When I was younger Treble Hooks were always a sore spot in my side. I actively avoiding using crankbaits and jerkbaits that used treble hooks. It really was the dark days of my fishing career because I was losing bass left and right.
Instead of working spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jerkbaits I was relying on the basics. You can catch a lot of fish on a Texas Rigged Worm, but I was passing up a lot of fish for no good reason.
Don’t get me wrong, I was catching a lot of big bass, but that’s not the point. A great fisherman uses every tactical advantage they can possibly find.
Wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized the problem wasn’t the hooks. I was mismanaging my tackle box and letting all my treble hooks get dull. Don’t think I’m a complete idiot this was back before you could just search something like this up on the internet.
If your hooks just aren’t bringing in bass like they used to you need to bring out your file and give them a good once over. With a quick sharpening you probably won’t even need to swap them out.
What Do You Need to Sharpen Treble Hooks
All you really need to sharpen up your hooks is a good sharpening tool. I’ve been using my old Luhr Jenson Hook File for years and it still works as good as the day I bought it.
This Lansky Multi-Groove Hook Sharpener is another great choice. With a bunch of different groove sizes you can quickly sharpen just about any hook. Faster speed does come with a few minor drawback. Your hooks won’t get quite as sharp and the tool only lasts a few seasons (For the price how can you complain).
Sharpening Treble Hooks
Before I get into the actual sharpening procedure let me make one thing clear. You should keep a hook sharpening tool in your boat at all times. All you need to carry is a simple hook file so there’s really no excuse not to bring one along.
Name brand lures are going to come with razor sharp hooks out of the box, but they don’t stay that way for long. Run them over some rocks and get a few snags and they’ll be dull in no time. With a hook file and 30 seconds of your time you’ll hooks will be back like new.
How to Sharpen Treble Hooks
Sharpening your hooks isn’t rocket science. You don’t need to make a big production out of sharpening them. Check out the video below for further instruction.
- Start by sharpening the belly hook and working your way out. Everything you do needs to be exactly the same on every hook. If you sharpen one hook with 2 strikes one direction do the same with other hook.
- Hold the hook with your non dominant hand and your file with the other(this is the file I use).
- I start with two strokes on my side of the hook, two strokes on the opposite side, and two strokes on the top. Check to make sure it’s sharp and move onto the next point.
- Continue the process honing the remaining points. Make sure you use a nice easy smooth stroke. It shouldn’t take a lot of pressure to get the sharpness your looking for.
- At the end check to make sure all of your points are sharp and repeat the process on the other hooks.
After you’re done if the hooks don’t feel sharp enough to the touch just repeat the process. You should very rarely have to repeat the process more than a time or two.
Know When to Change Your Treble Hooks
You can only file your hook down so far before you need to replace it. At a certain point the hook just won’t file any further. At this point you’re just going to want to swap out the hook.
How to Change a Treble Hook
Changing your treble hooks really isn’t all that difficult. All you need is a pair of fishing pliers(like these) or any old pair of split ring pliers and a box of extra treble hooks.
I’ve been using these Mustad Classic Treble Hooks to replace mine and I can’t complain. Much cheaper than buying all new lures.
- To replace the hook use your pliers to pull the split ring back on your hook.
- While your doing this pull the hook back so that it’s about halfway off the split ring.
- Before you completely pull off the hook start putting your new hook on the split ring.
- Simply work the new hook on completely and the old hook off. Once you make a full turn the hook should feel secure.
Stainless and Bronze Hooks are easy to Sharpen
Hooks made out of stainless steel or bronze dull easily, but they’re easy to sharpen. Most of the time you can actually make them sharper than they were new.
Just make three quick passes down each edge with a hook file working towards the tip.
Some Hooks Can’t Be Sharpened
Some of the modern hooks just aren’t designed to be sharpened. Modern chemically and surgically sharpened hooks will stay sharp longer, but you can’t resharpen them when they dull.
Most of the time these hooks are more expensive, but they’re tough. These hooks are so tough that it’s going to be hard to dull them in the first place. If they do lose their edge, you’ll never get them sharp again and trying just chips the edge.
Use a Sharpie to Stop Rust
Some modern hooks come with a coating to prevent rust. The only problem is as you sharpen the hooks you scrape off the coating. This leaves your hooks susceptible to rust.
To prevent your hooks from rusting and stop corrosion all you need is a sharpie. After you sharpen the hook just color the sharpened tip with a permanent marker. This should extend the serviceable life of your hook. Just remember to wait until the marker dries before using it to fish.