Re: This is why I don't use treble hooks !
 

I'm sure pickerel of this size are rare.
I'm 72 and in my lifetime of fishing in NJ I have caught only two 30" pickerel. Both of them were caught in Davidson's Mill Pond in about the same spot in the lily pads up near the Route 130 Bridge. I was in my canoe, and I caught them with a single hook and the old standby purple rubber worm. Both times they were released alive in good condition. Both were caught about 15 years ago.

Also, since I caught them about a year apart in about the same location, which makes me wonder if I caught the same fish twice?
Denny

Re: This is why I don't use treble hooks !
 

Shame, but who know what happened. One great tool to have when fishing lures with treble hooks is a pair of small hand bolt cutter 15$ Home Depot but if the hooks are lodged in the with all of the some times easy just to cut the tip of the hooks off and get the hard bait out quickly

Re: This is why I don't use treble hooks !
 

I get pist off when bass guys dont use a leader in musky waters.. if it says its a trophy musky lake then put a leader on u idiots!!! Seriously.. u need to worry bout a top preadator freight training ur lure n slicein through ur line V.S few mist bites from a line shy bass.. i think a leader should be required in trophy musky lakes!!! Cuz stuff like this does happen n kills old big butes.. kind of like not havein a rubber when ur picking up hookers..ur just asking 4it

Re: This is why I don't use treble hooks !
 

My pb best is 28" and I caught it in a surprising spot - the Delaware River up near Milford Pa. Thought I hooked a musky but its was skinny, beat up, really fugly chain pick. Long sob though. Must have washed out of some lake.

I caught two big pick in the Passaic three weeks apart in the same area off the same log. Thought were the same but they had diff't chain marks. Almost identical in size too @ 25" and 26".

Re: This is why I don't use treble hooks !
 

Most bass tackle can't handle a big musky anyway, so even with the leader the line is breaking and the fish is swimming off with a lure in its mouth. Fortunately most big muskies don't bother with smaller bass lures, so the chances of this happening are infrequent.