Trailer Hooks
Skirts
Adding a trailer hook will
sometimes help catch short-strik-
ing fish, but Bolton is selective
about where he uses one.
“About the only time I’ll use a
trailer hook is when I’m burning a
spinnerbait in really clean water
for smallmouths or spots,” he
says. “I’ll never use one around
shallow cover or in a dirty-water
situation. A spinnerbait catches
good-quality fish. I’m of the opin-
ion that if you get it around the
right kind of fish, you aren’t going
to need a trailer hook to catch it.”
Skirts are usually made from silicone or Living Rubber, and come in varied
lengths and strand counts. Bolton says he will occasionally modify a stock
skirt or swap one out altogether.
“Skirts are something you can play around with by removing strands or
trimming them to get just what you want,” Bolton says. “If I’m fishing in really
clear water I may remove some strands. If I’m in really dirty water, I may swap
out a silicone skirt for a Living Rubber skirt to add some bulk and make it
more visible.”
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FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2017