I use the smallest/thinest wire hook for smallmouth and that is #1 & 1/0 95% of time. Gamakatsu & Owner never let me down. If you are fishing bigger worms for largemouth I’d say 2/0 or bigger is required. I don’t jerk my rod when a fish takes it because they are are already hooked so I just pull up and put pressure on the rod tip.
I used 1/0 EWGs all last year and only bent one hook horsing in a massive bowfin. But I think I'm gonna try sizing up this year because I missed on quite a few good bites that might have been big fish and the smaller gap on the hook just couldn't get past their big old bony lip.
Thanx Tyler. I'm very set on hooks but like what ya said. I use Gama Hybred worm hook in 3/0 for almost every creature, craw and thick worm. Great hook, even on a bad hook set the point goes all the way thru. If I told you how long its been since I had a bass jump off, you would think I'm lying. Trebles, I've been using Mustad triple grips since they first came out and were bronze. Rarely lose fish on traps or cranks and I fish quite a bit (retired). Not saying what works for me, works for others but if it ain't broke. Oh, I'm a slack line hook setter.
What's the lightest line you'll use for a texas rig? Would you trust 14lb on a baitcaster, or a spinning? I'm still figuring out line sizes and how low I can go before I start thinking I'm going to break off every hook set. Thanks for all the info on hooks Tyler.
I was losing fish in a tournament one time on a jig. I was using a heavy rod and I was jacking them too hard, tearing a hole and they could get off. I just started setting a little lighter and it solved the problem
I don’t know about the other hooks but thanks to you Tyler I now can’t fish a tube if I don’t have a Trokar TK190. By the way have you tried those hooks on other plastics like creature bait because they are just as good
If you catch the fish but there is a hole where your hook is, what changes do you need to make? Example; heavy wire hook inside of a 3/8 inch size area.
Usually that means your setup is too heavy and the hook set is ripping a hole. Either dropping to a lighter rod (going from heavy to medium heavy or medium heavy to medium), softening the action on your rod from maybe a fast to a moderate-fast or moderate, or using line that has a little more stretch( going from braided to flouro or to mono) will usually help with that. You can downside the diameter of your hook when going down in setup too if you’re worried about hook penetration but if you’re ripping holes in lips, downsize the setup.
I grew up using #8 smelled hooks with leader,after I grow up idk why SO FREAKING MANY guys used the eagle claws on leader. On that note,caught plenty of 5 pound bass gigantic carp and catfish 8-12 pound test and tiny hooks with worms.
I use the lightest/smallest hooks possible to try to avoid hurting the fish. Now in saltwater when I am fishing for meat it is a whole different ball game.
I have probably a 100 different brands of hooks and they dont have huge variations in size (hook gap). 3/0 is all within .2mm of each other smh. I prefer a 3/0 to 4/0 on most soft pkastics. Smaller soft plastic smaller hook, larger soft plastics larger hook. Use a mid wire diameter over all and you have little to no worries on bending out on a hook set or even needing a hard hook set. Never seen kvd jack fish when cranking he does a good sweep set though. With a flipping hook or even a soft plastic technique he sets the hook a little overly hard imo lol.
What matters is having a sharp hook (sticky). All hooks when actually sharp will not need a super hard hook set. I've never set the hook super hard. I use a quick pop of the rod and load the rod up even with frog hooks. I mostly set in a way that I hook the top lip and never in the side of the mouth in the soft area with exceptions in cranks and treble hard baits. Generally get a top lip and other areas including the body of the fish sometimes lol.
You have to match the rod and line to the hook, but you have to match the hook to the cover. So in the end, you have to match everything in your ‘system’ to the density of the cover you are fishing.
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I use the smallest/thinest wire hook for smallmouth and that is #1 & 1/0 95% of time. Gamakatsu & Owner never let me down. If you are fishing bigger worms for largemouth I’d say 2/0 or bigger is required. I don’t jerk my rod when a fish takes it because they are are already hooked so I just pull up and put pressure on the rod tip.
I used 1/0 EWGs all last year and only bent one hook horsing in a massive bowfin. But I think I'm gonna try sizing up this year because I missed on quite a few good bites that might have been big fish and the smaller gap on the hook just couldn't get past their big old bony lip.
Thanx Tyler. I'm very set on hooks but like what ya said. I use Gama Hybred worm hook in 3/0 for almost every creature, craw and thick worm. Great hook, even on a bad hook set the point goes all the way thru. If I told you how long its been since I had a bass jump off, you would think I'm lying.
Trebles, I've been using Mustad triple grips since they first came out and were bronze. Rarely lose fish on traps or cranks and I fish quite a bit (retired). Not saying what works for me, works for others but if it ain't broke. Oh, I'm a slack line hook setter.
What's the lightest line you'll use for a texas rig? Would you trust 14lb on a baitcaster, or a spinning? I'm still figuring out line sizes and how low I can go before I start thinking I'm going to break off every hook set. Thanks for all the info on hooks Tyler.
We use 8 lb maxima ultra green for king salmon in the river. No way a bass is snapping 14 lb
I was losing fish in a tournament one time on a jig. I was using a heavy rod and I was jacking them too hard, tearing a hole and they could get off. I just started setting a little lighter and it solved the problem
I use several different hooks for different reasons but I’m always worried about small hooks getting swallowed to deep and kill the fish
I don’t know about the other hooks but thanks to you Tyler I now can’t fish a tube if I don’t have a Trokar TK190. By the way have you tried those hooks on other plastics like creature bait because they are just as good
If you catch the fish but there is a hole where your hook is, what changes do you need to make? Example; heavy wire hook inside of a 3/8 inch size area.
Usually that means your setup is too heavy and the hook set is ripping a hole. Either dropping to a lighter rod (going from heavy to medium heavy or medium heavy to medium), softening the action on your rod from maybe a fast to a moderate-fast or moderate, or using line that has a little more stretch( going from braided to flouro or to mono) will usually help with that. You can downside the diameter of your hook when going down in setup too if you’re worried about hook penetration but if you’re ripping holes in lips, downsize the setup.
I grew up using #8 smelled hooks with leader,after I grow up idk why SO FREAKING MANY guys used the eagle claws on leader.
On that note,caught plenty of 5 pound bass gigantic carp and catfish 8-12 pound test and tiny hooks with worms.
What about spinnerbaits
I use the lightest/smallest hooks possible to try to avoid hurting the fish. Now in saltwater when I am fishing for meat it is a whole different ball game.
I watch Kevin Van dam all the time on his channel how he catches his fish he cracks the newer Creek
I have probably a 100 different brands of hooks and they dont have huge variations in size (hook gap). 3/0 is all within .2mm of each other smh. I prefer a 3/0 to 4/0 on most soft pkastics. Smaller soft plastic smaller hook, larger soft plastics larger hook. Use a mid wire diameter over all and you have little to no worries on bending out on a hook set or even needing a hard hook set.
Never seen kvd jack fish when cranking he does a good sweep set though. With a flipping hook or even a soft plastic technique he sets the hook a little overly hard imo lol.
What matters is having a sharp hook (sticky). All hooks when actually sharp will not need a super hard hook set. I've never set the hook super hard. I use a quick pop of the rod and load the rod up even with frog hooks. I mostly set in a way that I hook the top lip and never in the side of the mouth in the soft area with exceptions in cranks and treble hard baits. Generally get a top lip and other areas including the body of the fish sometimes lol.
I never lose fish on his crank Kevin Van dam is crank beats a lick his crankbaits how he has the hooks on his lures I never lose my fish on them
A bass will eat a shark hook on a wacky worm . They are pretty stupid
You have to match the rod and line to the hook, but you have to match the hook to the cover.
So in the end, you have to match everything in your ‘system’ to the density of the cover you are fishing.
Where’s the actual fishing vids? Thanks.
@bassfishinghq
On Tyler's other channel Bassfishing HQ.
You just got to figure out what you're going to use for a size hook 🪝 too much of your Beach that you are going to use