Well.... sometimes.

I believe the hooking site speaks volumes. Here's what I think is probably going on.

When the fish takes the tow hook, the spinner was the ticket. When the fish takes the trailer, the bait was the ticket. Nice to have two simultaneous options when you encounter a potential biter.

The other theory I have is that whatever I'm trolliing, a biter is simply gonna attack it mid-profile. I do catch a lot more fish on the tow hook with the spinner bait/rigging. It might have something to do with the fact that the tow hook lives mid-profile.... right in the middle of the bite zone. Exceedingly few are caught on the tow hook when I rig hangback with nekkid bait. That's 'cause there is no hook mid-profile.... fish misses the tow hook altogether and gets "flossed" with the trailer.

At least that's what I think is going on.