Straight Shank vs. Wide Gap

[Afishionado]

I couldn't find this topic via a search of the forum... But I was just curious, what are the pros and cons of each? New bass guy here so not sure of the differences.. Look like the straight shanks give you a lower profile and slimmer bait.. But I would think that the wide gap would give you a better hookup ratio because the bait can slide down the hook farther? Or is hook selection determined based on the situation? Thanks for any insight you guys! 

[Scarborough817]

i'm no expert but personally what i have found is the following

Straight Shank:

Pros:

• you can snell the hook
• have a bait keeper
• baits can still be texas rigged
• have a better hookup ratio (this might just be me)

Cons:

• have to check your bait to make sure hook point hasn't come through
• can destroy plastics
• bait doesn't always sit straight

Wide Gap:

Pros:

• bait is pretty much always weedless
• easy to rig 
• bait sits in a straight line 
• dont go through as many baits

Cons:

• not the best hook up ratio (this might just be me)
• you cannot snell the hook
• no bait keeper (though you can buy some with)

[Afishionado]

Awesome on those pros and cons that explained a lot for me .. I have been able to snell both styles just fine.. I use the owner 4/0 cutting point EWG worm hooks for my wide gap selection... Just to be certain, that red hook on the bottom is considered straight shank right? Thanks! 

[Raul]

For beefier baits ( senkos, frogs, flukes n´such ) your best option is wide gap, why ? because the bait tends to ball up when it slides during hooksets choking the hook gap, straight shanks may not have enough opening.

[Scarborough817]

i thought you meant something like this as a straight shank the red one you pictured are normally called worm hooks

[Afishionado]

Ohhh I gotcha.. I thought those were called flippin hooks... man I have a lot to learn bahaha.. I guess my question is what is the difference between the two hooks pictured and why would you use one over the other? 

[Scarborough817]

Just now, Afishionado said:

Ohhh I gotcha.. I thought those were called flippin hooks... man I have a lot to learn bahaha.. I guess my question is what is the difference between the two hooks pictured and why would you use one over the other? 

they are they are straight shank flipping hooks sorry i should have asked what you meant

[Jrob78]

The red hook is an offset worm hook and the other hook is an extra wide gap offset worm hook.  The flipping hook is a straight shank flipping hook.  Not all straight shanked hooks are flipping hooks though.

[Afishionado]

I'm not sure about whether these regular offset worm hooks will work for these baits.. It looks like they don't have enough bend to slide down but it really looks nice and streamlined and hides the shank well.. And I would figure that when you do get a hookup on them that you get a nice pinch on the lip between the plastic and the hook .. I know from extensive snook fishing (very similar mouth to a bass) whenever I could get that plastic to pin the hook the the lip tightly they couldnt't throw that hook for anything if that makes sense.. Or should I just go with the EWG's? I'm thinking the worm may be a bit too big for the regular offset worm hooks  but the fluke has a hook pocket and should slide down enough.. 

[Jrob78]

I would personally want something with a wider gap for those baits.

[boostr]

You should be ok, a buddy of mine lives in Florida and he uses his Redfish and Spec trout tackle for large mouth with no problem. For plastic frogs though I would use the Extra wide gap hook. They also make wide gap straight shank or offset hooks also.

[Raul]

If I were you I would definitely change the hook on that fluke for an EWG.

Perfect example of bait "balling up" and in the case of beefy baits choking the throat of the hook which could cause poor hook sets.

Look at the worm.

[Afishionado]

Right on yall, I appreciate the insight! Just gonna stick with the EWGs for now, and if the bite is really good I'll start playing with the other hooks just to see... thanks! 

[Afishionado]

I did a google search on the subject and this was the number one result haha.. I couldnt find it in the forum search! This thread is great, lots of good insight.. 

[Airman4754]

I like an EWG for Senkos, swimbaits, jig rigs, jigs and shakey heads. Everything else is a straight shank. 

EWG's keep fish on better, but a straight shank hook up better from my experience. The techniques I listed above for EWG's are mainly line watching or there is a very defined bite so I don't miss many. For everything else bites can be very subtle so I like the increased chances of getting a hook in the fish. 

I think it would be impossible to prove one better than the other. 

[Afishionado]

3 hours ago, Mosster47 said:

I like an EWG for Senkos, swimbaits, jig rigs, jigs and shakey heads. Everything else is a straight shank. 

EWG's keep fish on better, but a straight shank hook up better from my experience. The techniques I listed above for EWG's are mainly line watching or there is a very defined bite so I don't miss many. For everything else bites can be very subtle so I like the increased chances of getting a hook in the fish. 

I think it would be impossible to prove one better than the other. 

You're not kidding about the sensitive bites man.. I was using a cheapo 30 dollar berkley amp rod a few days ago.. wasn't getting any hits .. I picked up my falcon bucoo micro and stared throwing a worm with it and felt these tiny little ticks.. took me a few to figure out those were fish.. So who knows how many bites I was completely missing with the other rod.. I am used to redfish who about knock the rod out of your hand when they hit the lure, and I expected the bass bite to be the same but it is such a super subtle little tick.. Now I understand why a sensitive blank is so important in bass fishing 

[Catt]

It’s simple geometry 

Wide gap hooks have the hook point directly in line with the eye of the hook or slightly above the line eye on "extra wide gap" hooks. When you set the hook, the sinker and the front of the lure clear a path for the hook point to escape a bass’s mouth without imbedding. On straight shank hooks the point rides substantially above the eye of the hook and aims for the roof of the bass’s mouth, resulting in a more hook-ups. The extra wide gap hooks do an excellent job of holding fish if you manage to get the hook through the bass’s mouth on the hook set. There are plenty of times when a bass completely takes the bait and even on a short pitch with braided line, the hook flies cleanly out of the bass’s mouth on the hook set. Missing an extra fish every once in a while doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if that fish is the Lunker of a lifetime, losing it is a huge deal.

[ww2farmer]

I prefer EWG for GP use, I don't have any of the alleged issues with them that some people do. Straight shanks have a time and place for me, like punching or fishing with a large sinker that can and will pop the fishes mouth open like Catt mentioned, but with tungsten sinkers,  if I keep the weight size under 1 oz., I usually stick with the EWG.

I have fished with a bunch of different guys over the years, and the ones who had the most trouble with EWG and fish getting off, were guys who used stout rods,  heavy braid, yet regular wire hooks, and felt the need to come out of their shoes on every hook set. They were flexing the hook AND ripping the bait away from the fish at the same time. I use "super line" heavy wire hooks, and rods with a little give in the tip, and set the hook with a steady but quick and firm upward stroke, and .....................knock on wood.................lose few.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Straight shanks are all i use on flukes and manns jelly worms.sold or gave away my ewgs .i skin hook my flukes and worms never had a  hookup prob or a  stay hooked up issues

[buzzed bait]

EWG for bigger chunkier baits for me, but if i can get away with using the worm hooks, i much prefer using them.

[Catt]

The key with straight shank & offset is round bend not sproat!

The first 2 are sproat bend

 

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I still use truturns also with nonproblems its all about the point of a hook .i do have to touch a few  points up regardless.

[WRB]

As you can see a straight shank hook is exactly that; straight.

Wide gap hook means the distance between the hook point and hook shank is wider than a standard gap hook, extra wide gap or EWG wider gap than wide gap.

Both off set worm hooks and straight shank worm hooks are available with round bends or sproat bend, standard gap or wide gap, only off set hooks are available in extra wide gap.

Confushing? Yes when you add very few standards apply to hook sizes for standard gap, wide gap or extra wide gap. Mfr A size 3/0 round bend straight shank worm hook can be the same size as mfr B size 4/0 hook.

As a general rule the gap space should be at least twice the size of the worm diameter.

I prefer straight shank round bend worm hooks for worms and off set hooks for wide body creates like beavers and don't snell knot tie hooks.

Tom

[lo n slo]

16 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

I prefer EWG for GP use, I don't have any of the alleged issues with them that some people do. Straight shanks have a time and place for me, like punching or fishing with a large sinker that can and will pop the fishes mouth open like Catt mentioned, but with tungsten sinkers,  if I keep the weight size under 1 oz., I usually stick with the EWG.

I have fished with a bunch of different guys over the years, and the ones who had the most trouble with EWG and fish getting off, were guys who used stout rods,  heavy braid, yet regular wire hooks, and felt the need to come out of their shoes on every hook set. They were flexing the hook AND ripping the bait away from the fish at the same time. I use "super line" heavy wire hooks, and rods with a little give in the tip, and set the hook with a steady but quick and firm upward stroke, and .....................knock on wood.................lose few.

good call on the rod deal. i went to one of the medium shock type rods a couple years ago myself. just the right amount of "give".