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Been fishing them a lot the last few weeks and had bent hooks, a broken hook, and today the worst... a split ring pulled off...
I have never in my life had a split ring pull off a lure.
Any one else had problems?

I hate the idea of not using them because they catch fish but I don't want to pay $5 for a lure and have to replace all the hooks and split rings before I fish it.

I went to the Storm website and couldn't find a customer service number.

Bman,

Several years ago I used that lure alot. But, big reds invariably bent the hooks straight. It is a good lure for trout and I know many use them. I tried changing out the hooks, but didn't like the results. I don't use em anymore as there are too many good TW's on the market that hold up better.

When storm changed from the wooden to the plastic baits they started putting crappy hooks on them. I almost stopped fishing them. Then I bought a box of gamakatsu trebles and split ring pliers and now I switch every hook on every new storm bait. You can get a box of 20 or so hooks for about 10 bucks. They are worth it because the are just about the sharpest hooks you can buy.

Tom-
Do you switch the split rings too?
I couldn't believe a trout pulled one apart!
How can their mouth be stronger than a split ring?

I just found some heavy duty stainless steel ones from Cabelas and Bass Pro

I never had a problem with split rings, but its possible they changed them too. I haven't bought a new chug bug in a year.

I fish a chugbug every time I go and have changed the hooks on all of them to gamakatsu like Tom said....Also have changed hooks on skitterwalks.... On topwater mirrolures and zara spooks, they come with a pretty stout set of hooks....Last year I had problem with a couple of skitterwalks failing..i.e. the hook hanger broke and and another split...email to Rapala got me a quick replacement...A good source for replacement parts like split rings and hooks is Netcraft.

A lot of companies are now farming out this stuff to china. The metal in china is absolutely crap. Whether it be split rings, lock washers, bolts or whatever.....

Welcome to the new USA......made in china......

Dubble

Found this in the boat...

What Tom said

The hooks that come on them are not as good as they used to be. I fish them until I have a problem then change them out. I do have one chug I have fished about 18 months and still have the original hooks and rings on it.

Send me all those sorry Chug Bugs and I'll be glad to dispose of them
for you!

Dubble Trubble wrote:A lot of companies are now farming out this stuff to china. The metal in china is absolutely crap. Whether it be split rings, lock washers, bolts or whatever.....

Welcome to the new USA......made in china......

Dubble

Like I always say, anybody who has a royal dish named POO POO platter has to be pretty crappy @ everything else!!!

The biggest problem I have seen with the Chug Bug is when they develop a hole in them from a lot of fish strikes and they begin to sink instead of floating.

But they are a good bait.

I have had the split ring fail on two Chugs I now changs out the split rings and hooks on all new ones I buy

At least it not just me!
I'm getting new hooks and split rings this week.

Any Idea on size and suggestions on brands?
The trebles look like #4s

I thought they started making a saltwater version recently? Chug Bug is the best TW for a spinning rod addict in my experience.