removing the center hook on lures

[Trevis Tilberg]

i have read a few articles on removing the center hook .
and wounder how this would effect the hook up ratio ?

[Brad Rollins]

I have found that the middle hook is the one the fish is usually hooked on. especially weagles

[justin schlottman]

what lure or lures are you considering removing the center hook. are you trying to up size the other hooks or hook on the lures. i used to by crane crankbaits and use the stock out of the box hooks until i lost a bunch of fish on them. they come with 3 sets of 2 ot trebles, i removed the middle hook and replaced the other trebles with 4 ot, this helped alot with keeping muskies on and did not effect the action of the bait. i think it all depends on what lure you are talking about.

[Trevis Tilberg]

I was considering the suiks and then weighting them to near neutral buoyancy
i just read it was safer on the fish and less dangerous to handle a lure with only two hooks compared to three.
i am pretty new to musky fishing so i am seeking more in site on the subject of removing the hook .
pros and cons as to say.

[MuskyRuss]

As Justin stated, Removing the middle hook really depends on the bait and what you are trying to accomplish. IE: upgrading to larger hooks, changing the action of the bait ETC !!!

As far as weighting a suick to near near neutral buoyancy, It really defeats the purpose of how the bait was designed to work. The bait is designed to dive on the Jerk and then rise pretty rapidly, and on the rise is when the majority of the fish hit these types of baits. Suick makes weighted models that dive deeper but still have the killer dive and rise action. There are several Crank baits and glide baits out there that already have pretty neutral buoyancy. Just remember anytime you weight a bait that is not designed for it it will change the way it works, and more often than not reduces the action.

MuskyRuss

Trevis Tilberg said:

I was considering the suiks and then weighting them to near neutral buoyancy
i just read it was safer on the fish and less dangerous to handle a lure with only two hooks compared to three.
i am pretty new to musky fishing so i am seeking more in site on the subject of removing the hook .
pros and cons as to say.

[ToddM]

It all depends on the lure as stated. For me, if the bait is 8" or over, three hooks is a plus. Look at the bait, look at where the hooks are at and see if a two hook option would give you alot of space between hooks. If so I would say no. less chance for a hook to be in the right place when a musky strikes.

[Trevis Tilberg]

thank you all for the input ,it is much appreciated . I don't want to mess up a good lure or a chance at a musky .
i dont know much about the weighted ones as i got these from a friend and definitely don't want to wreck them .
again your answers are very much appreciated.