Owner Wacky Hooks

[Shak Muscles]

Where can you buy owner wacky hooks other than online? And I'm talking about the normal 1/0 ones not the weedless ones. And where would you get it the cheapest? The nearest bass pro to me is like 20 miles away so I don't want to go there to get those hooks. And I've checked in Walmart but it wasn't there, they only had Gamakatsu and Eagle Claw. Dicks seems to have discontinued selling fishing tackle because recently I haven't seen any fishing stuff in their stores. Any place that sells them in stores other than bass pro. I'm in Illinois btw.

Also, is there a point to get weedless wacky hooks? Do they lessen hook-up ratio and are they worth the extra $?

[Travis Gasper]

Man, I wish there was a Bass Pros only 20 miles from me. The closest I believe is about 4 hours away! I have a Gander Mountain 30 miles away that sells them. Otherwise I've ordered them off Amazon too. 

[Shak Muscles]

Ok so I just checked on google maps and apparently its only 12 miles away. Looking at how bad other people have it, maybe I should just haul ass and make my way to the store! It's only a 30 min drive, although it feels like a lot more. 

[Darren.]

You're talking about the green hooks, right?

I've got some that I keep for when I'm out
of Gamakatsu. I honestly like(d) the hooks, 
but found the point to have too much of a 
beak to it. I.e., their was a bend in the point
down toward the shank.

I much prefer Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap.

But that's me. Our local DSG still carries the 
Owners, I happened to net a killer sale on 
them a year or two back.

As far as weedless, the guard is fairly week on
those, but they can get you out of a tough area
in a pinch. Couple of bass caught and they 
don't hold their shape well.

I make my own weedless hooks now, use 'em 
all the time.

[Shak Muscles]

With these wacky owner hooks, is it necessary to set the hook or are they like circle hooks where its better to just reel in. And also is 1/0 too small to land a 5lb+ bass? It just seems very very small since I'm used to using my 4/0 EWG hooks to wacky(since I used them to t-rig and I was too lazy to get wacky hooks) 

Would you guys say that wacky hooks are better than EWG hooks? because to be honest I find that EWG hooks work fine when wacky rigging

[Darren.]

2 minutes ago, Shak Muscles said:

With these wacky owner hooks, is it necessary to set the hook or are they like circle hooks where its better to just reel in. And also is 1/0 too small to land a 5lb+ bass? It just seems very very small since I'm used to using my 4/0 EWG hooks to wacky(since I used them to t-rig and I was too lazy to get wacky hooks) 

Would you guys say that wacky hooks are better than EWG hooks? because to be honest I find that EWG hooks work fine when wacky rigging

Shak, they are MORE than capable of brining in 
bass over 5 pounds. No doubt. Look, I've caught
5 pounders on a #4 hook before, yeah, and I landed
'em, too!  

1/0 is a great size.

[Western-Mass-Bass]

8 minutes ago, Darren. said:

I make my own weedless hooks now, use 'em 
all the time.

Please explain. Are you making your own weed guards?  Very interested

[Darren.]

Just now, Western-Mass-Bass said:

Please explain. Are you making your own weed guards?  Very interested

Yes. I've posted pix in other thread, but I'll 
explain a little here.

1) Cheap fly tying vice kit
2) Some fly thread
3) Buy some 40# or 50# mono leader material

Then you experiment with double weed guards 
or single weed guards.

Oh, use some Sally Hansen "Hard as Nails" 
nail polish from Walmart, Walgreens to use as
glue.

[Western-Mass-Bass]

Fantastic!!!!!! Are the weed guards something I can purchase? Say fro TW or somewhere? I already have the vice. Nice work

 

[Darren.]

And here you'll find (IMO) the best tutorial
for tying weed guards.

Also note that there are more ways to tie
them on than what I've done.

Experimentation is a key to find what you 
like best.

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

[Shak Muscles]

3 minutes ago, Darren. said:

Shak, they are MORE than capable of brining in 
bass over 5 pounds. No doubt. Look, I've caught
5 pounders on a #4 hook before, yeah, and I landed
'em, too!  

1/0 is a great size.

Good to know! That's what I was most nervous about when looking at how small the hook was.

[Darren.]

1 minute ago, Western-Mass-Bass said:

Fantastic!!!!!! Are the weed guards something I can purchase? Say fro TW or somewhere? I already have the vice. Nice work

 

See my reply just below yours.

I use the 40 and/or 50# mono as the 
guard material. A spool of 50 yards
is pretty cheap at Bass Pro, and other
outlets.

[Western-Mass-Bass]

1 minute ago, Darren. said:

And here you'll find (IMO) the best tutorial
for tying weed guards.

Also note that there are more ways to tie
them on than what I've done.

Experimentation is a key to find what you 
like best.

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

Thank you Darren. Very helpful.  Lee

[Darren.]

1 minute ago, Western-Mass-Bass said:

Thank you Darren. Very helpful.  Lee

You'll note as you watch the vids that he uses
like 20# mono for weed guards. I don't know 
If that'd work for you, but it most certainly won't
for me, which is why I've got 40 and 50 on my
hooks.

You can actually buy the jig weed guards from 
a place like mudhole.com if you want to try them.
I found mono leader the cheapest option, personally.

[Western-Mass-Bass]

Just now, Darren. said:

You'll note as you watch the vids that he uses
like 20# mono for weed guards. I don't know 
If that'd work for you, but it most certainly won't
for me, which is why I've got 40 and 50 on my
hooks.

You can actually buy the jig weed guards from 
a place like mudhole.com if you want to try them.
I found mono leader the cheapest option, personally.

The waters I fish have some seeerious hydrilla here. Im not finding the current weedless mono ones helpful at all. Not to satisfied with the owner ones either. Something pretty satisfying about making them myself. - tight lines-  Lee

[jtharris3]

20 miles? Dude, jump in the car and go buy some hooks!

[dsqui]

2 hours ago, jtharris3 said:

20 miles? Dude, jump in the car and go buy some hooks!

right my closest one is well over and hour n a half and then turns out its closer then 20 its only 12

[Fishes in trees]

If you're buying wacky hooks to use with O-rings, I've found that Falcon K Wacky hooks to be much better than the owner ones.

I like the 1/16 weighted ones with the wire mouse trap style weed guard.   Get the 3/0 size.

[papajoe222]

I stopped using the Owner weedless hooks as the weed guard is too stiff, IMO. I, too, now tie my own weed guards  I use the fiber weed guards off old rusty jigs