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I get a lot of questions about when to throw a round bend treble hook vs when to throw a wide gap (EWG-style) treble hook. I swap out treble hooks a lot. If I’m throwing a jerkbait, a crankbait, or something like that, I’ll swap those hooks out two or three times a day. I have a box of spare treble hooks that never leaves my boat. I’ve got treble hooks of all different shapes and sizes, anywhere from like a size 8 all the way up to a 2/0 depending on what I’m throwing that day. But the two main categories when it comes to treble hook styles are round bend treble hooks, which is the more traditional style, and EWG-style treble hooks. So, when do you choose each one?
If I’m throwing a Zara Spook, walking bait, popper, or even a jerkbait, something where there’s a chance the fish just comes up and smacks it but doesn’t necessarily eat it, that’s when I usually go for the round bend treble hook. I want that open gap to make sure I stick those fish with that hook.
On the other hand, if I’m throwing something like a crankbait, I feel like when a fish goes to bite, they intend to eat that bait. You’ll catch a lot more fish on a crankbait that have that bait down their gullet than you will on a topwater, jerkbait, or something like that. So, when I’m throwing a crankbait, I’m typically going to reach for that EWG-style treble hook.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is it’s a little bit harder to hook them on an EWG-style treble hook. That’s why I like to throw the round bend style on topwater and jerkbaits. But, once you get them hooked on an EWG-style, they almost never come off.
So, in the broad scheme of things, if they’re just swatting at the bait, you want that round bend because you have a more open gap. But, if they’re really eating that bait, put on that EWG-style because once you get ‘em, they’re not coming off. And when it comes to brand, I always use Mustad treble hooks.
I hope this helps you when it comes to picking your treble hooks. It’s really not too hard; just remember these few things, and it’ll help you out on the water.
