How Do You Decide What Size Worm Hook To Use?

[Tugmaster]

So when it come to fishing soft plastics how do you decide white size hook to use? Now I understand the personnel preference part when it come to the gap and whether it is offset or not but I'm not sure where the size comes in. I've seen different types from 1 to 6/0 and I'm sure there are more sizes. I'm know there are technique specific hooks, I.E. Wakey rig and drop shot but for rigging weed less how do you decide?

Thanks, Todd

[Insanity]

I want enough hook to come threw the worm to hook the fish good. At least a 1/4 inch should protrude threw when the hook is set. I prefer the wide gap so you get more like a 1/2 inch min. Three and four oo fit most soft plastics best.

[WRB]

There isn't a standard to determine hook size as they differ between manufactures and hook styles.

For Texas rigged plastic worms the hook gap should be at least 2X the worm body diameter, where the hook point is inserted.

Tom

[zachb34]

To me it's more about the thickness of the bait I like big hooks 4/0-6/0, but I don't fish small baits at all don't even own a spinning rig.

[smalljaw67]

I see a lot of anglers that use oversize hooks on their plastics and they can help but it all depends on the type of soft plastic it is. For example, on a 4" fluke jr. I like a 2/0 worm hook but I have fished it on a 3/0 and I've witnessed guys using a 4/0, on a bait like that the larger the hook, the less action, the same for straight tail and ribbon tail worms, the further down the worm the hook extends, the less action you will get. I think an easy way for you to decide which hook to use would be to take your soft plastic of choice and you hook brand of choice and look at the bait and divide it up in 3rds, lay out a 2/0, a 3/0, a 4/0, and a 5/0 hook next to the bait and see where the hook bend falls. If it falls in the upper 3rd then you can probably go a little larger, if it falls in the bottom 3rd then you may want to go a little smaller, but ultimately you want it to be in the middle 3rd, that is where most of us start at, where the difference between anglers is some will want that to be in the upper part of that middle 3rd section, and others will want to be in the lower part. Try out different ways of rigging with different size hooks, as it was already mentioned, a 3/0 to 4/0 will work for most plastics but there is no standard. If you really want to know how much difference there is on hook size, ask the  question of what size hook you use to texas rig a 5" senko, my bet is you'll get answers from 3/0 up to 5/0, for me I use a 3/0, the point is there really is no right or wrong as long as you catch fish. Good luck.

[Mike L]

I see a lot of anglers that use oversize hooks on their plastics and they can help but it all depends on the type of soft plastic it is. For example, on a 4" fluke jr. I like a 2/0 worm hook but I have fished it on a 3/0 and I've witnessed guys using a 4/0, on a bait like that the larger the hook, the less action, the same for straight tail and ribbon tail worms, the further down the worm the hook extends, the less action you will get. I think an easy way for you to decide which hook to use would be to take your soft plastic of choice and you hook brand of choice and look at the bait and divide it up in 3rds, lay out a 2/0, a 3/0, a 4/0, and a 5/0 hook next to the bait and see where the hook bend falls. If it falls in the upper 3rd then you can probably go a little larger, if it falls in the bottom 3rd then you may want to go a little smaller, but ultimately you want it to be in the middle 3rd, that is where most of us start at, where the difference between anglers is some will want that to be in the upper part of that middle 3rd section, and others will want to be in the lower part. Try out different ways of rigging with different size hooks, as it was already mentioned, a 3/0 to 4/0 will work for most plastics but there is no standard. If you really want to know how much difference there is on hook size, ask the  question of what size hook you use to texas rig a 5" senko, my

bet is you'll get answers from 3/0 up to 5/0, for me I use a 3/0, the point is there really is no right or wrong as long as you catch fish. Good luck.

Now that is an answer!!

Good job Smalljaw

Mike