Treble Hook Advantages

• With three hooks, chances are better of hooking a fish on a treble hook. Some trebles are even offset so the hook rotates when a fish bites in order to bury at least one more barb in the fish.
  
  

Treble Hook Disadvantages

• When more than one hook buries in a fish, removing the hook can be difficult. Treble hooks have greater potential to harm fish than single hooks, which is especially undesirable when an under-sized fish is caught or when catch-and-release fishing.
  
  

Single Hook Advantages

• Some claim a single hook penetrates better than a treble hook because it is thinner in diameter. Single hooks are also less noticeable to fish.
  
  

Single Hook Disadvantages

• Hooking fish can be more difficult with single hooks, especially when live bait fishing when the bait covers the hook, making it more difficult to set the hook into a fish.
  
  

Legal Considerations

• Sometimes anglers don't have a choice. Treble hooks are illegal in some places, particularly in catch-and-release areas. Examples include Wisconsin's spring catch-and-release trout season or anytime on Alaska's Kenai River.