Spring and summer mornings at Crissy Field are my favorite. I fish at least once a week, and one lure consistently delivers: the Storm Searchbait Minnow. It’s got the right weight, shape, and stays weed-free.

But here’s my game-changer: a stinger hook.

I modify the lure myself. A short piece of braid, an octopus hook, and a sewing needle do the trick. I thread the braid through the tail to the main hook. Wrap it six times. A couple of tight knots. Push the knot into the lure and secure it with super glue.

It works!

Over the years, about three out of four halibut I’ve landed were hooked on the stinger. Halibut short-strike the lure, and that stinger catches what the main hook misses.

If you’re fishing Crissy Field, don’t skip the stinger hook. It makes all the difference.