Round Bend vs Straight

[CDMeyer]

I was just wondering what are the advantages to round bend worm hooks like the EWC Worm vs the advantages of the straight shank worm hooks.  Does the round bend penatrate the bass different? Better?  And also which do you prefer.  Thank you!

[fullcoupe]

I use both - 4/0, 5/0 EWGs (Extra-Wide Gap) for larger baits (6" or more usually, senkos etc.), where I go to a 2/0, 3/0 straight-shank offset hook for smaller, lighter baits like a 4" worm, french fry, etc.

I rarely ever use a regular, non-offset straight-shank "J" hook. Doesn't present the bait well and unless you snell it, I feel they don't set well either. I do have them for flipping just creature baits (i.e. devil spear, pit boss) without a jig into cover. 

[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.

[Todd2]

Interesting  Catt....you had me out in my garage with my morning coffee looking at hooks...lol. What straight shank do you use for 10 inch worms?

[smalljaw67]

I think you got your terminology mixed up, I think you want to know whether an offset shank worm hook is better than a straight shank worm hook. I say that because straight shank hooks and offset shank hooks can both be round bends, or sickle style or EWG (extra wide gap). The difference depends on application and what line type and knot is going to be used. A lot of pros like the straight shank for heavy duty flipping and pitching with heavy braid or fluorocarbon because they can tie a Snell knot and when pulled against the worm weight it will have a cantilever effect keeping the hook pointed up for good penetration in the roof of the mouth. That said, there are also a number of pros that use heavy wire offset shank hooks because they believe in the Palomar knot and rigging a soft plastic bait straight on them is much easier. Now, all of this is for not if I misunderstood but round bend means the actual bend at the bottom of the hook, and you have round ben, sickle, and EWG, for hook shanks you have straight shank and offset shank and you can also have offset hooks which means the point is slightly offset and some believe that leads to more and better hook ups, but in the end it comes down to confidence and what works for you.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Todd2 said:

Interesting  Catt....you had me out in my garage with my morning coffee looking at hooks...lol. What straight shank do you use for 10 inch worms?

For years the only hook I used was Mustad's Denny Brauer straight shank round bend flipping hook. Mustad decided to add a "grip pin" which in my opinion ruined the hook, the "grip pin" work fine for holding the plastic but catches weeds.

I think anglers, even Pros rig their plastics wrong, & yes I said the Pros are wrong! If you are having problems keeping your plastic from sliding down ya probably pulling down on the plastic too hard before inserting the point!

Ya don't want guitar string tight but ya don't want a kink either!

That little advice was free

Now back to my hooks 

I'm kinda liking Gamakatsu's Super Heavy Covey Flipping Hook!

[the reel ess]

I see pros on TV using the EWG or offset bend hooks, but putting an outward bend in it so the hook rides up a few degrees. I'm sure this will have the result of more hookups, but also will result in more snags. It's a tradeoff.

[S. Sass]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

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.

I agree with you 100%. I tried the EWG stuff and on a 5/0 or larger the window opens up for decent chances of hooking up. But the small ones are pitiful. Once the ones I already own are gone I won't buy anymore EWG style hooks. That was one innovation that the industry sold that anyone that stops and thinks about it would have to say that is not going to be really helpful in me landing fish. They look purdy when you rig it especially skin hooked but they aren't highly productive when compared to offset or straight shank.

[Catt]

11 minutes ago, S. Sass said:

I agree with you 100%. I tried the EWG stuff and on a 5/0 or larger the window opens up for decent chances of hooking up. But the small ones are pitiful. Once the ones I already own are gone I won't buy anymore EWG style hooks. That was one innovation that the industry sold that anyone that stops and thinks about it would have to say that is not going to be really helpful in me landing fish. They look purdy when you rig it especially skin hooked but they aren't highly productive when compared to offset or straight shank.

I find once we get to plastics the thickness of a Senko or thicker the EWG hooks excel.

I couldn't imagine using a straight shanks for frogs or flukes!

[WRB]

So we are on the same page go to Owner Hooks-bass hooks page.

Round bend straight shank #5100 and round bend straight shank wide gap #5301 have the same shape. Owner offers a wide variety of bass hooks, 3 to 1 are off set designs verses straight shank designs.

I use both 5100 light wire and 5301 standard wire straight shank hooks and Mosqiuto hooks depending on the worms body diameter, the line strength and presentation being used. I  use Owners 5133 light wire off set down shot hook not shown on the page referenced for weedless drop shot and slip shot finesse presentations when the weight isn't close to the soft plastic

Catt is right when pro's suggest rigging worms pulled tight, it shouldn't be kinked either.

The hook gap should be about 2 or 3 times as wide as the soft plastic diameter where the hook point is located.

Tom

[buzzed bait]

i try to use an offset worm hook (one like the owner version shown below) until the plastic is just too thick.  then, and only then, do i reach for the wide gap. and at that, i like the owner twistlock hooks as they have the hook point a little bit above the eye, more so than a EWG hook (i think).

[snake95]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

I think anglers, even Pros rig their plastics wrong, & yes I said the Pros are wrong! If you are having problems keeping your plastic from sliding down ya probably pulling down on the plastic too hard before inserting the point!

Catt, between this explanation and your explanation of EWG vs round bend, I think I will have you to thank for countless future hooksets.  I'm new to plastics and experimenting and reading and fishing like crazy, but your posts have really shed a lot of light for me. Thank you.

[S. Sass]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

I find once we get to plastics the thickness of a Senko or thicker the EWG hooks excel.

I couldn't imagine using a straight shanks for frogs or flukes!

Let me clarify. I don't have a problem with wide gap hooks but by just a standard definition of EWG I meant hooks with the point directly in line with the line tie. 

I can understand the necessary wide gap in hooks for thicker plastics but I still do not want to have a piece of steel hook directly in front of the tip of my hook.

We do all sorts of things to increase hookup ratios with our weedguards just to gain a slight advantage. So this design just goes against my thinking. Maybe it's even a confidence thing. One day about 2 weeks ago I was using a 4/0 EWG on a Paca Craw and had three fish back to back that never got hooked. I changed to a offset design and it was game on. So EWG and me aren't talking for now. 

[Catt]

In every aspect of bass fishing each angler including Pros have their own personal repertoire of confusion that works for them!

Straight shank round bend hooks are mine!

These are my opinions & mine only, if you agree fine, if you don't agree that's fine too.

I know many anglers who use EWG's only & have no problems!

What makes me laugh at the EWG camp is many including Pros will switch to a straight shank when flipping, pitching, or punching heavy cover.

Their reasoning is a straight shank keeps big bass button better than a EWG in heavy cover!

Hello! I wanna keep em button in any cover!

[Surfcaster]

There was an article by Ish Monroe on the Bassmaster website a few years ago where he talked about how the straight shank hook was better than the EWG.  It was not in that article but I think I also read where he prefers a hook with no offset.  Just a plain ole' J hook.   I am not a big Ish fan, but he made me rethink my hook choice.  The big EWGs look impressive but can result in lost fish.

["hamma"]

I use both, i use whatever i can get away with as long as it has the ability to penetrate the plastic enough to create a hookup. Generally it breaks down like this:

ewg's for thicker plastics, size depending on size of plastic,.. zipperworms, frogs etc.

Straight shank "j" hooks for normal proportioned worms, smaller hook? 4 inch worm,... bigger hook 6-8 inch,...large hook 10 and 12 inch worm

offset straight shank,.slugo's only, again size proportioned. 

 I do prefer a straight shank though, and always will

 But there are a few exceptions, for example i texas rig a 4 inch grub with a small ewg ,...I always liked the screwlock weights by water gremlin. a straight shank is too long for this. But, now I have a lead ban up here im truly "screwed",...lol

 I think a missed fish is just that, I blame me, not my gear

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I had many EWG hooks dont own not even one now ...it was all  gimmick to me after many ghost hooksets .my round bends never let me down in the past .daja vue..

[contium]

I'm assuming that when people in this thread say EWG they mean offset EWG. You can get EWG strait shank or offset. Anyways, I've been fishing texas rig for 42 years. Most of those years with straight shank hooks. A few years ago I switched to offset EWG's and noticed a lower hookup rate. This year I switched back to straight shank, mainly Roboworm Rebarb and Eagle Claw Finesse worm hooks and rarely miss fish. If you just look at the geometry of an offset EWG you can see why you would get a lower hookup percentage.

[trick worms]

Thanks for the replies, now the decision is straight shank or offset worm

[Maxximus Redneckus]

12 minutes ago, trick worms said:

Thanks for the replies, now the decision is straight shank or offset worm

Either one are better then EWG .its just a matter of which brand..owner gama vmc and which ones you can find on clearance