For those that make your own blade baits, what style hook and/or attachment device such as a round or oval split ring, have you found to work best? If I’m going through the effort of making my own jigs, I spend a little more and use a good quality hook. I just don’t think it’s worth the effort to pour and paint and then use a cheap, low quality, bronze hook. I like the Mustad Needle Point hooks in the black nickel finish.
I seem a lot of the blade baits that are available in the stores use a split shank bronze hook. I like how easily these hooks attach and they don’t seem to foul up as much as hooks attached with split rings, but the ones I’ve seen don’t seem to be a very sharp hook. I’ve tried using a some high quality Gamakatsu treble hooks and attaching them by snipping the eye and bending it open and then closing it up but it seems like, due to the temper of hooks, the eye often breaks when it’s twisted open. I’ve tried heating the eye until it glows orange to take the temper out and then snipping it open and then not as many eyes break. But it seems like using this technique significantly weakens the eyes and I’ll see hooks break off the bodies when bring in a fish or on a snag.
Just wondering what others have found to a good quality hook and attachment technique.
Thanks,
Boone
