06-09-2004, 10:07 PM
Just guessing but probably the reason you're not supposed to use a treble hook by itself is that people use them to try to snag fish by jerking treble hooks through schools of fish, such as salmon. That's illegal in California as well and should be illegal everywhere. I'd bet that with the sponge on it, it would be a legal bait, not just a bare treble hook for snagging fish.