Singles Versus Trebles for Pike

[isismad Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close isismad]

Is anyone interested in comparing the effectiveness of these two approaches to Pike rigs. After getting fed up with deep hooking with trebles (despite using instant strike rigs) I switched to singles near the end of last season. Didn't miss any runs nor bump any fish off but did lose one at the net as the hook had only just nicked the fish in the scissors. Am about to start this season's Piking and would be happy to use 2 rods one on each rig to compare their effectiveness. Would anyone else out there be willing to try the same on their waters so we can build up some reliable info.

[blanker Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close blanker]

if i get 3 rods set up, then i may try a single on one of them, although im still unsure of using a big single as its being said that they can cause more damage

[hurricane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close hurricane]

Is anyone interested in comparing the effectiveness of these two approaches to Pike rigs. After getting fed up with deep hooking with trebles (despite using instant strike rigs) I switched to singles near the end of last season. Didn't miss any runs nor bump any fish off but did lose one at the net as the hook had only just nicked the fish in the scissors. Am about to start this season's Piking and would be happy to use 2 rods one on each rig to compare their effectiveness. Would anyone else out there be willing to try the same on their waters so we can build up some reliable info.

Theres been plenty of debate on this subject,and at the end of the day its down to individual choice,but i would like you to explain why you think treble hooks were the cause of deep hooking,and how the use of singles would alieviate this problem.

[isismad Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close isismad]

Theres been plenty of debate on this subject,and at the end of the day its down to individual choice,but i would like you to explain why you think treble hooks were the cause of deep hooking,and how the use of singles would alieviate this problem.

Trebles aren't the cause of my deep hooking problems it's just that when you do deep hook with a treble it causes so much more , dare I say, damage. By using large circle hooks at the end of last season I'm sure that if the deadbait was taken deep the hook would still slip back towards the jaws when you slowly tighten on it and only find a hook hold on exiting the scissors.

[hurricane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close hurricane]

Firstly circle hooks are designed to take hold under steady pressure ie from a drag or baitrunner,secondly if you are getting more than 1 in fifty deep hooked pike, then i would say there is something wrong with your set up/bite detection or your procedures after bite indication,deep hooked fish should be avoided at all costs but they are not that difficult to deal with,by deep hooked are you talking both trebles out of sight down the "muck eye" or just not hooked in the scissors,The best way to avoid problems is an instant strike whatever hooks you are useing.

[isismad Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close isismad]

Firstly circle hooks are designed to take hold under steady pressure ie from a drag or baitrunner,secondly if you are getting more than 1 in fifty deep hooked pike, then i would say there is something wrong with your set up/bite detection or your procedures after bite indication,deep hooked fish should be avoided at all costs but they are not that difficult to deal with,by deep hooked are you talking both trebles out of sight down the "muck eye" or just not hooked in the scissors,The best way to avoid problems is an instant strike whatever hooks you are useing.

The Circle hooks are indeed used in the way you describe. The set up previously used with trebles was Pencil float fished with a 18" trace in 3 to 5 foot of water at less than 20 yards range in the local fenland dykes. One single in the root of the tail of a joey and a size 6 treble 3/4 way down the flank towards the head. The runs were hit as soon as the float showed a positive reaction. The pike here are plentiful and I can only assume the competition for food makes them knock the bait back quickly. In a large stillwater I fish the opposite applies and I have to let them run for quite a time to ensure hooking them. On that particular water I have yet to deep hook a single fish. I hate harming any fish especially predators and will try anything to avoid it.

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I cant comment on the water concerned as ive not fished it,ive never expierienced a situation(other than after heavy prebaiting) where the majority of the fish swallow baits before moving any distance,but that doesent mean it dont happen,IMO deadbait pencil set up properly and watched is the ultimate in bite detection(deadbaits dont move)so if singles work better for you,thats all there is to it,a tip though, dont go too large if you are useing circles,there have been reports of them penetrating clean through on small cats.

[Azz Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close Azz]

I don't see any disadvantages in using trebles. A friend deep hooked a jack on a large single hook a few weeks ago and that was a right pain to get out. Are you striking as soon as you have a run?

[isismad Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close isismad]

Unfortunately I've never fished for cats although my nephew has had a lot of success at Rockley. I have eaten them though from Lake Balaton. Have been using instant strike rigs since Jim Gibbinson wrote about them in the sixties but not had the deep hooking problem 'till I came to live in this part of the fens. Incidentally the Circle hooks I've used so far are Varivas size 4/0 and Gamakatsu 3/0 (which appears to be the same size)

[hurricane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close hurricane]

Would have thought 2/0 would be max i dont go any bigger for cats,but as i say its down to peoples preferences.

[isismad Talk Angling User Find all posts View Profile Close isismad]

You're probably right about the cats, I wouldn't know, however if anyone's interested in collating some data on the relative differences between single hooks and trebles regarding Pike I'd be very interested.