ANOTHER question(hali hooks)

[bib brother]

after a few short trips the hook on new hali i've been using(it works almost as well as my pimples) has bent more than a few times.  i just straighten it out and send it back down but it's life seems limited.   What do you hali guys replace them with?  I don't want to open the chain and weaken it, but I don't think it's going to last.  Any tips?

P.S. all the help on halis has been great, one of the few lures I've bought in some time that lives up to the hype.
BB

[HeavyChevy]

Buy replasement chains and hooks. Cabelas bass pro and gander mountain have them.

[bigredonice]

make sure when you buy the replacement chains, you buy the ones with the bead thingy on the hook - they work a little better than the plain hook.

[WD Gibby]

I used a gold aberdeen hook, just open the eye and put back on the chain.

Gibby:)

[bib brother]

thanks for the info guys.

gibby had the plan that suits me best, there aren't any gander mountains os cabelas around here and i needed something i could do with local supplies.  My hooks got messed up on the first day i used them whenever i had to use hemostats, i think it would get preeeeety pricey to replace chains so often.

bb

[anglerbrian]

The chains are pretty flimsy. I replace them when they break with a 2 to 3 inch dropper of 8lb spider wire. and a small Gamakatsu hook.

[rob-s]

what style and pattern hali would anyone recomend?
 i wish to catch perch,crappie and trout?
 too many to choose from?

[icejunky]

I go with the classic old standby...Perch...I think they have a glo perch as well.

BigRed was right, when replacing the hooks/chains go with the beaded glo chains, a little extra cant hurt

[Swift]

Got fed up with the chain/hook combo. Now use 3" - 8" lengths of 4# floro with #10 to # 16 pinched barb dry fly hooks tipped with a single spike, waxie, mousie or even gulp. Longer length and smaller hook for the more tentative biters. A #12 or #14 Pheasant tail nymph can be a killer at times as is a scud pattern.

[richstick]

You guys must be hard on your hooks!  I fish perch a LOT, and typically it's a Hali on the end of my line.  I've never had a chain break, or a hook bend.  They are great hooks, IMHO.  How do you break the chains - do they get kinked?  I've hauled bass and northern out of the hole and never broken a chain yet... 

[icejunky]

Was out this weekend and both my Hali and My buddies had hook issues...Two nice gill bites and my hook is bend all to crap...He lands a small Largemouth that breaks the hook...Where are they making these things!

[OTIS]

I'll bet the hooks are made in China!

[Pasquatch]

I have had perch break the hooks clean in half, I have tinkered with the droppers, but just end up going back and buying more chains.

Face it, they are probably making a lot of money off of selling replacements.

[mich-fish]

   When you use the Hali with the dropper chain do you dead stick it or use a spring bobber?? Do you let it hit bottom to stir it up a little to attract?? A regular float would not let you do that..  I have had only one chance to try the dropper this year and then the ice was gone.. I have a tourney this weekend but we will be in boats with our ice fishing gear, thought I'd give the Hali another shot..

[bwalleye]

The sponsor of IS has them:
http://www.fish307.com/fish/IceFishingIndex.htm

[ICE C 4]

blue&silver
firetiger
silver&green

[Wellsy]

Hmmm! All very interesting, I must have bought the only good replacement chain out there (fish 307).
Last year on our first trip to "the King" (please freeze oh great king ) we stopped at 307 and I got the replacement chains with the glow beads on them.
First fish on hali 24" laker,couple hundred perch, gills, 19" bronzeback .....ect..ect.
all on one blue/silver hali, and I have yet to even straighten the hook once.
Is it luck or maybe with the popularity of these suckers quality has gone downhill like so many companies do to keep up with the demand!
I bought 6 or 7 new ones in december, still have'nt used em but I will let you know what happens.

Tight Lines,
Wellsy.

[icefizzlemachizzle]

I've experienced the same problems with the hali hooks....first they bend, then they break after you straighten them out a few times.  Seems like they are constructed of cheap, brittle metal.  Hali's are often my go to perch killer when the action gets heavy...I just wish they made them with more durable hook option.

[Pomoxis]

Here is a note on single hooks in general. CRUSH THE BARB! There are times when you absolutely must land the fish and you would not want to go barbless. But there are a few good reasons to do it:

1) Barbless hooks are so easy to remove that they will not be subjected to abuse and damage when getting the fish off. The fish are much better-off too, if you're letting them go.
2) They are so FAST to remove that when the fish are 'on' you can land twice as many, cause you spend no time getting them unhooked.
3) You will not lose hardly any fish. Also, it is easier to sink the hook in a tough piece of flesh when there is no barb. When using a crushed barb, there is actually a small barb remaining, but it is a smooth bump and easily removed from the fish, and it still gives some barb effect.

When you crush a barb, do it carefully. I have seen hooks break when I do it, but those were probably too hardened in the first place and would have broken anyway. Hard=Brittle
I have no experience with Hali hooks, but it is possible that some are hardened a little too much, making them brittle. By crushing the barbs at home you will probably weed out the brittle ones. More than 99% of the time, I crush the barbs on my freshwater hooks. I'm sure if you go that way, you won't go back.