Top Hook Pro-Rig, the dream

This is a 10lb bass jumping after being hooked on a texas rig bait with an un-pegged weight. You can see the weight (circled in red). This fish made it to the net despite doing a huge jump.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7292-jump.jpg

Long time ago a dude named Chris Johnson one of the more brilliant swimbait rigging methods on the Osprey, the so-called 'Pro-Rig'. I assume most know what this is. If not, the idea is that when the bass is hooked, the treble hook on the belly of the bait comes free of the plastic, allowing the lure to slide up the line.

This saves your lure, but more important it takes the weight of the lure away from the bass' mouth. So the bass can't spit it so easy. Well I've still never caught a fish on an Osprey to this day, but the hook idea has had me thinking for a long time.

The hook setup I want is similar but would work with a single, straight shank hook that is mounted on the TOP of the lure. Most of you guys know I'm a big fan of the Big Hammer swimbait. I'm also a big fan of landing my bites. As you get in to spring and summer time with bass that are frisky and want to jump, you start to lose more of your Big Hammer bites, especially the big ones that jump and shake their head. I've tried a dozen different ways to help this problem, and some work, but none are 'just right'.

I've trolled this hook idea past a few people over the years and never been able to come away with what I wanted. So let me open it up to you and see what you think. Someone out there can figure out the right hook. Here's a few ideas to get started...

Leadhead only with barbs. I've made this rig and it only sort of works. The problem is that the head doesn't stay attached well after you cast a few times. This is my best idea but needs improvement.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7289-barb_head.jpg

Treble addon. If it was molded in, it could work. Never made it. Finding the right hook (small enough but strong) would be hard. Sort of a single-use bait.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7290-treble_addon.jpg

The internal weedless hook with slotted internal leadhead. It's not detachable, but distributes the weight well. Havne't made this one either. Waiting for some manufacturer to come up with this one.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7291-hook1.jpg

Your ideas welcome

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Rob I fish a lot of inshore and I have also experimented with different lead head type rigs for salty bass. I actualy molded a treble into the bottom of the leadhead. It sucked. I got weeds on every retreive. I eventualy perfected my hookset and I am satisfied with just a single stationary top hook. Of course we are talking about two seperate problems. Mine was hooking fish from 150 yards away. Once they are hooked good they dont come off. You want to keep them hooked. Let me think about it and then I will PM ya. Ok I thought about. Got it check your PM's

www.mattlures.com

1st bait)maybe a thinner bobber stopper that just creates friction

2nd bait) have you seen Blade Runner's Spintrix you can rig a treble where the blade is
http://www.bladerunnertackle.com/index.php?page=spintrix

3rd bait)wouldn't the lead create a smaller gap for the fish to bite through?

Here's a similar mod to #1 but with a treble hook. This worked OK but would be so much better if the plastic swimbait body had a molded slot for the treble hook.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7297-hammer_treble.jpg

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7298-hammer_treble2.jpg

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A. INSERT A FLAT TOOTHPICK HORIZONTALLY THROUGH THE BAIT IN FRONT OF THE BARBS.
B. TAKE A SPRING FROM ONE OF THE SWIMBAIT HOOKS AND SCREW INTO HEAD OF BAIT. INSERT THE BARBED HEAD; THE BARBS WILL CATCH ON THE SPRING IF PULLED FORWARD.
ATTACHMENT #2
LOOP THE EYE OF A SNAP SWIVEL OVER THE TOP HOOK AND PULL DOWN THROUGH THE BODY OF THE BAIT WITH THE SNAP PROTRUDING. ATTACH TREBLE HOOK TO SNAP. THIS ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO REPLACE THE TREBLE WHEN IT GETS DULL.
HOPE THIS HELPS!
PS; WHERE DO YOU GET LINE THROUGH HEADS; WOULD YOU SELL SOME?

Mofish - thanks. I like the idea of putting a pigtail screw on the back of the head. Had not thought of that. The toothpick idea is interesting as well.

I made those heads myself out of Big Hammer 'Hammerhead' leadheads. Making them was a total pain. Lead is hard to drill through. Kept breaking my drill bits doing that. It would be so much easier if they were molded. But I never got that far with it. My hope with this post is to encourage someone to do it :)

Owner makes various size coils to add to swim bait hooks. Screw one of them into the head of your big hammer. When you insert the prongs from the head into the bait the coils will catch the barbs, stopping them from pulling free. The spring will flex also, keeping the bait from tearing up. If you use a stationary hook the flexibility of the bait may make it hard for a fish to throw. Same principle as the ball bearing hooks on the triple trout.
Hope this helps!

My idea is two molds one for lead and the other for epoxy or resin. Place the smaller modled lead inside the larger mold and pour the resin over it. You can then drill the resin much easier and have a head that maches up with the Hammer better. You don't need 3/4-1.5 ounces to fish the swimbait effectively.



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7312-lead_head.JPG


Maybe I'm wrong for what you want to do with the bait, but its an idea. You could even make it weedless by slitting the belly of the bait like a Fluke. Then run your wide gap hook up from the bottom and skin hook it on the top of the bait. You could use the straight shank hook and make it exposed like your original idea as well.

The problem I see if the line angle. To have an effective break away the line angle needs to go straight or at a downward angle. The problem with that is its hard to fish the bait deep. The line tie on the top of the head will allow you to fish the bait in deeper water more effectively. The line tie on the nose will force the bait to rise when you reel unless it has a bill.

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