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Since pretty much everyone knows my preference for business end material I'm only going to comment on the Q/S design. I've always used the classic in-line design with a sliding hook to match bait size. The yoke or "Y" design came about because of the perceived "need" to have dead baits hang "perfectly" horizontal. First, I've never believed the horizontal thing though it may make it easier for the pike to strike without having to turn it's head/body to get into position. Second, as I think about a fish opening it's mouth to engulf a bait, all I can see is the front of the mouth hitting the line/leader and bumping the bait out of the way. With the "Y" design there are not just two opportunities for that to happen but addition of inadequate space between the "legs" of the rig that actually widen the opportunity for that to happen. Sure, it can happen with a single in-line leader but I believe that risk is minimized.Confession: As much as I like to play I've not played with "Y" design Q/S rigs. Why? 'Cause what I've been using works very, very well and I'm not remotely convinced it is, in any way, a better arrangement. Maybe I've got something to learn but that's going to be difficult. Ask this: If a horizontal presentation is not necessary, what would you choose and why?Not saying what you've got won't work. Just offering something to consider.
ive never used the gawdy quickstrike rigs.maybe if I only had dead bait.but I release the real big northerns and that rig makes a mess out of a northerns mouth when all the hooks go in.i get a good number of pike on a single 2/0 circle hook.i do use no.6 or 4 single trebles a lot.ive ran Swedish hooks on dead bait before too.nobody around here uses the quick strike rig.all my opinion and use what works for you and in no way trying to offend.
Nothin' particularly gaudy about this:Just a coupla hooks and thin piece of wire. Unless you live in a state that requires some beads and/or a blade to legally fish a tandem hooked rig (like MN).Never really had a wrecked mouth I can recall either. Certainly no more so than picking a Rapala or other multihooked open water lure out of a toothy maw. Quick Strikes are exactly that. No waiting, if there's line moving, pull the string. you either get 'em or you don't. Biggest hooks I use are #6 so relatively small. Most of the time hook or hooks are right up front where I can easily remove them.Swedish or "pike" hooks are proven fish killers. Because of the way they pivot up into the roof of the mouth they often get up near the brain and even when you release fish that seem unharmed, the post-release mortality rate is extremely high. These were staples for dead bait fishing here decades ago but now you rarely see them on the pegs anywhere in WI. Some of the old timers called them quick strike rigs but they're a far cry from the pair of small tandem hooks I use.Are single points requisite where you fish Remps or just your preference? Got a buddy that fishes deads with a single #4 treble hooked near the dorsal and does very well. He's pretty quick on the set so Matts either got 'em with the hook up front or not. But that is not what I would call a "single hook". If a single hook is a must I'd go with probably larger than you think so that lone point gets mouth instead of burying into the bait.As the good Dr. noted, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Lot of it depends on your learning and experiences.