Rennie Clark likes to customize fishing lures for his guide trips and tournaments. He often changes hooks and split rings and if he gets caught up or has a day-off, he’ll change colors, too. His favorite lures to customize are the Skitterwalk series of topwater baits from Rapala.
Clark said the SW 8 Skitterwalk is a freshwater lure that needs its hooks and split rings changed out because they are too weak.
On the SW 8, he changes the split rings to Owner saltwater split rings rated at 50 pounds, and he’ll switch out the hooks at the same time to VMC Fishfighter trebles in No. 4 and 6X strength on the belly and VMC Sureset trebles in the same size and strength for the tail hook.
The difference in these hooks is that the Sureset has one shank that is longer and extends an inch or so behind the others. Clark feels this occasionally catches fish that wouldn’t get stuck by with the other hooks.
Clark said the SSW 11 Skitterwalk is a saltwater lure and will probably hold up a little while, but he changes out their split rings and hooks, too. The SSW 11 is a larger lure, so he upgrades one size on everything. The Owner split rings are rated at 60 pounds, and the trebles are also Fishfighters and Suresets, but in No. 2 size and 6X strength.
Clark also cleans and custom-paints hard-plastic lures, especially the Skitterwalks. He said fish only see the bottom and a little of the sides of topwater lures, and he wants colors there that will get their attention. He uses a lot of pink and gold and covers them with clear coat for wear and tear protection.
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