Gambler big ez hookups

[Montanaro]

Hey guys, I need advice on my hookup ratio with gambler big ez.

 

I have them on a 7' mh okuma tcs apc rod (modfast) and 12 lb yzhybird (16lb equivalent).  1/16th 5/0 bellyhook with hook exposed in top groove. 

 

Fishing them in grass and laydown timber and open water.  Sometimes the bass will slam em from side and not hookup.  Sometimes they will.  Sometimes they run with it and sometimes they spit it out quick.  I try reel setting, sweep setting, and traditional hook sets.  Sometimes i pull lure from them or if i reel set like a swjmjig the hook wont penetrate.  Sometimes I have no issues.

 

How can I improve this?  Faster rod and braid with sweep?  Give them a second to mouth it then hookset?  Just nature of the lure and small bass striking it?

 

After last two outings Im batting about 50%.  Follow up tube has helped though.

[wdp]

Man, that's hard to say. I use 4.5"-5.5" solid bodied and hollow bodied swimbaits quite a bit. And I use a similar set up: 7' MH rod with a somewhat stiff tip. Mostly I use 15 lb p line halo FC bc it's got great sensitivity and very little stretch. Occasionally I'll use my 7'6" St Croix MH Rage Rod with 30 lb braid. I always use the Gamakatzu 5/0 keel weighted swimbait hooks, with hook point skin hooked on top. 

 

I miss the occasional fish but not to the extent you seem to be having. I sometimes wait a sec or two to make sure they have the bait good before I set the hook. But I always try to set it hard like you would with a jig or t rigged plastic. Sometimes they blast the swimbait so hard there's no waiting. You just gotta rip back immediately. Maybe there's some slack in the line sometimes so you're not getting the best hook set. 

[wdp]

Ok, I got to thinking so I just checked my rods. I don't pay attention to the rod tip ratings much because I buy according to what applications I'll use the rod for. I'll play with a rod & check the tip repeatedly to see if I think it'll work.

 

My 7' MH is a St Croix Triumph with a fast tip - it's fairly stiff & I use the 15 lb FC with it. The 7'6" Rage Rod is MH with mod fast tip, so it's got little more flex but I'm using 30 lb braid on it. I also use this rod for frogging & weightless/weedless flukes & senkos.

 

I like a fairly stiff tip on a rod for single hooked baits so I can really drive that hook point home. Maybe the mod fast tip on your okuma has a little too much flex to get a good hook set. Dunno for sure since I'm not familiar with that rod. You could maybe try braid to see if it helps or try another rod with a slightly stiffer tip. 

 

Don't give up tho. I've had good success with swimbaits for bigger fish over the last 6-7 yrs. They really produce well. Best of luck. 

[Airman4754]

Swimbait fishing is the same across the board from the big Hudds to the little Keitechs. You have to be patient on the hookset and don't want to jerk it away from them. 

 

When you feel a bite or when you feel resistance point your rod towards the fish until it's really solid then sweep the rod. Never stop reeling during this. If you have nothing after the sweep kill it and let it fall to the bottom but watch your line like a jig or Senko. Then start your retrieve back. 

 

If you jerk a bait five or six feet away from a fish it's hard to get them to come back. That's why it's important to keep it in their zone even if they miss initially.

[Montanaro]

I do try to be patient...it is one of my best fishing qualities especially with toads.  Its another reason I like the flex on my rod it really lets the bass slam it without pulling lure out.

 

Maybe some of the bass were just too small to get a good mouth full.  The lake is overpopulated by 12 inchers.  The 1.5lber I caught swung and missedon a laydown and I killed it and he picked it up.  The other bass wouldn't so i had to throw tube at them

 

[fishwizzard]

Are you seeing the bass hit your lure?  I ask because I fish smaller (3-4") paddle tails a ton and have found that small, I mean like 4-7", pickerel will grab the lure by the middle and run with it for a bit.  It feels like a decent bass is on for a second, then the pick lets go and then there is nothing.  I only figured it out when I switched to a open hooked jighead and managed to catch a few of the little guys.  

[Montanaro]

They are bass I see them.  Most are small but will miss bigger ones ocassionally

[fishwizzard]

Huh, well never mind then.  

 

The only thing could think to try would be to make the belly slit on the lure deeper to let to hook pop out more easily.  

[jr231]

I like using braid in this scenario !! (Not many that I don't really ) 

 

Try a trokar hook.. 

 

Nice firm sweep with the braid and trokar should get er done. 

 

And if you are being patient , maybe be a little less patient. 

 

If I feel a tick and I feel like it was a fish I'm setting the hook. Big bass don't nibble anything.. 

[Montanaro]

They already have a groove but maybe itll help.  Was also considering a gel like megastrike on hook bend but I think Im overcomplicating things.

 

Most issues probably due to dinks and not waiting long enough.  This summer i will be using my xfast heavy toad road to throw these EZs in pad fields (when they grow) so I will find out if it helps.

[Mike L]

The only swim baits I use are Big EZ's and Skinny Dippers. The only thing I do different than you is I use 20# Flouro

I rig and set the same way. 

 

The slot on the EZ's are deep enough that you shouldn't have to Tex pose the point. 

 

Just give them time to load and pull!

You may not be doing anything wrong. They could just be swiping at it, or could be blue gill. 

I really don't see what you're dong wrong. 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[RoLo]

 

I fish the Gambler Big EZ strictly as a topwater bait, and break more rules than I follow.

Topwater baits are notorious for low hook-up ratios, but the Big EZ offers an excellent hooking percentage.

I should add, braided line is a must in my opinion, otherwise you will blame your rod or your hook-set timing

instead of blaming that rubber-band that lacks the hutzpa to drive the hook beyond the barb   

 

Rod:  7'1" Med Heavy - Fast (St Croix Legend Tournament)

Line:  Sufix 50-lb 832 Braid (no leader of course)   

Hook: Gamakatsu 6/0 x 3/16 oz Spring-lock Hook

Lure:  Gambler Big EZ - not so sexy

 

The rod-tip is held down close to the water to reduce clothes lining over pads, and to provide a nice hook-set arc.

When rigging the bait, I avoid slots & pockets in the lure, and BURY the point in solid plastic.

I'm looking for maximum weedlessness, which leads to more strikes.

I do not pause during a strike, but whack her 'instantly' 

 

Roger

 

[frogflogger]

Braid

[Montanaro]

It just bothers me that this setup is my go to single hook reaction bait rod.  Swimjigs and chatterbaits and spinnerbaits all have very high hooking and landing percentage.

 

I assumed that the ez (i do expose hook in the groove,not texpose) would be no different.  I suppose pushing the plastic down shank is not the same as pushing down a swimjig weedguard.

[Mike L]

What kind of hook are you useing?

 

 

 

 

Mike 

[SFL BassHunter]

I think a stiffer tip could help you out. When I first started using swimbaits my hookup ratio stunk. But I was "setting" too soon. I noticed my best hookup ratio came when I started doing a hard sweeping hookset. Not the kind you would do with a spinnerbait. I also fish them weedless so my hook is not exposed.

 

1- Wait a two or three count before hookset

2- Try a HARD sweeping hookset.

3- MH Fast rod works for me.

4- Make sure you've got a good hook that is big enough. On an EZ swimmer a 4/0 or 5/0 will work. On a big ez a 5/0 or 6/0

5- Braid will help especially if you are going to continue using a ModFast tip.

 

 

[Montanaro]

5/0 weighted mustad on the big ez.  I have it to where hook point nearly reaches tail joint.

 

Its probably too much stretch and small swiping bass.

[hawgenvy]

Braid should solve most of the problem. With the Big EZ I usually reel down and let the rod load for a second before slamming the hook home.

[Montanaro]

A bit more success on my 7'3" heavy xfast rod with braid.

 

But today I rolled over some shallow rocks and saw a nice 3 or 4 pounder at the last second mouth my lure...didnt have time to set hook and never felt her weight on the line.

 

Is this just a fact of life?  Hook was exposed.  Perhaps in post spawn and summer they will hit it more aggressively?

[bklimple]

I had the same issues with the Gambler Big EZ on missing fish.  If you look at their website they suggest a 6/0 or 7/0 weighted hook (which they also sell on their site).  Once I upped my hook size I had fewer misses.  I still do miss some and I think its the width of the bait that causes the issue, but it's also what gives it great action (2 edge sword).  I have been throwing them a lot with a 7/0 and 1/8 weighted hook and can swim it through some pretty nasty stuff with no issues.  If I miss one immediately throw in a weightless senko and can usually get them.