What is a Stinger Hook?
The stinger hook is simply an extra hook added to the existing rig. There are stinger hooks readily available for sale but it is also possible for you to improvise – just tie the hook to a leader line and connect it to your rig, be it a live bait, jig, anything.
What Hook Do I Use?
Want to increase your chances of hooking that big fish of your dreams or just increase the number of fish you land? Then, better use a stinger hook.
The most common type of stinger hook is a treble hook. Brands including Mustad and VMC make exceptional treble hooks. Anglers also have luck using J hooks for a stinger as well. Experiment with both hooks to see what works best for you. You can measure this by determining if your stinger rig helped keep fish on when they strike, especially species like Kingfish and Wahoo.
How to Make A Stinger Rig
The first thing that makes a stinger rig is your hook. Once you have them picked out, you can move onto your leader line.
Choose a line leader that will be strong enough for the fish you are hoping to catch. Just make sure it will still be as inconspicuous as possible. Common options for the line leader material include a wire, fluorocarbon, or monofilament.
Malin stainless wire leader is a preferred choice for anglers that are going deep-sea fishing. Depending on the size of the fish you are looking to catch will justify the strength of the wire. Use the table reference to determine the best size wire for your rig.
Once you have the wire and hook, you will need to tie the stinger hook onto your wire. The best knot for this is the Haywire Twist. Practice will make perfect. You can either use a tool made for this or you can tie it by hand.
When to use
In general, you can never go wrong with adding a stinger to your line – unless you are using crankbaits as this could make the line snag easily and could affect movement. Thus, if you are using a jig, lure, live bait, or any other bait, you can use the stinger hook.
When the short-biting fish are just stealing your bait, pulling it by tail, and swimming away without being hooked, then the stinger hook will come handy. Make sure to place the hook as far back into the bait as possible to increase the effectiveness of the setup.
Land more fish, land bigger fish – use a stinger hook the next time you go fishing. Still, check with local regulations and laws if these hooks are not illegal.
