Wacky rigging

[lmobass22]

After my first time using the wacky rig, and seeing how effective it really is, I am having difficulty with hooking bass.

I caught my first few bass using it this weekend, but the bass would have to strike the bait 2-10 before I could finally get a solid hook set on them.

So my question is, What can I use to be more efficient at hooking bass either 1 or 2 times and not taking so many tries?

Is this a problem with the hooks I am using (I was using a wacky rig hook with a weed guard), or is it my rod?

Thanks, Luke

[Darren.]

Luke, what is the rating of your rod?

Medium, Medium Light, MH?

And what is the type of hook - brand.

If you are using a wire weed guard like
on the VMC wacky hooks, that could 
be your problem right there. The wire
is too stiff, IMO, and when I tried those
hooks I lost a lot of fish.

[Catt]

Huh!

Never heard of anyone having a problem hooking bass with a Wacky rig, they usually have a problem gut hooking them.

If I had to guess it aint bass!

Or you can blame your tackle

[lmobass22]

Just now, Darren. said:

Luke, what is the rating of your rod?

Medium, Medium Light, MH?

And what is the type of hook - brand.

If you are using a wire weed guard like
on the VMC wacky hooks, that could 
be your problem right there. The wire
is too stiff, IMO, and when I tried those
hooks I lost a lot of fish.

I am unsure of the rating of the rod but I believe it is a vortex gm rod if that helps.

The hook that I was using was given to me last year so I don't remember the brand but the weed guard is very thin

[Darren.]

1 minute ago, lmobass22 said:

I am unsure of the rating of the rod but I believe it is a vortex gm rod if that helps.

The hook that I was using was given to me last year so I don't remember the brand but the weed guard is very thin

Had to look it up. So it's a Gander Mtn rod.

Is it the 6'6" or 5'6" rod listed here:

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=727161

If it is the shorter one, that's your problem.

An Ultra Light will not have the stoutness to
set the hook, depending on whether the hook
is a heavy wire (thicker) or not.

I'm not saying a UL rod can't be used for it,
but it isn't the best for the job.

I prefer a stiffer rod, M with an XF tip, or even
a Fast tip. But I also use my St. Croix ML for 
wacky rigging, but it's got an XF tip.

[lmobass22]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

Huh!

Never heard of anyone having a problem hooking bass with a Wacky rig, they usually have a problem gut hooking them.

If I had to guess it aint bass!

Or you can blame your tackle

That's my plan, but here's one that I did catch.

1 minute ago, Darren. said:

Had to look it up. So it's a Gander Mtn rod.

Is it the 6'6" or 5'6" rod listed here:

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=727161

If it is the shorter one, that's your problem.

An Ultra Light will not have the stoutness to
set the hook, depending on whether the hook
is a heavy wire (thicker) or not.

I'm not saying a UL rod can't be used for it,
but it isn't the best for the job.

I prefer a stiffer rod, M with an XF tip, or even
a Fast tip. But I also use my St. Croix ML for 
wacky rigging, but it's got an XF tip.

I know for sure that it is the 6'6" rod length, but should I consider looking at other rods for soft plastics or will this work?

[Catt]

3 minutes ago, lmobass22 said:

That's my plan, but here's one that I did catch.

That doesn't mean the others were not bream hits!

Any size bass have no problem inhaling a wacky worm!

But go ahead blame the tackle

[lmobass22]

3 minutes ago, Catt said:

That doesn't mean the others were not bream hits!

Any size bass have no problem inhaling a wacky worm!

But go ahead blame the tackle

Just clearing things up, but what is a bream?

I live in MN and have never heard of that term used.

[Darren.]

8 minutes ago, lmobass22 said:

Just clearing things up, but what is a bream?

I live in MN and have never heard of that term used.

Bluegill and sunnies, fish like that.

20 minutes ago, lmobass22 said:

That's my plan, but here's one that I did catch.

I know for sure that it is the 6'6" rod length, but should I consider looking at other rods for soft plastics or will this work?

You should be fine with that rod.

Catt's right that it could be bream (sunfish, etc.)
tugging at your bait. They can pull it and never
get the hook in their mouths. Typically they feel
like little machine gun taps on your line.

[lmobass22]

Just now, Darren. said:

Bluegill and sunnies, fish like that.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

It could be, but each time I feel/see a hit, ill reel up the slack and (try to) set the hook and most of the time the bait either flies out of the water and back at me, or the fish starts to run left with it. (its always left I have noticed)

So i think their bass, but they might be smaller bass because in MN there is a lot of small bass in the lakes i fish this time of year.

[Darren.]

Just now, lmobass22 said:

Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

It could be, but each time I feel/see a hit, ill reel up the slack and (try to) set the hook and most of the time the bait either flies out of the water and back at me, or the fish starts to run left with it. (its always left I have noticed)

So i think their bass, but they might be smaller bass because in MN there is a lot of small bass in the lakes i fish this time of year.

Yes, they could be small bass.

I had exactly that happen to me, but I kept
casting back into that same spot and the 
same fish kept taking the bait, but not getting
hooked.

I eventually caught it, and it was a small bass
maybe 8" long. Even so, I've seen bluegill take
one end of the worm and run off with it. So it
could be either/or.

I've also caught tiny bass on 3/0 wacky hooks,
so even tho they are small, their mouth is still
big, bigger than a bream of the same length.

[hawgenvy]

Maybe with the light rod you'd do better with a thin wire bare hook, without the weed guard.

[lmobass22]

1 minute ago, Darren. said:

Yes, they could be small bass.

I had exactly that happen to me, but I kept
casting back into that same spot and the 
same fish kept taking the bait, but not getting
hooked.

I eventually caught it, and it was a small bass
maybe 8" long. Even so, I've seen bluegill take
one end of the worm and run off with it. So it
could be either/or.

I've also caught tiny bass on 3/0 wacky hooks,
so even tho they are small, their mouth is still
big, bigger than a bream of the same length.

That makes more sense.

Is there a certain brand and size hook that works really well for you?

please let me know bc I am also trying to get some more hooks.

the lakes I fish are very weedy so I have to keep that in mind with a possible weed guard.

[Darren.]

9 minutes ago, lmobass22 said:

That makes more sense.

Is there a certain brand and size hook that works really well for you?

please let me know bc I am also trying to get some more hooks.

the lakes I fish are very weedy so I have to keep that in mind with a possible weed guard.

Luke, my favorite hook for wacky is the 
Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, followed by
the Gamakatsu Split shot/Drop shot hook 
which is a thinner wire.

With the Finesse Wide Gap you can go with
a size 1 or 1/0, even a 2/0.

As for the weed guard versions, they come in
packs of 5. But what I do is make my own 
weed guards and I buy packs of 25 hooks to
save money.

I bought a $20 (give or take) fly tying vice kit
at Bass Pro, some thread, and a whip finishing
tool. Some 40 or 50 pound Ande mono leader
and learned how to do it. Saves a LOT of $$ in
the long run.

If you are interested in doing that, there's an
awesome tutorial I can send you. I'm sure your
local Gander Mountain has inexpensive kit to
get you started.

[Yudo1]

Do you use o-rings or just put the hook in the bait?  When I use o-rings I'd have some issues because the hook is in line with the bait instead of perpendicular.  

[Darren.]

7 minutes ago, Yudo1 said:

Do you use o-rings or just put the hook in the bait?  When I use o-rings I'd have some issues because the hook is in line with the bait instead of perpendicular.  

I was about to add this scenario, as well.

I do not use o rings, prefer perpendicular
straight through the worm, or I use a thin
cut of shrink wrap.

[lmobass22]

28 minutes ago, Darren. said:

Luke, my favorite hook for wacky is the 
Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, followed by
the Gamakatsu Split shot/Drop shot hook 
which is a thinner wire.

With the Finesse Wide Gap you can go with
a size 1 or 1/0, even a 2/0.

As for the weed guard versions, they come in
packs of 5. But what I do is make my own 
weed guards and I buy packs of 25 hooks to
save money.

I bought a $20 (give or take) fly tying vice kit
at Bass Pro, some thread, and a whip finishing
tool. Some 40 or 50 pound Ande mono leader
and learned how to do it. Saves a LOT of $$ in
the long run.

If you are interested in doing that, there's an
awesome tutorial I can send you. I'm sure your
local Gander Mountain has inexpensive kit to
get you started.

Yeah if you could send me that video that would be great!

I already have a fly tying kit so that would work out great.

 

13 minutes ago, Yudo1 said:

Do you use o-rings or just put the hook in the bait?  When I use o-rings I'd have some issues because the hook is in line with the bait instead of perpendicular.  

 

5 minutes ago, Darren. said:

I was about to add this scenario, as well.

I do not use o rings, prefer perpendicular
straight through the worm, or I use a thin
cut of shrink wrap.

I used o-rings.

So you are putting the hook all the way through the worm? 

Is there a picture you can show me so i know how to do it?

 

[Darren.]

Just now, lmobass22 said:

Yeah if you could send me that video that would be great!

I already have a fly tying kit so that would work out great.

 

http://intheriffle.com/the-riffle/fly-tying-weed-guards/

Here is a hook I tied - pics in the thread:

 

[MassYak85]

Wacky rig hookups are usually excellent. I use Gamakatsu's  wacky jig head

and almost always hook them right in the corner of the mouth. The hook is pretty light wire so it doesn't take much to set it, and the weed guards are not stiff. Now, with wacky rigging like some have said above me, a lot of times smaller fish will grab the end of your worm and pull on it, giving the impression of a bass bite. Bluegill, perch, dink bass....all will do this. So it might not be you, but if you are certain that most of your hits were from bass then I would say something with your gear needs to change. I doubt your rod is the issue as I even used a 5 foot ultra light for years before knowing any better, and still had decent hook ups. You can try using TWO O-rings crossed over each other to keep the hook perpendicular to the worm, like this:

beyond that I don't really know what could be causing it. 

[lmobass22]

2 hours ago, Darren. said:

http://intheriffle.com/the-riffle/fly-tying-weed-guards/

Here is a hook I tied - pics in the thread:

 

 

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

Wacky rig hookups are usually excellent. I use Gamakatsu's  wacky jig head

and almost always hook them right in the corner of the mouth. The hook is pretty light wire so it doesn't take much to set it, and the weed guards are not stiff. Now, with wacky rigging like some have said above me, a lot of times smaller fish will grab the end of your worm and pull on it, giving the impression of a bass bite. Bluegill, perch, dink bass....all will do this. So it might not be you, but if you are certain that most of your hits were from bass then I would say something with your gear needs to change. I doubt your rod is the issue as I even used a 5 foot ultra light for years before knowing any better, and still had decent hook ups. You can try using TWO O-rings crossed over each other to keep the hook perpendicular to the worm, like this:

beyond that I don't really know what could be causing it. 

So do you guys usually fish the wacky rig with a weighted hook or weightless?  I have been fishing it around 1'-7' deep so I have been just throwing weightless but what works better for you guys?  What depths should the wacky rig be fished and am I fishing it in the right areas?  I usually fish it around 2 types of water biomes (lily pads next to snady bottom)

[the reel ess]

I have used several different hooks and the best hookup percentage came on a maybe 3/0 offset shank (worm T-rig) hook. I only used it because I was out in the kayak and the fish were not taking the T-rigged worm weightless Trick Worm. So I just wacky rigged with the hook I already had on. 

Always hook across the worm, never aligned with the body.

A Zoom Trick Worm (7.5") or Finesse Worm (5") will have less bulk and be less likely to foul the hook point when a fish bites. You don't have to use stick worms like the Senko.

I usually do this weightless.

[Darren.]

1 hour ago, lmobass22 said:

So do you guys usually fish the wacky rig with a weighted hook or weightless?  I have been fishing it around 1'-7' deep so I have been just throwing weightless but what works better for you guys?  What depths should the wacky rig be fished and am I fishing it in the right areas?  I usually fish it around 2 types of water biomes (lily pads next to snady bottom)

I will fish them both ways.

Usually I use weightless, but when I'm 
fishing windy conditions, I'll use weighted
so that the wacky rig will go down in the
waves.

As far as depth, the deeper you want to 
fish, the weighted jigs obviously take 
it down quicker.

[MassYak85]

1 hour ago, lmobass22 said:

 

So do you guys usually fish the wacky rig with a weighted hook or weightless?  I have been fishing it around 1'-7' deep so I have been just throwing weightless but what works better for you guys?  What depths should the wacky rig be fished and am I fishing it in the right areas?  I usually fish it around 2 types of water biomes (lily pads next to snady bottom)

Let the fish tell you, if you aren't getting bit on the weightless try the weighted. Sometimes they like a faster fall rate, even in shallow water. Usually I fish it shallower than 10 feet around some sort of cover. If you need it to get down fast then the weighted one will probably be the bets bet. Like Darren said, in windy conditions the weight helps too. Also watch how the worm moves on the fall with the different hooks and weight. Some worms have a very subtle wiggle on the fall that can trigger bites and it helps to notice how that wiggle changes depending what you change. 

[Oklahoma Mike]

Check out the Owner weedless wacky worm hook - I think that may be exactly what you're looking for.