Shaky head hookset

[IndianaFinesse]

I've been having problems setting the hook with a 1/32 and 1/8 ounce owner ultrahead shaky head on a 6'10" ml/f (fishes close to a medium power) rod with a spinning reel spooled with 8 pound braid and a short eight pound mono leader.  Rigged with either a finesse trick worm or a full size trick worm, usually with the hook point buried as that is the only way to get through all of the weeds.  How should I set the hook with this set up?  I only have maybe a 35% hooking percentage.

[LCG]

Does the rod have enough stiffness in the tip for setting the hook through the plastic? My experience is that going through the plastic requires a bit of a powerful hook set. 

 

You could also try a weighted wacky rig (neko rig). I find this very similar and surprising weedless. I use a medium light rod with a fast tip and it works well with a trick worm.  

[Team9nine]

Be sure and punch the hook point all the way through the plastic, then back it off if needed. Depending on actual hook configuration, you might even try Tex-posing hook point. Beyond that, I like to just load up the rod with the reel first to start putting pressure on the fish and then pull hard into the fish once I know he's there. They rarely drop it, so you have some time. If you're trying to fish right in the weeds, then a different rig might be required. Also, consider switching over to a Brewer Spider Slider head for weeds, fished the same way.

[Frenchman83]

In in addition to the modifications mentioned earlier I would set the hook straight over my right shoulder.   Similar to a standard jig n craw

[WRB]

Don't put the hook point through the center diameter of the soft plastic. Skin hook the soft plastic through 1 side about 1/8" deep. The tiny jigs hook doesn't have a wide enough gap to weedless hook even by skin hooking, that is why you hook the side.

Tom

[craww]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Don't put the hook point through the center diameter of the soft plastic. Skin hook the soft plastic through 1 side about 1/8" deep. The tiny jigs hook doesn't have a wide enough gap to weedless hook even by skin hooking, that is why you hook the side.

Tom

 

Very interesting. Fish them a ton and have never thought of that. Hypothetically if the "hook side" of the plastic was to be situated laying on the bottom of basses mouth- and running parallel, on a more vertical hook set wouldnt it have to pull back through the entire body of the bait?

 

While more of a horizontal pull, such as shallow water or longer casts would likely be a better ? Not trying to poke holes by any means. And if you have on the water results that speaks for itself. You certainly peaked my interest.

 

 

    Another huge issue and a reason Im so picky is the problematic angle of many of the heads on the market. Between the gaps and poorly designed line of pull that doesnt drive the hook through the plastics Ive went as far as bending hooks out very slightly.

[WRB]

Let's say the worm diameter you are using 3/8" where the hook is placed, the centerline is 3/16" where the hook point penetrates through the worm if in the center. What I am suggesting is moving the hook point off centerline towards one side to reduce the worm diameter. If you move the point over 1/16" you have 1/8" of the diameter to penetrate, move over 3/32 and you have 3/32" to penetrate. If your hook gap equals the worm diameter it's nearly impossible to get a hook set. If the worm soft plastic material is 1/2 the hook gap it's easier to get a hook set and that is the goal. You either use a wider gap hook, expose the hook or move it over to one side.

What happens to the jig when a bass engulfs it? Bass don't bite using their lips unless it's doesn't want to eat whatever it is, common when protecting a bed site. Bass engulf your jig  into the back of it's big mouth and crunch down hard to kill it. When you hook set the hook can be laying flat, common with EWG hooks, the wide hook bend rolls over, or the hook points has already penetrated the basses roof of the mouth into those crunchers. If the jig hook point hasn't made tissue contact the jig gets rejected and you miss setting the hook.

Ideally the bass hooks itself, the next best is the bass isn't facing you and has turned away, then the jig hook tends to penetrate tissue on one side of the mouth or the lip ridge up through the nose. The jigs line tie doesn't affect hook sets as much as you think. The hook being filled with soft plastic has a major impact on hook setting.

Tom

 

[riverbasser]

Makes good sense to me tom. I guess all that time trying to keep my t-rig worms straight kept me from doing this. I don't have a huge hookup problem with shaky heads but I will still do this from now on

[IndianaFinesse]

Thanks guys, I tried @Team9nines method today and it worked much better than a snap set.