I've started using kwickfish in the past year and have only sharpened or replaced the hooks to factory size. Other than keeping them sticky sharp, nothing else. Caught fish, lost fish. I can't help but notice a number of different ways I''ve seen the plugs modified. From a swivel and siwash in the tail, to swivels and stubby trebles all around. A guide has told me by replacing the tail to a swivel/siwash setup I'd increase my chance of hooking up solid, and I'd slow the action of the lure in the process (sounded enticing). Unfortunatley, I havent had enough time on the water to really expirement and decide what I....I mean the fish like best. There is obviously no beating years of on the water expierence of sucesses and failures. I think we'd all appreciate any knowledgeble information of how and why to setup k15,k16's to put the bite back on salmon, or are sharp hooks and factory plug action enough said? Thanks again everyone!

I fish a LOT of kwikfish, and I've always favored stock setup. I find that the lure balances well, I have good hookup ratios, and we rarely lose fish. However, a single siwash on the tail with a swivel does work well and you'll rarely if ever lose a fish after the hookup. Some people say they remove the belly hook to make the baitwrapping easier...I'm just the opposite, I think the belly hook makes it easier to keep the fillet centered while wrapping. However, I've used just a single barbless hook on the tail where required by regulations and it does work.

One thing to note is that this year's regulations for parts of the Columbia will be requiring single hooks as part of the new anti-snagging rule so I'll be switching more lures to singles this year. I'll probably stick with front and rear siwash on swivel rigs, or perhaps double split ring and siwash front and swivel siwash rear.

I was hoping the kwickfish guru would post! what size swivel/hook have you decided on when your under the thumb of the regs starfish. I've been recomended using 2/0,3/0 siwash hooks and crane #7 swivels leaving the stock split rings on. double split rings on the belly defiantley sounds worth trying (I imagine it keeps the hook positioned straighter) Any favorite replacement hook brand?

I think you're on the right track, crane #7 swivels are perfect. I'm thinking 3/0 on K15's and 4/0 on K16's but I'll have to take a look at both and decide. I like Gamagatsu open eye trebles mostly. The Gami 510 comes highly recommended also (almost a circle hook, with the barb on the outside) but the one time I tried them on M2SP flatfish we didn't do well. I'll try them again on the kwiks before giving up on them.

I like double split rings with siwash hooks both belly and tail.

I'm going to hold off on massacre of any of my plugs until I see what areas the new anti-snagging rule really applies to. I studied both the original proposal and the concise explanatory statement, and called WDFW for clarification. At this point nobody can figure out whether the rule will apply year-round on the Columbia or just August 1-October 15. It appears to apply from Bonneville to McNary but it MIGHT apply up to the state line above McNary. Kind of a farce IMHO since the stated purpose of the rule was to reduce confusion... and now nobody can figure out what it means. Also silly because the rule proposal says it's consistent with the Oregon regs when in fact the old nonbuoyant lure restriction was much more consistent.