Ewg Hooks, Hookset Issues.

[BassAssassin726]

I've been using EWG hooks lately instead of my standard offset shank worm hooks. I like them a lot. Only thing is sometimes I get bit, go to set the hook, the fight starts then the fish is gone two seconds later. I don't get it. I mostly fish Senko's, big ribbontail worms and Fat Ika's. Im using a VMC 4/0 EWG hook. It's especially bad when i rig the fat ika backwards with the tentacles near the eye of the hook. I've tried overhead hooksets, side sweeping hookset, everything. I mean I do hook most of my fish but it seems like 15-20 percent of the time the fight starts, fish swims around a big then boom, slack line. I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?

[gripnrip]

Super line hooks or regular EWG'S? What type of line? Reel and rod setup?

[BassAssassin726]

Regular EWG. I do all my plastic fishing with spinning gear. A 6'6 medium action rod. The reel is 5.6.1 i believe. 8 pound line.

[gripnrip]

Ok. Set the hook! Lol. I was having this problem last year. Trust your knot and drag and hammer down. Only thing I am doing different this year is , I have 20 lb super slick 8 power pro on my spinning reels. With the no stretch , my hook ups have increased tremendously!

[EvanT123]

Ok. Set the hook! Lol. I was having this problem last year. Trust your knot and drag and hammer down. Only thing I am doing different this year is , I have 20 lb super slick 8 power pro on my spinning reels. With the no stretch , my hook ups have increased tremendously!

This. I had the same problem as well. I was using a setup pretty close to the op. braid has definetly helped and sometimes it doesn't hurt to lay into them alittle especially if your rod has a softer tip.

[Koofy Smacker]

Hook set harder. EWG's dont have a gap between the line tie and the hook point so you really need to get past the plastic and get down to the hook point. Set the drag so you wont snap the line and swing. Works for me and no I dont break off. Try it, worst that can happen is you lose a senko lol which today can cost a pretty penny!

[BassAssassin726]

I figured as much. I did notice the times I actually hammered back hard I managed to get em.  

[gobig]

And this is why I dont like EWG worm hooks. The hook up ratio sucks and there are better options.

[Bluebasser86]

Haven't used the VMC EWG hooks but I use the BPS EWG Magna hooks and have no problem with hook ups. Sounds to me like your set up is a bit on the light side for the size hook/baits you're fishing so you might not be getting enough force behind your hookset. I'd probably switch to braid with a fluoro leader if I was going to fish that rod/reel combo with those baits. 

[flipin4bass]

Im using a VMC 4/0 EWG hook.

 

There you go, switch to Gamakatsu or Owner EWGs and your problem is solved.

[Jolly Green]

I have just started fishing with soft jerk baits, and have thrown them on a variety of setups using 2/0 to 5/0 EWG hooks, and I find timing to be the key.  I was barely landing them at first because I was setting the hook almost immediately and it was stuck through that paper-thin part of the upper lip that easily opens up during the fight. Once I changed up my timing to let the fish pick it up and start to amble away with it, I was golden, solid hook-sets in the tougher roof of the mouth.   

[Goose21]

I'm with Blue, especially if you're spooling with 8lb mono, your setup may be a little on the light side at times. You would do yourself some justice if you would step up to a medium heavy bait casting outfit with more backbone to drive the hook home when skin hooking soft plastics.

As some have suggested, small diameter braid with a flouro leader or no leader will no doubt increas e your hookup rate with your current spinning outfit though.

I havnt used VMC EWG hooks but I'm sure they're just fine. I buy value packs of Gamakatsu EWG's but have used many other brands with very little hook set and land issues.

[ww2farmer]

I have never had a problem with EWG hooks, in fact I prefer them for just about everything except for really heavy cover, then I go with a straight shank flipping hook.

[Bass Junkie]

Go with a good quality hook, and make sure your connection to the fish (hook, line, knots, swivels if applicable) is in good shape. Set your drag correctly, and swing for the fences. I've used 4/0 EWG VMC's myself, and am underwhelmed with them. The triple barb isn't worth the lackluster performance IMHO.

[BassAssassin726]

Well I took some advice from here when I went out this morning. I was fising a Senko on the 4/0 EWG hook, using a split shot rig except I was using a 1/8 ounce bull shot sinker instead of a round shot. Every bite I got I beared down and yanked their jaws out. I landed all 6 bfish, heresa the two best. A 3-6 and a 4 pounder even.

[Bass Junkie]

Great job, glad to see its working for ya! Nice fish as well!

[BassAssassin726]

Thanks! I was getting discouraged cause I was catching dinks all morning. Nothing over a pound. 11 oclock rolls around and I decide to hit the spot I was at first thing in the morning. Casted across a small point with the Senko with a 1/8 ounce bull shot a foot and a half up the line. Caught those two back to back!

[GeorgiaBassBros]

I used to use only ewg hooks and switched to normal round bend offset and never looked back. I will never use another ewg hook if i have a choice

[IntroC]

I switched EWG from Gamm to Mustads and had the same problem. My hookup percentages with the Mustads were terrible. So I threw them in the junk box and went back to Gammas. The problem I found with the Mustads were that the angle of the hook point points directly back at the line tie. The Gammas stick out past the line tie probably 3/16 of an inch and thats all it takes for the good hooking percentages with the Gammas. Sounds like you solved your problem but just so you know it isn't always the angler sometimes it can actually be the hook itself.