What size hook to use when Wacky rigging Stick baits

[airborne_angler]

FIRST OFF-- I DONT want this subject to turn into a debate about stickbaits, Please,lets stay on the HOOK topic-Wacky Rigging with Stick baits.

Im not concerned about what you prefer as far as stickbaits,Im interested in knowing what size and style hook you use when fishing this particular bait wacky rigged.)

That being said,I normally throw the bait weightless on an Octopus hook. I put the hook straight through the body of the bait after I fold the bait in half to find the center.

Does anyone throw the bait wacky with a different style hook?

I know the size hook I like to use when I see it,but right now I cant remember what I size I normally use,I havent been on the water yet this year and all my gear is in storage still.

. What size and style hook do most of you all use when Wacky rigging stickbaits?

[Triton21]

2/0

[Hammer 4]

1 or 2/0 Misqito or octopus hook, depending on if I have a Senco, or a roboworm type bait on.

Opps, just noticed you said Stick baits..lol

[Choke Canyon Boy]

I like to use a Shaky Head jig when I wacky rig stick baits. Strike king makes a good wacky jig for this setup. Remember to get those little o rings as they will save you a ton of baits.

[Wild Bill [NY]]

For a five-inch wacky-rigged Senko I ue the rubber o-ring and a size 1/0 octopus hook, and I tie the hook on  with a snell hook for better hookup ratios .

[NewKidInTown]

FIRST OFF-- I DONT want this subject to turn into a debate about stickbaits, Please,lets stay on the HOOK topic-Wacky Rigging with Stick baits.

Im not concerned about what you prefer as far as stickbaits,Im interested in knowing what size and style hook you use when fishing this particular bait wacky rigged.)

That being said,I normally throw the bait weightless on an Octopus hook. I put the hook straight through the body of the bait after I fold the bait in half to find the center.

Does anyone throw the bait wacky with a different style hook?

I know the size hook I like to use when I see it,but right now I cant remember what I size I normally use,I havent been on the water yet this year and all my gear is in storage still.

. What size and style hook do most of you all use when Wacky rigging stickbaits?

Been using Owner Mosquito in 2/0,,sometimes Gammy Octopus in 2/0. This year I have Owner Wacky Hooks to try out,the Camo Green ones. 3/0 Works just as well.

[River Rat316]

The Owner mosquito hooks in 1/0 for a 5" stick bait are tough to beat. Tried there weedless wacky and liked those 2 but they get tore up pretty quick, and the rivers I usually fish a wacky rig on are not that weedy so it seemed like a waste (they did little to nothing to fend off the occasional branch or whatever) :'(

[ib_of_the_damned]

Most of you may think that this is too small, but I use either a size 1 or 2 (not 1/0 or 2/0) owner weedless wacky hook or the owner mosquito hooks.

[MNGeorge]

We use a Gammie Octopus Straight Eye, 4X wire salt water hook and the wacky o-rings. The 4X wire adds weight to the rig which we need to get the stick worm down in the current of the Mississippi River...Smallies love stick worms. Both Cabela's and BPS sell this hook in their respective salt water catalogs and on line or you can order direct from Gamakatsu through their website.

[Crestliner2008]

My hook is a Gamakatsu 1/0 In-Line Oct. Circle. I've chose the circle hook because bass are notorious in taking Senkos in deep. With the circle, I stand a much better chance or lip hooking my quarry - LM or SM.

One more thing....I always crimp down the barb on these hooks and rarely do I ever fail to land a fish.

[Fishes in trees]

I like the Falcon weighted hooks with the wire weed guard.  I'll use both the 3/0 and 6/0  and mostly the 1/16 ounce weight.  When I am wacky rigging I always use an O-ring.  3/8" OD (outside diameter) x 1/4" ID (inside diameter) seems to me to be the size that fits the senko best.  Strike King markets a 3/0 wire weedguard hook that works pretty well too.

[aarogb]

3/0 Octopus hook

[Wayne P.]

3/0 or 4/0 Octopus hook with weedguard added:

[J Francho]

Depending on the thickness of the worm, a 1/0 or 2/0 Finesse Wide Gap, snelled.

[midnighthrasher]

2/0

[VABassin'14]

2/0 Eagle Claws

[Josh Bassman]

My hook is a Gamakatsu 1/0 In-Line Oct. Circle. I've chose the circle hook because bass are notorious in taking Senkos in deep. With the circle, I stand a much better chance or lip hooking my quarry - LM or SM.

One more thing....I always crimp down the barb on these hooks and rarely do I ever fail to land a fish.

Why do you crimp the barb?

I'm thinking about going barbless because my girls (8 & 10) want to go fishing more with me, and I'm afraid of them getting the barb below the skin.

[Hammer 4]

Barbless (crimped) makes releasing SOOOooo much easier, less damage to the fish too. 95% of my worm hooks are barbless.

[Wayne P.]

For the guys that use hook sizes smaller than 3/0, do you use the same size hook (different style) when Tx rigging them? If not, why?

[J Francho]

The finesse wide gap is a pretty big hook, actually, with a gap similar to your 3/0 octopus. When I t-rig Senkos, and I hardly ever t-rig them anymore, an Owner Wide Gap Plus in 2/0 or 3/0 size is plenty fine.  Again, sight match the hook to the bait.

[D4u2s0t]

I almost always use a 3/0 ewg 1/8oz keel hook.  It casts further, but is not enough weight to kill the action.  I find the 1/8 oz actually provides more "wiggle" as the bait falls, and the weight keeps the hook always facing up, meaning significantly less snags.

[whoopbazz]

Now we don't fish for huge fish... so 2/0-3/0 seems very  big to me.

I use a size 1 or a 1/0 (rarely) mosquito hook.

[Triton21]

For the guys that use hook sizes smaller than 3/0, do you use the same size hook (different style) when Tx rigging them? If not, why?

I use 4/0 or 5/0 Owner straight shank wide gap worm hooks.

Kelley

[A-Rob]

2 octopus hook

[Wayne P.]

Triton21, why do you use a larger hook when Tx rigging the same bait? Why don't you use the same size hook with both riggings?

I base my hook size on the bait size and anticipated fish size regardless of the presentation.