weightless wacky rigged senko: do you set the hook?

[cgriff_20]

I was reading online that you aren't supposed to set the hook with circle hooks, but rather to just start reeling. I found that interesting because I was having some difficulty keeping bass hooked today (with setting the hook). Does anyone else not set the hook if they are using a circle hook for wacky rigged senkos? Thank you. 

[MartinTheFisherman]

I set the hook for all my lure and hooks. I recommend still setting the hook with the wacky rig and a circle hook.

[The Short Fisherman]

i use a owner mosquito hook for wacky rigging and when i get a bite i just twitch my rod lightly to set the hook

[looking45]

Circle hooks have been around a long time but are fairly new to bass fishing. If you set the hook, you decrease your chances of hooking the fish. You're right, when you get bit, just reel until you feel the pressure of the fish and lift the rod.

[J Francho]

I do not use circle hooks.  I use Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse hooks, and wrist-flick hook set.  I don't lose too many this way.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I don't use circle hooks for bass, either.  I have been using the Berkley Fusion hooks that have a mono weedguard. I set the hook, but I would describe it as more of an upward sweep as opposed to swinging for the fences like with a T-Rig.  So far, so good.

 

I do use circle hooks often for catfish.  Just start reeling and lift the rod a bit ; that's generally all it takes.

[cgriff_20]

ok, well then my question is, is this considered a circle hook? It looks like one to me but I'm not sure 

[J Francho]

That's a Kahle hook.

 

This is a circle hook:

[padon]

yes like jfrancho said that is a khale hook.you can set the hook with that style but a hard hookset is not needed. just reel in the slack and sweep smoothly not violently either to the side or up.

[cgriff_20]

thanks a lot everyone 

[Glaucus]

I reel into them. I slightly set the hook if I'm using a wacky hook with a weedguard.

[N Florida Mike]

I don’t use circle hooks for bass unless I’m live bait fishing. It helps to reduce gut hooking fish in that case. I probably don’t hook quite as many bass with a circle hook this way but it’s close enough. I use a relatively small one too, I think it’s a # 2 ( not 2/0 ) . This size hook allows the hooked bait to swim naturally instead of being too weighed down by the hook. I just let the fish get it almost tight, then lower the rod , start reeling and as it tightens, lift the rod in a slow but continuous motion.The fish will most often get hooked in the corner of the jaw.

[the reel ess]

The best hookup ratio I ever had with a wacky rig was with a 2/0 regular straight shank offset bend worm hook. It wasn't weedless by any stretch. But I was able to set the hook the normal way and land the best percentage with it. Other than that, I used a Gama finesse hook. Just tighten up the line and reel 'em in. I don't like the weedless ones. Just more to get in the way of the hookset.

[fishwizzard]

The issue with “circle hooks” is that there are different styles all sharing that name, but they don't work the same. 

 

http://www.chesapeakelighttackle.com/2013/03/20/circle-hook-confusion/

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I just wacky rigged for the first time today. I caught some Bass with T-rig weightless senko, so im like, "BassResource says wacky catches more fish."

 

Well I hooked em but they kept getting off? I was using some little goober 2/0 hook on a medium/light 5'6 spinning combo. Just couldn't get em to the Bank. I was trying to set the hook decently, alot less then my normal hookset

[cgriff_20]

i switched from a VMC wacky weedless circle hook to the gamakatsu wicked wacky hook and my hookup percentage is way better. I always let the fish run with the worm for maybe 2-3 seconds before I lightly set the hook. Seems to be working better for me now. 

[Chance_Taker4]

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 11:59 AM, J Francho said:

I do not use circle hooks.  I use Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse hooks, and wrist-flick hook set.  I don't lose too many this way.

This is my hookset. Just reel in the slack and flick the wrist up and start reeling. Most wacky hooks are light wire and do not need that violent set you see on tv.

[BassThumb]

I use VMC Neko hooks for wacky rigs. Start reeling and flick the wrist to set the hook when the line tightens down.

[boostr]

3 hours ago, BassThumb said:

I use VMC Neko hooks for wacky rigs. Start reeling and flick the wrist to set the hook when the line tightens down.

Same here, just started using the Neko rig and decided to use the weedless VMC Neko hook for Wacky rigging, and they work great. No need to buy wacky hooks anymore unless I need them weighted.

I just use a sideways sweep to hook em.

[michaelb]

I don't think you really need to set the hook. To me, the bigger issue with wacky rigged senkos is they get swallowed, so I only try to use circle hooks to reduce that and to make release hopefully easier. But in the right conditions (not weeds) they work great. My go to for little kids is to give them a wacky rigged senko under a bobber; they can miss noticing they have a fish on for a long time before I can get their attention enough to pay attention, and those little kids are not setting the hook, and they still manage to catch fish.