Single Barbless Hook For Pike?

Any lure recommendations for trophy pike with a single barbless hook? I have single bladed spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Have considered swapping out the hooks on spoons. I’m considering large jig heads with reapers. Any suggestions?

Can’t you just bend the barbs closed on the lures you have now??

Al

Yes, that’s what I’m doing with all my single hook lures. Treble hook count as one hook (I forgot, so I don’t need to swap out a treble for a single hook). Anyhow I’m trying to come up with other productive lures that have one hook (which I’ll pinch the barbs down) besids spoons and spinnerbaits. I’ve thought of the old sluggos, but never used the big size and unsure if they are very producutive. Also considering trying jig/pig combos as well.

For what it is worth…

I have been much more successful downrigging for Lakers with single hooks rather than trebel hooks on my spoons.

I have changed almost all trebel spoons out to Gamagatsu Siwash hooks.

I have found the longer shank gets a deeper mouth hook set than trebs that tend to lip hook more for me, resulting in lost fish.

I like to bend the gap out a bit (sideways, so if you lay it on a table the point would be bent up some) and sharpen them up. I feel the offset gap tends to hook better and might snot slide out of the mouth quite as easy.

Who really knows, it has been working better for me so I will keep believing it. Good luck on your trip, maybe this info will help on pike???? -Mark

Some of the old timers I used to go to Canada with are still using Dare Devils and such with good luck, black and white or red and white…old standards

Larger jigs tipped with plastic swim baits might work well to, used to have northerns hit jigs and minnows every so often to, so maybe a 1/2 or 5/8oz jig tipped with a minnow might work.

Al

Usually, when they say “single hook,” that means ONE POINT, and doen’t cover trebles. Manitoba requires a single, barbless hook. A pinched barb meets the standard. I fly-fish and don’t think I’ve ever lost a toothy critter because on barbless hooks, and it makes release a lot simpler.

There are some problems actually with how I could possibly down rig the lakers with a single hook that could be attached and used in my spoons. Though that might work well and have no problems with how the bigger giant hookers would be able to keep up.

You might want to look at how the longer shanks could get it in deeper and how they tend to get hooked with the lip