Food for thought on texas rigged plastics

[Dr. Watson]

Hello all,

I have been tumbling this around in my head for a few hours now: What works better when texas rigging a soft plastic bait, burying the hook inside the bait (http://www.bassfishingusa.com/Rigging/rigging1.html) (only good pic i could find for reference) or pushing the hook through the bait and just the tip under the skin (like in these pics: http://www.***.com/riggingTips.cfm)

happy fishing,

-Britton

[SoFlaBassAddict]

It all depends on the hook.  With straight shanks and offset shanks, the barb never comes out of the plastic.  When you rig it, it finishes inside of the lure.  With a hook like an EWG, because the point is in line with the eye, the barb will come out of the plastic when rigging.  It's up to you if you want to skin hook it.  That just depends on the area you're fishing in.

[ludwig]

I queston this too sometimes. Both have their pros and cons.

When you fully inbed your hook, my two cents is that you're better off in THICK weeds, brush - thicker/matted stuff. Cover that will be putting more or constant "pressure" on the bait. You'll probably want to set the hook a bit harder and you might loose a few more fish. Also with one or two fish your plastic is probably going to be toast. I only rig it this way, when I fear that the hook will "set itself".

On the other hand, when you put just the tip in - I find that the bass will almost hook themselves. When I'm fishing around walls, rocky bottoms, deeper open water(where others might use a jig) and "normal" weedbeds. I do the "tip in" most of the time, I think it gives you a milisecond more to hook the fish. But as I stated previously they both work.

Hope this helps.

[Shad_Master]

To test it out for yourself - rig your favorite worm (or other plastic) both ways - dangle the bait and grab it from below like you were a bass - now pinch it to see how much pressure is needed to get the hook exposed and ready to be set.

[MFBAB]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook. 

[Hammer 4]

Hook get buried on baits like a roboworm for example, it's soft and thin enough that the hookup ratio won't hurt.

On baits like a sweetbeaver where a EWG hook is most used, I prefer to skin hook, hookup ratio is better, and from my experience, the bait doesn't get ripped up as fast.

Now if I'm fishing thick weeds, or wood ect, then I'll keep the point in the bait, and pray..lol

[roadwarrior]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

[WanderLust]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

Indeed. I like the design of the Yum dinger with the slot.

I adjust for what I'm throwing it into though.

[Vinny Chase]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

Indeed. I like the design of the Yum dinger with the slot.

I adjust for what I'm throwing it into though.

Only if they had that on a better bait!

[Dr. Watson]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

Yea I usually skin hook, but my father still does the buried hook technique, I just wanted to see what everyone else thought on this philosophical question, lol ;D

[WanderLust]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

Indeed. I like the design of the Yum dinger with the slot.

I adjust for what I'm throwing it into though.

Only if they had that on a better bait!

LOL Dingers work great for me... Better as far as durability or just in general? Not sayin' there my favorite or anything. Just wondering.

[SharkHat]

Skinhooked EWG for me

[Captain Obvious]

Here is some more food for thought.

Should you bury the eyelet of the hook in the nose of the bait or leave it exposed?

I find that when I bury it in the nose the bait comes though cover better but my hook up percentage falls a little.

But a bait will last much longer if you leave it outside the nose and I tend to hook fish better.

But what about if your using a weight, you want to bury it in the nose to protect the knot right?

Decisions, decisions........

[Big-O]

Here is some more food for thought.

Should you bury the eyelet of the hook in the nose of the bait or leave it exposed?

I find that when I bury it in the nose the bait comes though cover better but my hook up percentage falls a little.

But a bait will last much longer if you leave it outside the nose and I tend to hook fish better.

But what about if your using a weight, you want to bury it in the nose to protect the knot right?

Decisions, decisions........

I always bury the eye of the hook slightly for line knot protection  Also to the original topic question, I agree that the style of hook chosen should determine necessity for skin hooking or not. When using a standard EWG where the eye of the hook is in line with the hook point, skin hooking is preferred. Using a straight shank flipping hook or even some of the offset J Hooks, in order to keep a straighter profile on the bait and possibly avoid cork screwing on a quick retrieve, leaving the hook point just below the skin of the bait is OK. I will push the hook point thru for an exit channel and slip it back inside the plastic for weedless applications.

Hope that helps,   

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[scrutch]

Skinhooked EWG for me

usually the case for me too.  Unless I'm in really heavy cover, or thick sticky grass that I'm ripping through and snapping the grass off.

[Vinny Chase]

I use EWG's skin hooked, personally I feel like my hookup percentage is the best with that setup compared to burying the hook.

Me, too!

8-)

Indeed. I like the design of the Yum dinger with the slot.

I adjust for what I'm throwing it into though.

Only if they had that on a better bait!

LOL Dingers work great for me... Better as far as durability or just in general? Not sayin' there my favorite or anything. Just wondering.

They have never worked for me...Im thinking its because of the stiffness. It doesnt wiggle as much on the fall compared to GYS or even Cabelas stick baits.