Stinger Hooks

[Skolmann]

For those of you who like to bucktail fluke, I thought I'd pass along a helpful tip that I learned over this past weekend.

In the past, to add a second hook to a Spro (or whatever style bucktail) I would use what is known as a trailer hook. This is a hook used mainly by freshwater largemouth bass fisherman on thier spinner baits. To attach this type of hook you slide a small (1/4") of surgical tubing over the eye of the trailer hook, next you take the point of the hook on the bucktail & pierce it through the eye of the trailer hook (also piercing the trailer hook). This worked OK for me but I knew there had to be a better way.

The next way I started attaching a stinger hook was to use an open eye Siwash hook. I'd simply loop the open eye around the hook of the bucktail and clamp it close with a pair of pliers. This I liked better than the above method but found a major flaw with it this past weekend-especially when using a Spro. It seems that the barb on Spro bucktails are very small & even with clamping the eye of the Siwash hook as tight as I could, the small barb allows the fluke to at times work the eye of the Siwash back over the barb--thus you lose the fish. This was proven to me on at least 4 occasions this past weekend when I had what felt like very good sized fluke up about half way only to lose them. Upon getting my rig back to the surface, I noticed that the stinger (Siwash) hook was gone. I'm assuming that there are at least 4 nice fluke along the bottom with my Gamakatsu 3/0 hooks lodged in their mouths  .

Now for the tip, take a small high quality swivel. I was using a #4 size Spro. The size of this swivel will almost get over the barb of a Spro bucktail but not all the way. Now take a aplier of either needle nose or crimping pliers and slowly work the swivel over the bar. Takes some time at first but once you get the hang of it-it gets easier. Once you get the swivel over the barb its not coming off. Now you simply take an open eye Siwash hook and crimp the eye close on the other end of the swivel. Viola, you now have a deadly stinger hook bucktail.

You can bait the above setup with one long strip bait--making sure that you keep the bait strip tight & straight when hooking it so it doesn't spin. Or you can bait each hook (the bucktail hook & the stinger hook) with a shorter bait strip--giving the illusion of one big piece of bait.

FYI, on all my AVA style diamond jigs I'll break off the hook (leaving the swivel on the jig) they come with and replace them with laser sharp Gamakatsu Siwash open eye hooks. Once the Siwash gets a bit rusty or dull (I'll run a hook hone on them but even after several trips they become dull or the hook point becomes fragile), just replace using the above method. Buy the Siwash hooks in bulk over the winter at various outdoor shows/expos and you'll save $$.

[catfish hunter]

can you post a pic of this stinger ,is it easier than using the gammi stinger that you just loop over the hook

[Skolmann]

On Friday's trip, guys were using the Gamakatsu assist hooks as stingers with good success. I just have to be shown how they add them to thier bucktails and I'm sure I'll rig them that was as well as they I described above.

Bucktail--Swivel--Stinger hook assembled

[Skolmann]

Componenets

[catfish hunter]

I like it thanks ,I am gonna rig up a few and try it

[Hotrod]

Awesome Doc!..

Great info.

Thanks for taking the time to put this up

[twin lights]

great idea

[CapBob]

Great job thanks

[ped579]

Nice, thanks for the tip.  I will have to try it this week off the surf.

Thanks again.

Happy Catching

Paul

[IrishAyes]

Nice tip.  I will have to make a few up and try them out.  I usually tie a hook to the hook shaft of the spro, but sometimes that interferes with the bucktail.

[Pops Soul]

Great Tip Skolmann, I will put that into the memory banks

[Luna Sea 5]

one other way is to add a leader to the stinger hook about 1 foot back.  Most fish that miss the first bait, will grab the second.

[fnsmag]

FYI, on all my AVA style diamond jigs I'll break off the hook (leaving the swivel on the jig) they come with and replace them with laser sharp Gamakatsu Siwash open eye hooks. Once the Siwash gets a bit rusty or dull (I'll run a hook hone on them but even after several trips they become dull or the hook point becomes fragile), just replace using the above method. Buy the Siwash hooks in bulk over the winter at various outdoor shows/expos and you'll save $$.

5/0 a good size for diamond jigs?

[Luna Sea 5]

how do you attach the swivel to the set up.  It don't look like it will fit over the barb of the hook

[Skolmann]

how do you attach the swivel to the set up.  It don't look like it will fit over the barb of the hook

It doesn't. But this is how I do it.

I use a #4 Spro swivel. First, I'll attach one eye of the swivel to the eye of a 3/0 Open Eye Gamakatsu Swiash style hook. Then I'll use a pair of needle nose pliers to clamp closed the eye of the hook. Next, I'll place the other eye of the swivel over the point of the hook on the Spro bucktail. I'll then use the needle nose pliers and grab the middle section of the swivel and work it/pull it over the barb of the bucktail's hook. It takes some practice but once you do it a few times you'll get the hang of it. Lastly, I'll clamp down on the swivel eye that I just brought past the barb of the bucktail's hook. This way I'm making sure that it can't fall off.

If you still are having trouble after the above instructions--I'd be more than willing to meet and show you exactly how it's done one cold. rainy, windy, unfishable weekend day this fall.

[Skolmann]

5/0 should be good for AVA 047's and 067's.

If your not sure, just bring one diamond jig with you to the store and match up an open eye Siwash hook with it until you get the size that matchs.

[tigerrose]

I like your rig it sounds like it works.Thanks for the tip,you got to like N.J.S.F the people are great!!

[Luna Sea 5]

how do you attach the swivel to the set up.  It don't look like it will fit over the barb of the hook

It doesn't. But this is how I do it.

I use a #4 Spro swivel. First, I'll attach one eye of the swivel to the eye of a 3/0 Open Eye Gamakatsu Swiash style hook. Then I'll use apiar of needle noce pliers to clamp closed the eye of the hook. Next, I'll place the other eye of the swivel over the point of the hook on the Spro bucktail. I'll then use the needle nose pliers and grab the middle section of the swivel and work it/pull it over the barb of the bucktail's hook. It takes some practice but once you do it a few times you'll get the hang of it. Lastly, I'll clamp down on the swivel eye that I just brought past the barb of the bucktail's hook. This way I'm making sure that it can't fall off.

If you still are having trouble after the above instructions--I'd be more than willing to meet and show you exactly how it's done one cold. rainy, windy, unfishable weekend day this fall.

sounds good...

[IrishAyes]

Skolmann, I have made up and used this rig and like it.  Thanks for the tip.   

[Skolmann]

Skolmann, I have made up and used this rig and like it.  Thanks for the tip.   

Happy to hear you like it.

Here's another tip that I sometimes do with the above rig. At times instead of using one long bait stip what I'll do is take 2 shorter bait strips and place one one each hook-thus giving the illusion of a longer strip. To me it appears as if you get more action/flutter with the 2 strips. It also seems to help at times when the 1 long strip wraps up against itself when jigging. You can also add a spearing 9although this seems to cut down on the fluttering action of the bait strip some) with each bait strip further enhance the the illusion of a big bait.