By Michelle Armstrong:
When my kids were younger they would often find the back of a bass boat as their playroom.
With no video games or Polly Pockets in sight, the kids made up games like “lizard families” and “Spinnerbait Barbie.” Did you know spinnerbait skirts can double as a beautiful dress, or that two spinnerbait skirts instantly can become pom-poms for Barbie to burst in to cheer? One thing my son loved to do was make confetti. He discovered a hole-punch and nothing was safe from destruction. Used worms and bait packaging were his favorite. Tiny colorful cardboard and plastic circles lay scattered around the deck of my boat most of my fishing career.
I know, you’re wondering how any fishing advice is going to come from this story. Bear with me; this story will come full circle.
Trailer hooks! Fish are notorious for short-striking a spinnerbait. In clear water, sometimes you’ll have that special moment when you actually see your spinnerbait dart one way and the giant fish the opposite, simply because it didn’t get a good mouthful. This is when the simplest thing can save you some frustration. That simple thing is a trailer hook. They undeniably increase your chances of landing more fish. And, unlike other lure modifications, it usually does not alter the presentation or dynamics of the bait.
When pre-fishing for a tournament, I rarely use trailer hooks. Remember, pre-fishing is more about locating and figuring out patterns and less about actually catching fish. However, in tournament situations, trailer hooks are money. When adding my trailer hook, I want it to face the same direction as the bait’s hook. Trailer hooks usually come with some type of rubber tubing as a keeper device. These simply keep the trailer hook from coming off but can restrict both hooks depending on how they are used. Some keepers are designed to allow your hook to be held in place or move freely. I prefer my hook to move freely.
That being said, one day my husband and I were fun fishing (that means no tournament was involved) with spinnerbaits, and the fish were short striking. After missing several good fish, my husband placed a trailer hook on his bait. No rubber tubing to be found, what is a boy to do? No problem, our son’s custom-made confetti was readily available and pressed into service. Voila, trailer-hook keeper! Not only that, but this has become the only keeper we use with our spinnerbaits. We have learned through trial and error that plastic milk carton is about the perfect plastic for this application. Also, be careful pushing the plastic onto the spinnerbait hook, use pliers instead of your fingers.
See, I told you the story would come around… Now go land a fish!