Just fish single hooks. They do FAR FAR FAR less damage to the trout and have a comparable hook up rate.

If you are fishing trebles crimp the barbs on them so that they can be removed without too much damage.

What sorta lures?

Just use a single Single hook at the tail mate, rig it so the barb hangs upwards, that way the lure can skip across the bottom without fouling with weed etc. You will not lose many/any fih by not having trebles, I used to use McGrath lures for trout fishing all the time, rigged with just a single hook like that, and I absolutely slayed the fish.

Get some Gamakatsu SIWASH size 10's, extremely sharp and strong and agree much less damage to any fish released. Good size for all lures with great holding power.

Yeah 8s and 10s

Single hooks i think are the better way to go.... you get less foul hooking, and I think a single hook provides less leverage for a fish to use to pry a hook out of its mouth. With bibbed minnow lures, you can use 2 split rings at the tail, with a single hook sitting point upwards, that will skip across the bottom a lot more easily that a treble hook will, and if you are using smaller lures of around 2 inches or so, I do not think you really need a belly hook at all, just a hook in the tail will catch any fish that has a crack at the lure.
With veltecs etc.... again, singles are fine.
Treble hooks arejust murder on fish if you are planning on releasing any...especailly smaller fish that you have to release, a treble hook will chew out eyes, gills, throats of small fish very very easily indeed. Makes "releasing" pointless really.

I been quite slack about this lately, but I try to change to single hooks for most of my lures. Try using Black Magic Trout Lure hook size 4.

I still stick with trebles on my Rapala's , I personally have not had a problem with trebles ripping gills or doing extensive damage (but I know others do). Something to do with how the trout strikes the lure I beleive, the vast majority of the time they are hooked in the lip.  I also have noticed changing to singles can affect the lures action, IMO my little jointed Rapalas swam very bad when I tried single hooks on them. 

In saying that, not all bibbed minnows seem to be kind on the fish, I have had storm wildeye lures do massive damage...

Check your licence as some places do not allow trebles on lures for trout. Agree with a few others tho less damage to the fish with singles and just as a good a hook up. 

lemmy wrote:   Little bit off topic but a lure thats been slaying some big Brownies in the Waikato at the moment as well as a Rudd one made by the same mob.

What make/name is that mate,,It certainly looks the part for the lower Waikato.