Hook Bonnets and why you should use them.

You might be thinking "Oh brother, that's all I need is something else to fool around with". Hook bonnets are usually presented as a safety measure and I suppose that's true but that's not why I like to use them.

Todays modern hooks are typically wicked sharp. Pile your lures into a plano box together, plop them into a pack, carry that pack across multiple portage trails and that equals a lot of bouncing around. The damage done is not usually very noticeable unless you know what to look for. The micro scratches are dulling the finish of your lure.

Of course your still not convinced and are possibly thinking "OK.......and why should I care?"

Examine most critters that live in the water and you will notice a common trait. Most have a protective coating of slime. Fish, frogs salamanders etc. This slime has a little sheen to it. When lures imitate that I believe they are more acceptable and natural to the fish. It's what they are used to seeing. I think this is more important the larger the fish is. The bigger and older the fish the more developed his Fake-O-Meter is.

Now of course this is conjecture on my part. Just observation and reasoning. Your own favorite lure that has caught 10 wheelbarrows of fish might be dull and scratched with numerous toothmarks. I get that. This is just something to consider.

Lastly, if you decide to follow this tack (most of my lures have them) please be sure and keep track of the bonnets. If you lay them in the bottom of the boat I can almost promise you they will end up on the ground at a campsite or portage trail.