Add a split ring to jigging spoons

Just a quick question,has anyone added a split ring or any other fastener to their hooks for light biting fish? If so does this work and why?

That was recently shown on another ice fishing show. I do it for a lot of my deep water spoons for perch. Rather than adding another split ring, I use a black #1 snap and change the hook to a more desirable size.

splitring-swivel-splitring chain. One of my best methods.

as a person who sells jigging spoons.. there is “no right or wrong “answer here.. some guys use a ring.. some don’t.. I don’t.. I use a cross lock snap.. some guys use a swivel.. I don’t.. but a spoon can twist your line..

hook size.. Mine are BIG.. and I have yet to meet a walleye or a bass that was offended by the hook size.. meaning.. they are hitting the spoon and not the hook.. and bigger hooks mean less loss of fish.. and I have been told many a time.. ” your hook is too big..”.. well geees.. buy the spoon and you put the “perfect size” on it.. and keep the big hook for a crank bait..

but all too often guys look at “hook size” and say that can’t get in a fish’s mouth.. WRONG.. they aren’t hitting the hook . they are hitting the lure..

if you want to lose fish.. just keep using those “little boy” hooks.. and I will be happy to come behind you and get all the ones that you miss.. and I have many a time..

This might not pertain to what this post is about but here are my thoughts.

When we are early or late ice fishing it seems like whatever you throw down your ice hole the fish bite, so we put large jigs/bait on so we don’t catch the little dinks. Size doesn’t matter as much. When times are slow we downsize our jigs/bait to entice the fish to strike.

I was watching a IDO ice fishing video and I saw something interesting and have been pondering it for sometime now.

James was talking about a specific jig he was using and he held it in palm. The camera zoomed in for a close up and I noticed something about his hook. Instead of the barb pointing straight up, it appeared that the hook was bent out about 15 degrees.

Was this hook bend on purpose or by accident? I could see if it was on purpose because when panfishing you might get a better hookset. Or this bend could have been on accident because he was catching so many big fish.

I hope James can elaborate a little more on this.

Thanks

I usually bend all the hooks on my ice jigs so it is at a slight angle to the jig. Then I open us the bend a tad also.

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Was this hook bend on purpose or by accident? I could see if it was on purpose because when panfishing you might get a better hookset. Or this bend could have been on accident because he was catching so many big fish.

I hope James can elaborate a little more on this.

Thanks

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100% on purpose. I like to open up the hooks on my spoons and jigs just a bit as it seems to give them a better “bite” by functioning almost like a larger hook with a bigger hook gap.

I’m definitely not the only guy doing this, either. Luke Haugland did a great write-up with photos on this a couple winters back. Here’s the link >>> Increasing Hooking %

By the way… good eye.

Thanks James,

I went fishing this weekend and bent a few jig hooks out as a test. Fishing was slow but it seemed that i never missed a hook set. My tests will continue. Im heading to Winnie in two weeks, I heard fishing is slow there too.

Is there a reason that we don’t use mono between the split ring and the jig? Is there more action?