Don’t Use This Hook With Your Soft Plastics?
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- Choosing the correct hook makes a big difference with certain soft plastics and will lead to more bass being caught!
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LINKS TO BAITS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO:
1) Gamakatsu Offset EWG Hook - www.tackleware...
2) Berkley Powerbait 3" and 4" Pit Boss - www.tackleware...
3) Gamakatsu offset Round Bend Worm Hook - www.tackleware...
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I was born and raised in Chicago, but after working 12 years in the financial Industry regulating the futures and options markets at the CME/CBOT I decided to pursue my passion fishing professional tournaments and left my full time corporate job. At that point, I moved to Junction City, WI with my wife Sara and two boys Hank and Duke. I've been fishing professionally since 2011 and full-time since 2015. I've qualified for seven MLF Championships and won over a half million in tournament winnings at the professional level.
You’re really putting in the work and posting solid videos on a regular basis and I appreciate it Matt💯🍀🎣🍀
💯
I appreciate that!
One key point - the EWG style hook have the points of the hook more inline with the eye, whereas the offset hook point is about 1/8 of an inch offset from the hook’s eye. I prefer straight shank worm hooks but that is just me. I have learned a lot from your videos - you are a class act.
So twist the ewg a touch so it's a little offset....just a thought
Glad you made this comment. In the video he kinda explained the term “offset” incorrectly.
Thanks for sharing!
Oh Matt, great video. About 2 years ago I was losing a lot of fish on t-rigs, and really everything. I started doing a deep dive into hooks and changing out trebles on cranks and stuff, and trying different things with flipping and texas rigs. In my experience, most ewg hooks while they have a wide gap, the hook point is almost perfectly in line with the front flat part of hook before the bend. It works out great for rigging because your baits can be perfectly straight when you tex-pose the hook tip. The problem is, if the fish doesnt eat it right, you will pull the bait right out of its mouth with no hookup because the point is so perfectly inline with eye and front of hook.
The offset worm hook you notice the point of the hook sits significantly higher than the front of the hook, to me it hooks up much easier. So the absolute best hooks for a general texas rig or flipping when its not super heavy or thick cover, is the offset worm hook, or with a thicker bait i like the gamakatsu g-finnes hybrid worm hook. Its kinda like an offset worm hook, and an ewg combined, and the hook point is higher than the eye and straight part of front of hook so it hooks them almost every time. Dont let the thin gfinesse offset worm hook fool you, it is hardened and very strong and does not bend out easy, and I think it's the best of both worlds.
Everyone has their own little tests and experiences they have done, and plain and simple, everyone has differences in the way they fish certain techniques. Different rods, different line, different hooksets, etc. For me, I like the thinnest hooks i can get away with, and hooks that are shaped and angled to hookup the easiest without a super strong hookset. Since I fish from a kayak, I get bit a lot from a sitting position, so I can not always get the perfect angle and power into a hookset. Sometimes I'm at weird angles and can not get good power, so I have to compensate by using softer rods and thin hooks to kinda auto-set as I sweep the rod.
But like you said, for everyone out there, they have to find the hooks that work the best for them and the way they fish. There really is no universal "best" piece of gear. There is however the "best" piece of gear for your style of fishing, and it just takes some trial and error and time on the water fishing to figure it out.
Thanks for the content Matt, and good luck on the BPT bro..
Thanks!
I agree I personally don't use ewg hooks on any texas rigs anymore and my hook up ratio increased with the offset worm hook wide by Owner .
Got a lake map break down for a lake I was unfamiliar with but had the ability to fish for 3 days……. Made a world of difference having the information
Glad it helped!
I do like to use the regular offset warm hook on a creature bait in heavy grass if it's not too thick of a plastic. Sometimes the EWG hooks on the grass while fighting a fish more than the regular one. That's if I still get enough bite gap depending on the bait
Thanks for sharing
Great video. A tip that I use when using an extra thick bait with an EWG, like a keitech swing impact fat for example…I take my needle nose pliers and bend the hook out just slightly. That small amount will dramatically increase your hook-up ratio. Thanks for all your tips…they are consistently good ones.
Thanks for sharing
Some times I use a true turn hook when it's tough .Haven't had a fish straighten it out but almost it gets extra bites Thanks for video Appreciate.
You bet
Great explanation on the EWG for the bigger bulkier soft plastics and the offset worm hook for the skinnier baits.
Glad it was helpful!
Years ago i made a change to the gamakatsu skip gap hook. The bait never slides down the hook and never needs ajusting. Its extremely sharp and will hold up to 10pounders without bending out. The most important thing is i never miss a fish,if they bite they are caught. Great info man
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Matt. Your guidelines for EWG vs worm hooks is almost exactly what I typically do. Only difference is that I prefer to use straight-shank hooks when pitching creature baits. I also use EWGs when texas-rigging thicker worms like Senkos (for the same reason you mentioned - extra bite gap).
Good stuff!
Excellent thanks!
You're welcome!
100% Watch squad, thanks for the info bro! Fishing a 2 dryer here in Ohio next Saturday and Sunday. It's my 1st time fishing alone, not In the back with my pops. Nervous to sat the least but going to have fun!
Thanks for watching!
Owner haymaker ewg is the deal.....started using it last year and never lose fish. It has an offset unlike most ewgs.
Thanks for sharing
The EWG hook I do use it for every texas rig plastic, but I can see on them the line tie & hook point are even, I don't know if that gets me less bites or not! 👍🎣
Thanks for the info!
Thank you! This is super helpful! I usually just use a EWG but I am going to try and match my hooks to the type of bait I use!
Glad it was helpful!
Straight shanks Trigging and skin hooking for the baits side have really helped with hook ups
thanks for sharing
In Florida , I’ve found the offset hook to be a lot better in heavy grass and pads. I use the EWG for flukes, stick baits, and also a Carolina rig since I don’t mind skin hooking the bait on that rig.
Thanks for sharing!
🍺Thanks Matt.
You bet!
I tend to use EWG for everything. I find I get snagged a lot more with a worm hook. I’m a bank angler, so the less chance I have to get snagged, the better.
Thanks for sharing
Really good point on the difference. I mostly use the EWG as it tends to not be swallowed by the fish as easily. Just my observation anyway. Carolina rig seems to be really bad about it as you can’t feel the bite as easily with a giant weight between you and the fish.
Thanks for sharinf
Me personally, unless I'm throwing really big creature baits in the prespawn or immediate post spawn, I usually use a 1/0 or 2/0 ewg for everything.
If I'm fishing a tournament, I'll carry 12 rods and everything will be the ideal, but if I'm just out to relax and have fun, less is more, and I'll only carry 4 to 6 rods, and my plastics rods will be ewg hooks.
Thanks for sharing
Love this kind of content thank you for breaking this down it really helps
Glad it was helpful!
Good video! Might I suggest using Gamakatsu g finesse hybrid worm hook for both creature and worms. Started using them this year for summer 10” worms and expanded my use to big senkos, 4” pit boss and 3.5” yamatanuki . I used 1/0-5/0 and almost never lost a bass. Usually the bass was hooked through the bone 1-1.5” back from the front of the mouth. The offset bend is a little more z shape thus holding the bait better from balling up. They come 1/0-8/0. Just pick the right size and you won’t be disappointed in the performance.
Thabks
Good class thanks 😊
You are welcome!
I’ve gotten to the point that offset worm hooks just don’t matter to me. I use straight shank or EWG exclusively because I can downsize my EWG and achieve a similar result. Also I like that the EWG has a deeper bite in the center which I feel allows for a better hook set. I use offset worm hooks on occasion still but not nearly as often.
Thanks for sharing
Love your videos, they are easy pesy for a Jethro like me to learn from. But can you teach us how to fish points and ledges?
Will do
Good explanation. I do use the EWG with the mag speed worms though because they're thicker and I find I get better hookups.
Thanks for watching
Caught the biggest flounder I’ve ever seen on the other day on one just for the record. Tight lines bro.
Nice!
Great explanation
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips!!! I totally agree with you.
Thanks for watching!
This was really helpful! Many thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
This is good info.
I recently started trying SnakeLocks hooks and Texas Eye jigs. Both have EWG swinging hooks. I love the action they give lures but I seem to have a bad hookup ratio with them. A lot of times it's little fish that aren't easy to hook on jig heads either. But today something was ripping out line and had me all excited and it got off the hook. It was most likely a nice redfish. I caught a couple baby flounders, a couple little black sea bass, a lizard fish and a big spot. It was too weedy for the Hover Rigs. Anything with an exposed hook caught grass and even the weedless rigs caught some. I sure wish I could figure out hooking fish on those hooks, I missed some good bites.
Thanks!
I prefer to use a worm hook with a stickbait or other worm, but I've actually gotten to where I'm using a straight shank or flipping hook with most of my other plastics. Although that's not 100% of the time. But I think, for me at least, it might just be a preference thing.
Thanks for sharing!
Great video & explanation on the two hooks!! I use them like you do bulkier bait EWG & Worm Offset. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!
Awesome! Thank you!
Thanks Matt. Back to basics, Its a fact when worm fishing you get more bites with the worm hook. I have tried both many times on worms and now I only use the offset worm hooks. Have you tried the gamagatsu hybrid worm (EWG) yet? I thought I would be using the gammy EWG forever but the hybrid just goes clean through every time.
I have but haven’t had enough experience with it yet
Excellent tips Matt. Thanks for sharing this with us.
My pleasure!
Great tips as always!
Glad you like them!
Great job thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge appreciate you
My pleasure!
I said I would never give up my Owner hooks. The Haymaker is a difference maker if someone is looking for a unique EWG hook. But I have also gotten into the BKK Basilisk hook for worms. It is another unique O'Shaugnessy hook that surprised me.
It’s a good hook!
Great tips!!
Glad you like them!
Thx good information 👍
Thanks!
Well stated , 👍 thanks !
Glad you liked it!
Hey Matt: My observations: Some RUclipsrs on their thick plastics insist on a flippin' hook rather than a EWG. But that requires the hook point to be hidden at an angle, not through and parallel. I think the angle arrangement creates a worse hookup ratio and so I will stick with Texas-rigged EWG for thick plastics.
I don’t like straight shank
Makes perfect sense to me
Thanks
The EWG I use on toads , For worms I use the other one round bend
Thanks for watching!
I don’t even own any EWGs anymore. It’s either offset or straight shanks.
Thanks for sharing
Matt have you tried the Gamakatsu G-Finesse hybrid worm hook? It is the best of both EWG and Worm hooks. It is a tournament grade wire hook. I have yet to loose a fish I hooked.
It’s a good hook
Thanks matt much needed info. I've been wandering why I've been missing fish I dont use a EWG with my pit boss and it makes a tone of sense so thanks going to change that now
Glad to help
Matt, for the offset hook with worm I see you have chosen a round bend. These offset hooks also come in the O’Shaughnessy bend style. Which do you prefer and why?
I like both. For thicker worms like magnum speed worms i like the round bend and smaller body worms like a power worm i like the oshaughnessy
With a bigger worm like a 10.5" 12" or bigger would you recommend just using the EWG hook
Exactly. Even some shorter but bulkier worms like the 5.75" Netbait Big Bopper or either of the Zoom Speed Worms....an EWG makes more sense.
Nope I’d use a 7/0 to 11/0 offset worm hook
That sounds good to me. Great advice. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
what hook do you prefer on a soft jerk jerk? great video
Great info! Thanks Matt.
You bet!
I cant stand ewg hooks they do nothing for me but cost me fish. The hook point has the eye blocking it what a great (sarcasm) idea. I love the pit boss. Its my go to pitching bait. A strait shank flipping hook 4/0 or 5/0 has no problem with it. I don’t know what genius thought a hook with metal right in front of the point was going to help hookups but clearly it was a brilliant marketing scheme. Considering there is no proof a problem existed with plastics especially a soft plastic like the pit boss. Sometimes I think anglers and the fishing industry dream up or intentionally make up garbage to see if it sells.
Carry on sir 😂
Thanks for sharing
I agree most of those guys are sponsored by these hook companies. An offset worm hook worked 30 years ago on a 10 inch worm and that's a lot of plastic, now you telling me a 4 inch plastic needs an ewg hook 😂.
Thanks Matt
Yep
How do straight shank “worm”hooks play into this, where/ when would you use them rather than these two options?
I’ll do a video on it
I have another question for you does it matter what size big hug you use on your stick baits
I like a 3/0 or 4/0
Thanks alot, and what hook for Fat Ika?
Ringed EWG
@@MattStefanFishing Thanks a lote!
I use the Hayabusa haymaker and that’s a bad ass ewg hook cause of the bite
But yes I agree besides that hook
Thanks for sharing!
I use VMC EWG for both. I changed back and forth all the time
Nice!
@MattStefanFishing Thank you. I forgot to mention that the VMC hooks has a keeper barb just under the line tye. No more softbaits sliding down the hook
What’s the best hook for swim baits some seem to change there actions.
The Core Tackle TUSH! www.tacklewarehouse.com/Core_Tackle_The_Ultimate_Swimbait_Hook_-_TUSH/descpage-CTUS.html?from=MSFG
Yes that does make sense with different sized fish hooks I think it would be better that way that way you have different size hooks to use for yourself a sick
Thanks for watching
Matt I enjoyed the videos. All the time. Would you allow me to shadow you. I need to learn some fishing etiquette?
Haha!
What are your thoughts on the hybrid hooks.
I’m liking some of them
Matt, have you tried the ringed ewg hooks 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve been using the Gammie ringed hooks with some craw style plastics,but fishing has been tough so I haven’t figured out if there’s any advantage
Yep i love them
Hey Matt have a question for you. When you're punching heavy mats do you use just a straight shank hook. Do you tie a snell knot.
Nope i don’t use straight shank anymore
What about straight shank hooks for worms?
Not a big fan
Does one get snagged more than the other?
Not that i notice
You forgot to mention probably the most popular plastic there is, a Senko. EWG's is all I use with them.
Right on
IMO both of these style hooks you will go through a pack of baits real fast as the nose tears. I prefer the Owner style with the twistlock. I get 100 of the "Hitch hiker" on Amazon and your favorite brand choice of 4/0 60 degree jig hooks. Baits last so much longer and point lays flat. Especially weak softer baits like the Yamamoto Senko, Fat Ika, and Yamatanuki.
Thanks for sharing
Not sure because so many individuals who talk about hooks say the same thing, but I believe the offset has to do with the relationship between the point of the hook and the eye. An offset hook point is above the eye, hence, offset. The EWG hook point is inline with the eye. Both hooks have the bend in the shank to act as a bait holder of sorts. Hybrid EWGs have a wide gap and a hook point offset from the eye. I could be wrong.
Offset h hook has nothing to do assets relationship of the eye and the point. Offset is the bend in the shank that you are calling the bait holder
Thanks for aharing
Dude you gotta crank bait lure you can spare lol. Dang.
Haha
👍
Thanks for watching!
I use 2/0 or 3/0 for everything and almost never lose a fish. I lost more fish with the bigger hooks
Thanks for sharing
👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for watching
I stopped using both about 6 months ago. Maybe I'm full of sh*t but I think I'm ahead of you pros on this. I use Gamy med wire flippin hooks on everything but jerkbaits. For those I use the Gamy 3/0 hybrid. I side hook those flippin hooks on everything....senkos, worms, fat ikas etc. My hook up ratio is damn near 100% now. I caught 2 bass today using 3/0 flippin hook with a Yamatunuki. Again....i always side hook. . I believe this may be the new thing in the future. EWG hooks suck!
Stick with what you have confidence in
What about a fluke Matt ? Which hook ?
I use a bunch of different hooks for flukes depending on conditions
tl;dr EWGs for bulkier craws/creatures, worm offsets for longer skinnier baits like senkos
Thanks for sharing
The g lock is a better hook then the ewg,
Thanks for sharing
Do u do any shorts? I think you'd be good at them and boost your viewers, but they dont alert, so i dont know that ive ever seen any from u...
I’ve done a few
Stop using this hook? I got click baited 😆
Come on
We know how a EWG hook works you derp.
Your full of it bud.i will show you the difference.rig a fluke wide gap you will miss 3out of 5 the wide gap is pointed down in the bait.take the hook bend it up catch 4out of five .the worm hook is best
Did you watch the video I’m saying there is a difference but if someone doesn’t agree they should stick to what they have confidence in
Is it possible that even this subject had to be explained and filmed ?
Are we already living in an idiocracy ?
Are fishermen that dumb ?
Why do you waste your time with negativity…
@@MattStefanFishing
Come on man, come on. It is a valid comment, i didnt try to be negative. I just dont know if is it worth explaining that. Cuz if they dont get that alone, then it is a WONDER that some car doesnt kills them on the crosswalk XD