Spinnerbait trailer hook, plastic trailer, or both?

[TravisRush]

What is your take on this? Can I use both a trailer hook and grub trailer on a spinnerbait or should I use one only?

[bamabassman]

either way friend. put the trailer hook on with or without the grub. i do it both ways or no trailer hook at all sometimes. mostly when i am in a hurry to tie on a spinner,lol.

[abu4600]

I think the trailer hook might not let a grub tail swim right,but i think you can use a trailer hook with a split tail trailer without any problems.

[S4il]

I do both, i get the Split tail grubs, usually white or chart. in color with the Red fire tips. I never go with a twister tail, cause i've found that the stinger hook often gets wrapped up in the tail of the bait, but i always apply the stinger hook last with a piece of rubber tubing just above the Eye of the stinger hook, NOT!!! wrapped around the eye of the hook.

Instead i will slide the small piece of tubing onto the main hook of the spinner bait, above the stinger hook of course to make sure it stays on.

I used to wrap the eye of the stinger hook in the tubing itself, but that creates a solid stiff feeling as stinger hook hangs off the end of the main spinner bait hook....I made the switch when i saw a hank parker show one day last year where he talked about spinner baits, the newer 2008 model Strike-king premier elite spinner bait i believe he helped develop, they come pre-rigged with the tubing and stinger hook..I guess there are still people who use the old method, But i personally remember loosing fish with it rigged that way, and it makes it harder to free up if you get it snagged.

Ill be brutally honest...I thought the way above was the right and only way to do it, But like they say you learn something new everyday. And It wasn't until i saw what hank was talking about it when it dawned on me.

He said something along the lines of:
"I want that hook to move freely as the fish is shaking it's head, or turns after eating the spinner bait, to almost hook himself"

If you think about it you are starting to see some bait companies coming out with this "Spring loaded" design on there hooks, such as the chatter baits, i think its better cause it allows the hook to move as the fish does all he can do too try to spit that hook.

[carolina-rig-01]

i hardly ever use a trailer on spinnerbaits. but unless i am fishing them around a lot of cover i always use a trailer hook.

[Joel]

Never seen the need for a trailer hook. I've been experimenting with a grub trailer and so far have been pretty happy with the results. I've drawn hits with it in the same areas that produced nothing a few min before without a trailer. Not exactly a controlled experiment, but is sure seems to help to get them to bite.

[bassthumb32]

Always a trailer hook very rarely a grub trailer. If you use grub trailer use a single tail grub with the curl facing down so you can use a trailer above it. Only use a grub in super muddy water.

[Jim80]

Almost always a trailer hook and very rarely a grub or the likes of it .

Jim

[JB]

I was always shown way back when to use a grub with a spinnerbait and have done for many years to follow, however I've seen plenty of guys that never use them and do great on catching fish on spinnerbait. As far as the trailer hook I carry some but never use them unless I feel short strikes or missed ones...usually I just forget to use them

[keithdog]

Well I'm the other way around. I almost always use a twister grub trailor but rarely a trailor hook. In the cases I do want to use a trailor hook, I can simply shorten the length of the grub trailer and put it onto the trailor hook.

[zooker]

the rule of thumb here is a bit off... ok i use a grub on the main hook only.. i VERY rarely use a trailer hook... the ONLY reason to put a grub on the trailer hook is to make the spinner bait appear larger. throwing out a huge profile this often is done when fishing after dark. i have done it with buzzbaits also.. yes it works but in my way of thinking it adds to big a profile..

zooker

[bamabassman]

well zooker...i have always heard that the larger the bait, the larger the fish. i know, i know, SOMETIMES it ain't true. but....... i too rig mine up BOTH ways. trailer witha grub, grub no trailer. or no grub at all. and trailer and no trailer. it all depends on wheather i miss a hit or not.

[keithdog]

The way I look at it is if you normally use a 4 inch grub on a spinnerbaits main hook, and want to use a trailer hook, then switching to a 3 inch trailer grub on the trailer hook won't add to the size of the bait. Or simply cut the body of the grub in half. That should make up for any added length when putting it on a trailer hook.

[Joel]

Zooker, you've explained it very well. It's the bulkier profile when adding a single tail grub that makes it so effective. I've noticed that many of the new spinnerbaits have a skirt with a longer middle section that serves the same purpose as adding a trailer. These are the types of spinnerbaits I will be buying to slowly replace my existing stock. Until then, I'll be using a trailer.