# Cut hooks off Jigging Rap



## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

Have you cut both end hooks off your jigging raps? I've thought about it, but didn't want to ruin them. I can only remember hooking one walleye with the end hook, all the rest have been on treble or stinger.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

leave them on if you want to use them without bait. I fish them without a minnow about 30% of the time. I hook plenty of fish on the small hooks that way.

btw, I had good success on nilsmaster jiggers which come with a dropper treble when tipping with minnows or minnow heads for saugeye. they separated the minnow and the bait just enough to make it easier for the picky eyes to hit the minnow only.


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## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

So do some of you actually remove the treble hook and place a stinger rig on them? I have only fished them for a couple years and have caught a few bass and crappie on them with no bait and some gills with a couple maggots on them. I never thought to put a stinger type rig on them. Doesn't it get all tangled up as the rap circles downward. Also what do you tip them with?


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

They are talking about cutting off the nose and tail hooks because they sometimes snag on the hole and the fish can shake free. I havent really had a problem with them snaggin on the hole. You might loose a big fish because the hooks are cut off, but you might also loose a big fish because the hooks weren't there. I say leave them on, unless you see them as a burden.


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

tomb......I'm in total agreement "PEPLE".....always fish with mine ( end hooks)attached....But I also have up sized all the belly trebles to a larger size and use the "red ones" to boot......Seem to get much better hook ups....... Also SUMMERS OFF.....fish will dictate how they want the bait fished.....Plain/tipped with whole minnow/ or only a minnow head.....


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## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

thanks I guess I misunderstood the original post. I will look into changing the hooks. I really like fishing jigging raps because the opportunity to catch a variety of fish. I'm going to try using some Vibee's or however you spell it a bit more this season as well.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

people do use stingers/droppers instead of the treble, ive never tried it. another dropper technique, just like with a spoon. tip with a minnow head, or larvae, idea is just that its easier for shy biters to suck the bait in. i imagine it might tangle but as you drop it the dropper might just flip up out of the way.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

Summersoff:You didn't misread, I add a dropper sometimes, but leave on the regular treble, no tangle problems. I never even considered that I was fishing w/ 4 hooks until I read someone elses post in another thread. Oops I'll at least have to cut one of the main hooks off in the future. 

Upsized hooks on my older ones a couple of years ago, red for me too. Newer ones already come with a larger hook. Rapala must have wised up. Still managed to loose a few nice walleyes at the hole because of snagging the end hook.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

I'll modify my original question. Anyone that uses a stinger on Jigging Raps have a preference as to which hook to cut off?


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

Hardwater I have not tried a dropper hook on my jiggin rap. I have tried spoons with the dropper with minimum sucess.


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hardwater.....Yes they can tangle...the longer the length of line....the better the chance......But you fish a "vex" and if you have your sensitivity adjusted right......you will usually pick up two targets.....one stronger(the lure/on top) and a weaker(lighter/thinner) signal right below....as you slowly move this setup, up and down.....if there is a tangle ......you will (again) usually.....find only one target or the flashes will appear really close together... Very similar to seeing an added split shot above your jig or pin-min...... The more you fish these rigs the better (or quicker) you"ll become at seeing that on the vex....Jon Sr.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

if I had to cut off one of the body hooks from a rap I would cut off the front one just because thats the one that seems to most often hang on the edge of the ice when your landing a fish. Another reason why I would never do that is also because cutting off just one hook will change the balance of the lure. Cut off the front and it will tip nose up...etc. 

Ive found that if a rapala dosent hang horizontaly it drastically changes the distance it swims, kind of like a sailboat positioning its sails to catch the wind at the perfect angle to maximize forward movement. This may be a good thing at times but all my confidence is in a perfectly horizontal bait that swims out to the side well.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

Maybe I'll just smash one flat, that way the weight is still there.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

But will that change the balance of it?


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