Lunker Punker middle hook extraction?

[ppickerell]

Removing the middle hook definitely helps in releasing small fish easily. I lost 5 decent size stripers Sunday trying to dig them out of trees and weeds as they were hitting so close to the boat you either brought them in green or risked losing them to snags. And I was not losing them due to bent hooks. My partner insists that 3 trebles make it less likely that a large fish will stay hooked and that the middle hook should be removed. Less likely for a foul hook situation and more likely hooked in the mouth where it will stay. Someone else told me no way leave all three hooks on for the big ones. What is the consensus?

Might as well change the mold to two sets of hooks and upgrade all with the Owner hook and split ring upgrades everyone seems to do. Hint Hint Grant!

[Burke]

It's a catch-22. Go with 3 hooks. It's a pain when you're trying to unhook a fish, but it gives you an extra set of hooks that will hook the fish. I haven't experienced a foul middle hook at all and have caught a lot of fish with a combination of the middle hook and an outside hook.

On the lures that I know that I'm going to use for catching stripers,
I always upgrade them to Owner 4x hooks and heavier split rings. Siince I've done that, I haven't lost any fish due to hooks straightening out.

[bassmaster89]

I like having three treble hooks.

[tunaman]

I like having three treble hooks.

My cat didn't...

Roger

[bassmaster89]

My cat didn't...

Roger

What happened?

[tunaman]

CAUTION - a little graphic... reader's discretion advised!

We have a younger cat (3 years old) and an old man. The younger one always gets into stuff, and during the check-in for the Delta Pro-Teen event Saturday afternoon my wife called in a panic saying that her baby got caught in a fishing lure. I talker her through getting my good wire cutters, and how to cut the barbs off (thinking the little bass turd got hooked with a Speed Trap I had on a rod sitting out).

She said that she couldn't do it, so I got sTony to take over the computer entry and I headed back to the house. I walked in, saw my wife with Ranger sitting next to her on the couch, and she was comforting him and keeping him calm.

I rolled him back to expose his belly, and to my deep shock all I saw was white... the retard got into my brand new wood Punker, hooked himself, and went ballistic until he was all hung up... a bottom hook in his right front thigh, the other two buried in his chest pinning that leg, and one of the front treble hooks hooked through his left rear thigh with another pinned through his buttocks area, thus pinning his rear leg to his arse.

Only one of the hooks was completely through, the one through his front leg, so I was able to cut the barb and back it out. The rest were just buried - badly.

We ended up taking him to an animal emergency in Antioch which was 7x24 luckily, since it was now about 5:30 on Saturday night. The doctor took one look, and gave him morphine before we even signed a paper. $500 later we picked him up a few hours later, none the wiser.

Needless to say, I am extremely careful leaving hooked items accessible, and that was a really, REALLY expensive Punker!!!

As an aside, I finally have had a chance to start using it for its intended purpose, and caught my first fish on it a couple of weeks ago (needless to say with brand new replacement hooks!).

Ranger is fine, so all's well that ends well!

Roger

[cib11b]

CAUTION - a little graphic... reader's discretion advised!

We have a younger cat (3 years old) and an old man. The younger one always gets into stuff, and during the check-in for the Delta Pro-Teen event Saturday afternoon my wife called in a panic saying that her baby got caught in a fishing lure. I talker her through getting my good wire cutters, and how to cut the barbs off (thinking the little bass turd got hooked with a Speed Trap I had on a rod sitting out).

She said that she couldn't do it, so I got sTony to take over the computer entry and I headed back to the house. I walked in, saw my wife with Ranger sitting next to her on the couch, and she was comforting him and keeping him calm.

I rolled him back to expose his belly, and to my deep shock all I saw was white... the retard got into my brand new wood Punker, hooked himself, and went ballistic until he was all hung up... a bottom hook in his right front thigh, the other two buried in his chest pinning that leg, and one of the front treble hooks hooked through his left rear thigh with another pinned through his buttocks area, thus pinning his rear leg to his arse.

Only one of the hooks was completely through, the one through his front leg, so I was able to cut the barb and back it out. The rest were just buried - badly.

We ended up taking him to an animal emergency in Antioch which was 7x24 luckily, since it was now about 5:30 on Saturday night. The doctor took one look, and gave him morphine before we even signed a paper. $500 later we picked him up a few hours later, none the wiser.

Needless to say, I am extremely careful leaving hooked items accessible, and that was a really, REALLY expensive Punker!!!

As an aside, I finally have had a chance to start using it for its intended purpose, and caught my first fish on it a couple of weeks ago (needless to say with brand new replacement hooks!).

Ranger is fine, so all's well that ends well!

Roger

Poor Kittie.. I remeber when I was younger I had left one of my rids out and Kitie played with my lure.. He ripped my rod all through the house untill it go cought onto furniture.. Then started peeling drag and got our attention.. It was a single hook in his paw.. Easy extraction but now I never leave them out.

[TomAtkeson]

Tunaman that has got to be the funniest story I have heard in a long time. You are quite the story teller. Glad the cat is O.K. outta curiosity how much did he weigh?

[acm95301]

You get extra points for naming your cat Ranger too! LOL

[Dom]

Well that toad I just caught on Saturday had the front hook in the lip and the middle hook in the side the rear hook was just hanging there. I reather have two trebles in the fish then one makes it alot harder for the fish to throw the bait when she comes up to do the head shake.

Bass aim for the eyes/head on a bait when they attack it I have seen bass with another fish hanging out of its mouth and its always head first down the bass gut never tail first, just makes more sense to leave em on.

[Dom]

Sorry Tunaman, call it our sick sense of humor but that was Halariously Funny my wife is still cracking up.

Got video?

Glad the cat is ok but 500.00! You could have tied the paws real good(cats can scratch bad) and pushed the hook thru, cut it then pull it out.

I took my pup MJ (1 year old lab) out on the boat for the first time back in May my stratos is only 18' so the front deck is not huge.I had my rods laying on the front deck and sure enough MJ jumped up on the deck and put a Punker treble thru her paw it went straight in!

I held her paw grabbed the hook with needle nose pliars and drove that hook sideways and out
cut the barb and pulled it out she yelped somthing awful(probally cussing me out in Dog talk) I pulled out the firt aid kit couple of band aids and some tape she was good to go.

I know not as drastic as the cat, but 500.00! Yep I would have cut every one out

[tunaman]

Tunaman that has got to be the funniest story I have heard in a long time. You are quite the story teller. Glad the cat is O.K. outta curiosity how much did he weigh?

He's a trophy... weighed in at 19.2 on the doctor's scales... probably should have done a mount, but he's just far too loving to do so!

Roger

[tunaman]

You get extra points for naming your cat Ranger too! LOL

Actually the wife gets the credit... I was going to name him miles since we drove forever trying to find one at the time.

Simce the incident I've been calling him Punker a lot!

Roger

[tunaman]

Sorry Tunaman, call it our sick sense of humor but that was Halariously Funny my wife is still cracking up.

Got video?

Glad the cat is ok but 500.00! You could have tied the paws real good(cats can scratch bad) and pushed the hook thru, cut it then pull it out.

I took my pup MJ (1 year old lab) out on the boat for the first time back in May my stratos is only 18' so the front deck is not huge.I had my rods laying on the front deck and sure enough MJ jumped up on the deck and put a Punker treble thru her paw it went straight in!

I held her paw grabbed the hook with needle nose pliars and drove that hook sideways and out
cut the barb and pulled it out she yelped somthing awful(probally cussing me out in Dog talk) I pulled out the firt aid kit couple of band aids and some tape she was good to go.

I know not as drastic as the cat, but 500.00! Yep I would have cut every one out

Glad you guys got a tickle out of it... we laugh about it now, but at the time it wasn't nearly as funny.

I don't have video, although I did take some photos after the fact... really wish I had gotten some shots with the Punker attached... would have been great advertising for the guys!\

I tried pushing the hook through... cat fur is tough stuff, and didn't have the heart to hurt the little guy any more than he already was.

Glad the pup turned out OK... never a good thing having to do surgury, regardless whether it is official or not!

Roger

[Swimbait Wannabe]

The cat story was hilarious! Talk about the wrong lure to play with. When I buy toys for my cats they play more with the wrapper. Go figure. As for the hooks, I take out the middle one and put two bigger owner meanies with rowdy split rings. I second the hint to Grant .

[bassmaster89]

Might as well change the mold to two sets of hooks and upgrade all with the Owner hook and split ring upgrades everyone seems to do. Hint Hint Grant!

Jeremy told me why he doesn't put them on the baits, but I forget what he said

[TomAtkeson]

Tunaman that has got to be the funniest story I have heard in a long time. You are quite the story teller. Glad the cat is O.K. outta curiosity how much did he weigh?

He's a trophy... weighed in at 19.2 on the doctor's scales... probably should have done a mount, but he's just far too loving to do so!

Roger

Hah .. Im sure you can find some one who will do a replica. Just make sure to hang the punker off the replica. Thanks for sharing!

[tunaman]

That gave me a chuckle Tom - thanks for that!

Roger

[TomAtkeson]

It would be one heck of a conversation starter when entertaining guests to see that hanging on yer wall.

[bassinDerek]

that sucks tunaman ive been calling my cat 'cleatus' but latly ive been calling him ol motor cuz he stinks like one and he evan purs like one.

[tunaman]

Yeah, I've been calling Ranger "Punker" quite a bit too... funny thing is he answers to both!!!

Guess Jeremy might want to consider changing it to Black Dog/Black Cat baits?!?

I guess I also need to request a custom Punker, and have it named "Ranger"!!! Make it black and white!

Roger

[Dom]

Jeremy there it is bro, get on it But ofcourse you are going to have to make it Black, White and "Red" and then call it Ranger sorry could not resist

Bad Dom