EWG hook size for 10" Culprit worm?

[the reel ess]

I recently caught aa few bass on an 8" Culprit ribbon tail. I plan on using a Carolina rig next time out.What size hook do you use? If you use something other than EWG, what is it?

Thanks.

[lakeannaangler]

For worms larger than 8 in I use gamakatsu monster EWG hooks. I have used big flipping hooks for 8 inch worms before and that worked out pretty good.

[Mike L]

4/0 or 5/0 Trokar TK 130 in scattered vegetation depending on the thickness of what I rig.

Owner 4/0 or 5/0 twist lock hooks in the really heavy stuff. 

 

Mike 

[Raul]

In theory bass pretty much always bites a worm in the "head" 4 or 5/0 hook even for the longest worms.

[papajoe222]

I used a 3/0 EWG on the Culprits and Ole Monsters, with good success, for a number of years.  I went back to offset shank worm hooks in 4/0 a while back. Neither of those worms is what I'd consider thick and there is plenty of gap in that hook for the way I fish. 

You may be concerned with that big bait balling up in a fishes mouth and having to set the hook through more worm. If that's the case, go bigger.

[Bluebasser86]

I use a 4/0 EWG for 10" worms. 

[rangerjockey]

4/0 TK130 also.

[the reel ess]

Thanks, much appreciated. And, yes, I was concerned with the thick worm balling up on the hookset.

[doyle8218]

4/0 or 5/0 EWG depending on the worm.

[primetime]

On a carolina rig using long casts I would use a 3/0-4/0 Round Bend Offset Hook and I would probably use a 3/0 Owner Twist lock hook which come in a thinner guage since long casts on a C-Rig make hook sets harder since you use a sweep set and often have alot of line out.

I fish with Culprits as my main swimming worm and use the 7.5 and 10" and I never use an EWG since they are thin, flat bottom, plenty of gap and EWG hooks get snagged in weeds easier so in my opinion no reason to use them unless using a bait that is thick. Also, the larger the hook gap, the more chance it bends if you are fishing heavy line and a thin guage hook. I have bent a few EWG hooks over the years because I rigged them on line that was too heavy and it cost me a good fish. I use 3/0-5/0 Round bend Offset hooks, or keeper style hooks with the pin, but I only use the 5/0 if I want extra weight on the worm so it stays on the bottom and falls faster, but 3/0 is actually fine, 4/0 on the safe size depending on brand. 

If you are using lighter line like say 15lb braid with a 10lb test leader, then thin guage straight shank worm hooks are great, I actually throw C-rigs of all weights on a Spinning Rod because I get better feel and hate lobbing a long leader on casting gear. With a sweep set, you need penetration so I use lighter line in open water, light cover and give the fish some drag, if I am in heavy weeds, I use a heavy guage hook and 17-20lb leader and I have bent a few VMC EWG's because I was lazy and they standard 15 pack you buy for $4 are light wire and will bend on a good fish if you are not careful...

Hope I didn't confuse you but I would only use EWG if you have more open water and have more confidence in them. I know lots of people who use them all the time, it is all about preference and when in doubt, go with a stronger hook and just swing harder. Most baits for C rigs like a culprit are easy to penetrate, same with a lizard, if you go with a creature then EWG may be good....I would say a 4/0 hook is what I use for most baits, but I always try to go as small as possible if looking for natural action, sometimes I will nose hook a worm on a weedless wacky hook for free movement, it worms awesome on swimbaits and flukes as well as stick baits....Good Luck....I love the new Culprit Color "Gold Trophy"...It is a flashy version of the crawdad color that has been great for years...

[Big Bait Fishing]

best hook for 10'' worms are Owner Oversize worm hooks . i use the 7/0 hooks , they are strong hooks with the super sharp cutting points and they have a wide gap hook area without it being too big like an EWG hook , suprisised no one mentioned them already cause once people use them on big worms , they have found the ultimate hook for them .... 

 

[bassinyea]

4 hours ago, Big Bait Fishing said:

best hook for 10'' worms are Owner Oversize worm hooks . i use the 7/0 hooks , they are strong hooks with the super sharp cutting points and they have a wide gap hook area without it being too big like an EWG hook , suprisised no one mentioned them already cause once people use them on big worms , they have found the ultimate hook for them .... 

 

Love these hooks.  My go to big worm setup is a freedom tackle 1/2 football head matched up with this hook.  Zoom Ol Monster or Strike King thumper worms in black and plum colors.  Just in the past week the monster worm bite is really taking off around here which it always does this time of year.  Before I started using these hooks I used 5/0 EWG gammys and have good success with hookups as well but I do like these better.

[primetime]

I never know what size or brand I am using most of the time but I have never gone as big as 7/0 for a worm...I should try that, My buddy uses big hooks all the time with 10" worms as well and I just think Owner Hooks are such good quality even the thinner guage hooks do not bend at least in my experience but I am careful to use the right hook to line most of the time unless I see a fish break water nearby....

That fish is getting whatever is in my hands and that is when I have had issues with hooks bending. If I don't make that cast, my buddy will, and he likes to bomb loud casts that miss by 3 feet....He still catches fish as well as I do most of the time anyhow, but Culrpit worms imo are a "Finesse Ribbon tail since it is so thin and soft, glides, and you don't have to texpose them with a sharp hook, but I also use a hook by D.O.A. that looks identical to the Owner hook you posted that is listed as 5/0 but is no doubt big, and I think they are Eagle Claw "Good Ones, not standard" and I will use them for any plastic as well since they are not too wide....and are for saltwater so they are meant for fish over 20lbs....

[hpugh1968]

i base hook size on the girth of the bait instead of the length.   For creature baits that are bulky,  i use a 5/0.

a 7.5 in. Culprit worm 3/0   paca craw baby craw   1/0...  I want enough of the hook arch exposed on the back side of the bait to 

penetrate the bait itself for a good hook set... I like to use as small as i can to make it as weedless as possible, but i had rather 

hang up than go too small and hamper my ability to get a good hook set... 

Edited June 29, 2016 by hpugh1968
punctuation.

[Catt]

[S. Sass]

16 minutes ago, Catt said:

Yup 3/0 4/0 5/0 have gone as big as a 7/0 depending on bait size and fish I'm after. 

Good call Catt

[jtipton91]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

This is what I use. Darn near 100% hook ups with this and an ol monster. The ewg hooks caused my hook ups to suffer. Simply because the hook point is in line with the line tie.

[MassYak85]

For 10 inch worms I use a 4/0 round bend offset like the one above, never EWG. I only use the EWG for stick baits (senkos) as they usually have more bulk to them, and creature baits. I don't find the need for that extra space in the hook to collapse a worm when a fish bites. 

[Catt]

A 10" Culprit aint that thick of a worm, I use a 4/0 maybe a 5/0. The offset hook puts the hook point further back which in my opinion increases hookup percentages.

[WIGuide]

I'd go with a 4/0 or 5/0 Trokar Mag Worm hook.