Hooks—joining the modern era

[Dieseldog]

I would like to know what hooks you are using for bass, perch and pickerel. My hooks are old school but seem to work pretty well. I fish shiners, usually medium size.
What style and size? Thanks as usual.

[stripernut]

I use Quick Strike Rigs with Double Rider Hooks if I can't find the hooks I make them...

[Dieseldog]

I like that but isn’t that setup for large bait, pike size?

[bootstrap]

may not be legal to use here, too many hooks with bait.

[stripernut]

Nope, I use smaller hooks for bass. When I started using them decades ago I started getting more crappy and perch on my tip-ups then I ever did. Get a flag, pick up the line, feel a fish, set the hook and 95% of the time land the fish! The best part of all almost all the fish are hooked in the lips for easy release... I don't use them when I am targeting trout.

Legal in MA.

[pmaloney86]

I like octopus hooks if I'm using a single hook. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/gamakatsu-octopus-fish-hooks-15gktugmktsctpshkter/15gktugmktsctpshkter 

For larger bait I prefer treble hooks but people don't tend to recommend trebles due to damage to the fish.  I've never experienced it and I'm mostly a catch and release fisherman but you can't go wrong with octopus hooks.

[lowaccord66]

may not be legal to use here, too many hooks with bait.

Legal in VT too.

[pmaloney86]

may not be legal to use here, too many hooks with bait.

They are legal in MA.  They count "angling devices intended to catch a single fish".  So as long as you have one piece of bait held by two hooks its fine.

[KillerFish]

I like octopus hooks if I'm using a single hook. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/gamakatsu-octopus-fish-hooks-15gktugmktsctpshkter/15gktugmktsctpshkter 

For larger bait I prefer treble hooks but people don't tend to recommend trebles due to damage to the fish.  I've never experienced it and I'm mostly a catch and release fisherman but you can't go wrong with octopus hooks.

x2

[KillerFish]

They are legal in MA.  They count "angling devices intended to catch a single fish".  So as long as you have one piece of bait held by two hooks its fine.

x2 lol

[bootstrap]

They are legal in MA.  They count "angling devices intended to catch a single fish".  So as long as you have one piece of bait held by two hooks its fine.

it is not a lure, looks like fishing with four hooks to me.

[RickC]

it is not a lure, looks like fishing with four hooks to me.

No different than a treble hook which is only 1 hook not 3

[KillerFish]

it is not a lure, looks like fishing with four hooks to me.

From the ice fishing regs for MA:

“
All anglers are allowed up to five hooks through the ice at one time. A hook is defined as an angling device attached to the line of a tip-up or jig stick that is designed to take one fish at a time. This includes plain hooks, treble hooks, spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, jigs, or plugs. The device in question is not restricted to a single hook – lures with multiple treble hooks count as one hook in the water.
“

Pretty clear that bait harnesses (the device in question) are allowed to have multiple treble hooks so long as the bait harness is designed to take only one fish at a time.

They are called quick-strike rigs and have been common among ice angler for decades. Very legal (in MA at least)...

[lowaccord66]

Perfectly legal in VT as well.

[stripernut]

Years ago the law was not written clearly in MA if Quick Strike Rigs where legal. When we would talk with COs we kept getting different answers. So the owner of Squannacook Outfitters (great shop long gone) and I sent a registered letter to Fish and Game and the next season the rules were written much clearer...