[pizza]

Just wondering which style you prefer and why. I prefer the vertical since I mostly make smaller (1/4 oz range, working on smaller)flatsided cranks and my biggest issue is balance (i.e. the lures swimming in an average vertical position and not 5 or 8 degrees off vertical). I like the vertical hangers because it lowers the weight of the rear hook by about 3 mm. By having the weight of the rear hook at a lower position, I think it increases the odds of my baits swimming in an "average vertical position".

So which style do you prefer and why?

[BobP]

Depends on the trebles. With standard trebles, I make the tail hanger horizontal so I can mount the tail treble with 2 hook points up and one down (more or less) for better hookups. Rapala In-Line trebles are left/right symetrical when mounted on a vertical tail hanger or a belly hanger (thus reducing/eliminating hook rash). If you want exact L/R symetry with a standard hook on the tail hanger, you need to test mount the hook and rotate the hanger until you get it symetrical, which is neither horizontal or vertical. JMHO, since the treble streams behind the bait creating drag when in motion, the left/right balance is more important to the bait's action than whether the treble is carried a couple of mm up or down. It's usually not a giant consideration, but every little bit counts sometime.

[pizza]

do most here believe that two points up and one down on the rear treble makes for better hookups? I've never seen a store bought bait come that way, and everything I've read (like the instructions that come with some hooks) say otherwise. Nice detailed reply, would have never thought about some of those considerations.

[mark poulson]

I've found that, if the fish only nips at the tail treble, it doesn't matter which way the treble is turned. If he gets it into his mouth, he's hooked. Now the David Fritts stinger treble needs to be mounted with the elongated hook down, according to the package, although most single hook lures, like swiming jigs and spinnerbaits, have the hook turned up to make them more snag resistant, and they generally hook the fish in the roof of the mouth, which is a good thing.
I've seen guys put a stinger hook on their blades with the hook turned down, when they're fishing for suspended fish in open water, but it's a sure snag in cover.
I've never use the Fritts elongated treble myself, so I don't know how it would come through cover, but it does seem like a built in stinger hook in open water situations, where the fish might just swipe at the lure or nip at the tail as it goes by.

[pizza]

I think you are referring to the David Fritts/VMC "sure set" trebles(I've never heard of Fritts Stingers)? The instructions say to have the larger point point up on the back hook and down on the front hook.

Although I'm not sold on the sure set design, I do occasionally use them to fine tune the "front/rear balance" on smaller cranks.

I'm starting to get sick of trebles as they can really tear up smallmouths' mouths sometimes. I may try cutting off one of the barbs and seeing if it significantly lowers my hookup %.

[BobP]

Barbless - I occasionally fish in Canada when barbless trebles are required and have no problem at all with fish jumping off. Rather than cutting off the barbs, it's easier/faster to crimp them down with pliers. I also crimp down the barb on EWG worm hooks when I'm deadsticking Senkos or Super Flukes because the fish tend to swallow them before you can set the hook.