Bent hook help

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Ok, so I have a problem I need help. I was using a shakyhead jighead with black trick worm, dobyns 6'6 MH/f with 30lb braid. Fishing about 3ft of water set the hook on a nice fish reeled in 2 scales and a bent hook...

 

So I had my 7'3 heavy rod I was throwing a swimbait one, pegged a 1/8ounce bullet weight with 3/0 hook. Put another black trick worm on, caught a decent 1.5lb bass. Bent hook...

 

So I changed hook put a cinnamon/blue flake senko, got a good bite set hook bent hook, no fish. So after getting ticked I grabbed my 6'6 micro magic w/ 15lb big game mono. Tied on same setup, moved down pond, got a good tap, set the hook hard. Rod doubled over, pulled drag (dang nice fish) line got slack. 

 

Reeled in senko, the dang hook was barely exposed. So now I'm kinda mad at the mono for not getting hook through worm. So any advice is greatly appreciated, what am I doing wrong? That was a huge fish and now im second guessing everything

[NittyGrittyBoy]

So upon talking to friends, maybe it's my quality of hooks? I used Berkeley fusion and mustad KVD ewg 3/0.

 

Maybe I need to use nothing but trokars? Straight shank stronger?  Anybody else have problems with bending hooks or hooksets? I've never had this problem. 

[flyfisher]

bad batch of hooks maybe?  I use the berkley fusion hooks and have yet to bend one.  As far as shaky heads go, i have bent some those because generally they are a thinner gauge hook.  I went down to a MF spinning rod for that type of fishing, make sure my hooks are sharp and do more of a sweep hook set and haven't bent one since.  

[papajoe222]

First, let me address the poor hook penetration using 15lb. mono. A light wire hook will improve hook penetration as will passing the hook point through the worm and then backing off to texpose it.

As for bent hooks using 30lb braid; a bad batch of hooks is more than likely the reason. There should be no issue with the Mustads. I use them with 30lb and 40lb braid on my MH combos and have yet to bend a hook on the set and I keep my drag set tighter than most guys.

Come to think of it, Mike uses Mustads on many of his jigs and again, I've never bent one, even setting the hook into a stump.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

After countless YouTube videos. I think the answer to my puzzle is trash my ewg hooks, and swap to straight shank hooks.

 

And when using t-rig I will be using braid. I'm still thinking about that fish I lost today.

[GReb]

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bass bend a 3/0 hook or larger. 

 

If the hook didnt penetrate the senko is it possible the fish just grabbed the end of the bait end of the bait and pulled away from you. If you are both pulling opposite directions on a linear plane the hook might not have the angle to expose itself. Just a thought. 

[WRB]

3 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Ok, so I have a problem I need help. I was using a shakyhead jighead with black trick worm, dobyns 6'6 MH/f with 30lb braid. Fishing about 3ft of water set the hook on a nice fish reeled in 2 scales and a bent hook...

 

So I had my 7'3 heavy rod I was throwing a swimbait one, pegged a 1/8ounce bullet weight with 3/0 hook. Put another black trick worm on, caught a decent 1.5lb bass. Bent hook...

 

So I changed hook put a cinnamon/blue flake senko, got a good bite set hook bent hook, no fish. So after getting ticked I grabbed my 6'6 micro magic w/ 15lb big game mono. Tied on same setup, moved down pond, got a good tap, set the hook hard. Rod doubled over, pulled drag (dang nice fish) line got slack. 

 

Reeled in senko, the dang hook was barely exposed. So now I'm kinda mad at the mono for not getting hook through worm. So any advice is greatly appreciated, what am I doing wrong? That was a huge fish and now im second guessing everything

Operator error or very dull hooks.

Tom

[NittyGrittyBoy]

@GRebNo way fish had it by the tail, I felt the familiar thump, set the hook, and fish went to pulling drag. And I keep a tight drag. The fish pulled till she opened her mouth apparently.

 

Same pond I caught and released a 11 in and earlier this year guy caught and kept 11.5

 

@WRBhooks we're plenty sharp. I know it was operator error, that's why I asked what I'm doing wrong. 

[WRB]

What exact hooks are you bending? Bass or any other fish don't have scales in thier mouth. 

Tom

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Gama 3/0 ewg, mustad KVD ewg, and Berkeley fusion ewg. And some shakyhead jig I had. All new. 

 

That's just today's list. It's like this every trip

[WRB]

Let's start at the beginning and set the hook strength aside. Your rod is a standard MH bass rod and standard type of line 30 lb braid or 12 lb Big Game, you bend hooks outwards spring open the gap. 

The hooks are sharp yet don't penetrate through the basses mouth tissuesor penetratecthecsoftvplastic Senko, instead deform. 

Explain your hook set technique.

Tom

[IgotWood]

I use the Gama 1/0 for senkos. They are very light wire, and I have very good success with them. I’m fishing 10lb braid and a flouro leader. 

 

I wouldn’t be so eager to switch hooks! Straight shank hooks are great, but I don’t think swimbaits and senkos belong on them. The baits will swim and/or fall funny. They are not meant for swimming baits. 

 

Everybody has a day like that once in a while. They break our hearts, but they also sharpen us, and keep us coming back. If you could hook that fish again, what would you try to do differently? Get a new pack of hooks and get back out there. 

[Catt]

So let me understand this right

 

You had a bad batch of

 Gamakatsu, Mustad KVD, Berkeley Fusion & some shakyhead jig hooks.

 

What are the odds ya get bad hooks from 3 or 4 different manufacturers at one time?

 

Was the hooks like bent sideways? Opened up?

 

[Mobasser]

The odds that you would get 3-4 bad batches of hooks from different manufactures is next to impossible. Are you positive the hooks are sharp?

[fin]

7 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Gama 3/0 ewg, mustad KVD ewg, and Berkeley fusion ewg. And some shakyhead jig I had. All new. 

 

That's just today's list. It's like this every trip 

You get bent hooks every trip?

 

A 1.5# bass bent your 3/0 hook?

 

You're using 3 different brands of hooks and they're all getting bent?

 

All that together is pretty hard to believe. The only possibility I can think of is that you're getting wrapped around stumps.

 

I get that problem like you had with the Senko in the Fall. I think it's just the way they're biting at that time of year. They take it in their lips instead of wolfing it down, and the hook is just at the wrong angle. They've got a good hold on it, but no matter how you try to set the hook, all you do is pull it from their lips.

[Troy85]

It may have not even been a bass.  A decent size alligator gar will bend a hook pretty easily.  Also, their mouth is very bony so thankfully you won't get a good hook set and usually the fish will come unhooked without having to be brought into the boat.   Even a big bowfin will bend a hook, I've had them thump my jigs before and when you set the hook you think you're about to break the the state record. Imo, unless you can visually confirm that it was a large bass, you shouldn't lose to much sleep over it.  

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Never caught a gar or mud out of this pond. Yes a 1.5lb bass bent hook.

 

All the hooks are bending out, opening up. No stumps it's a flat muddy bottom, strewn in a hairlike thick as snot black grass. 

 

It may be hard to believe but I'll post some pictures of all the hooks involved yesterday. 

[the reel ess]

Throw a jig. LOL

I use Gamakatsu whenever I use a T rig. It's the only brand I'll buy so I know that's what's in the box. You're right about the EWG flexing more. Maybe set your drag a little looser when you use one. I really can't set the hook hard enough with spinning gear to bend a quality brand hook out enough to lose a fish. I have lost one before because a Gama hook bent, but not on the set.

[lo n slo]

i say stick with the big game line and keep working on your hook set. you may miss one every now and then but that’s fishing. at the very least you wont bend out your hooks like it appears the braid is doing. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Hook on far left is good hook for reference to the 3 bent hooks on Right

[NYWayfarer]

13 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Fishing about 3ft of water set the hook on a nice fish reeled in 2 scales and a bent hook...

 

Tied on same setup, moved down pond, got a good tap, set the hook hard. Rod doubled over, pulled drag (dang nice fish) line got slack. 

1st scenario the scales make me think you might have foul hooked something.

 

2nd scenario seems like a samurai hookset. Biggest enemy of hooks is jaw-jacking hooksets.

[scaleface]

I have had plenty of solid hook-sets and the fish gets off . It happens . Hooks dont always hook . 

[fin]

2 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Hook on far left is good hook for reference to the 3 bent hooks on Right

What brand are those two in the middle? They've got an unusual neck on them, or are you saying the neck is getting bent like that?

 

It takes a huge amount of force to bend a hook when it's hooked to something that is not stationary like a fish, unless the line is wrapped around something giving the fish leverage. Shallow water helps, but not that much. A gator, or an otter, a turtle, something that can hold onto the bottom could do it. A 1.5# bass can't do it unless those hooks are made out of aluminum. You could probably pull a riding lawn mower around by a hook without bending it. Now if you yank on it hard and fast enough, you could bend it, but you're talking enough force to maybe break a rod.

 

 

[Hook2Jaw]

It's that Georgia farmboy strength.  I have the same problem.

 

I prescribe one year of not busting firewood, engaging alligators in hand to hand combat, and shooting a 100# draw weight compound bow.

 

To put more noodle in your 22" pythons, I suggest a diet of white meats.  You'll also want to stop drinking a case of Budweiser a day and have one IPA at dinner.  Also, grab a winch for your truck so you can stop lugging it out on your shoulder. 

 

We'll cityfy that set yet, @NittyGrittyBoy.

[the reel ess]

4 minutes ago, Hook2Jaw said:

It's that Georgia farmboy strength.  I have the same problem.

 

I prescribe one year of not busting firewood, engaging alligators in hand to hand combat, and shooting a 100# draw weight compound bow.

 

To put more noodle in your 22" pythons, I suggest a diet of white meats.  You'll also want to stop drinking a case of Budweiser a day and have one IPA at dinner.  Also, grab a winch for your truck so you can stop lugging it out on your shoulder. 

 

We'll cityfy that set yet, @NittyGrittyBoy.

How about 2-3 IPAs/day?