completely.

[Brandon Khoo]

I used to have the rear hook pointing down but I have now switched it to pointing upwards. No idea if this makes a difference!

Ken, can i suggest that you don't want a rear hook that is six inches behind the lure and that can happen with a swivel and then a Jobu. In such cases, you're probably better off with a jigging hook which has a much shorter shaft. For the hook off the belly, again, it defeats the purpose of having a belly hook if the hook is trailing with the tail of the lure. Look at a hook with a shorter shaft so it sits around the belly region. I personally don't like the hook trailing to the side on a stickbait so I tend to go with either an opposite eye hook like a Decoy Sergeant, use two split rings or a baker rig.

Luke - have you had a problem with a swivel failure on the Heru stickbaits? I've had a couple cop a belting without a problem and the guys at Nomad have put them through some horrendous use on big dogtooths without any problems that I am aware of

[Jon Li]

The swivel on the tail is of the same size as the one on the belly , why remove the one on the tail and not the one on the belly then . For everybody's information , the swivel on Heru lures are those used by commercial fisherman for long lining purposes and we have not heard any failed yet , we have seen ball bearing swivel of reputable brand failed in the past but not barrel swivel from the same company .

Jon .

[Ken Best]

Thanks for the reply gents.

I am rigging with point up. With a stop start retrieve, when the lure is at rest the rear hook will hang down. To my way of thinking, if a fish was to bite from behind or from the side, the hook point would be forced up toward the lure, hiding it. If the point was facing the other way it would be more exposed and may result in a cleaner hookup.
Any thoughts?

Ken

[Jon Li]

Hi Ken ,

Most GT will strike the lure from the side , I once watch a GT homing on my friend's stickbait from a tower of a sportfisherboat , the GT came from behind and stop momentarily , overtook the lure to flank it and turn to hit the lure from the side , most of the teeth marks suggest the same . Only wahoo seems to take the lure from behind and even narrow barred mackerel will hit the lure from the side at a slight angle .

As for the tail hook facing down , with swivel it tends to turn on every jerk of the rod tip , at least when I use SJ hook .

Jon .