Swim Bait With EWG Weighted Hook ?

[ChrisD46]

I recently picked up a pack of ZMan DieZel 4" swim baits and want to try with a weighted EWG hook . Gamakatsu makes a 3/0 size Super Line EWG weighted hook in either 1/16th oz. or 1/8th oz. weights . Not sure which weight is more popular for fishing a weighted swim bait but for the Elaztec DieZel swim bait it possibly might be better to go up to the 1/8th oz. weight (due to Elaztec floatation material) while the 3/0 size appears about right for this 4" swim bait .

As far as fishing a swim bait on a weighted EWG hook  - below are what I think are the likely ways to fish it :

 

• Straight retrieve just under the surface
• Start / Stop retrieve just under the surface 
• Slow Rolled just above the bottom or above weeds
• Yo-Yo  retrieve on the bottom 

 

*For those who fish a EWG weighted hook  rigged swim bait - what are your favorite ways to fish it ?

*Also , most weighted EWG hooks come in 1/16th oz. or 1/8th weights - what is your preference ?

Thanks in advance ...

[Choporoz]

I used Gammys for a long time.   Two issues, however.  Unless they have changed, they don't have a spring keeper, so I put bought and put hitchhikers on all of them. Second, the eye was 180 from the hook, so getting the bait straight took a little patience.  (The spring lock has to sort of form around the eye.)  I made due for a couple years, but now I only use Owners.  They come with spring lock and the eye is parallel to the hook, so rigging straight is never a problem.   Fusion are a decent alternative.   

  As to weights,  get both.

For fishing them?  Always on the bottom for me.

[Tatsu Dave]

It will work good for you, the weight would depend on how deep you want to fish them. I'm used to shallow water so for me 1/16th would be better in 5' or less while 1/8th would be better on down in deeper spots. I like the VMC drop dead weighted swimbait hooks because they have longer shanks and it gets the hook further back the bait and picks up short hits better.

[Mike L]

Owner w/cps.

Large selection of different weights. 
 

The thickness of the plastic will dictate the size and depth will dictate the weight. 

 All 4 of the presentations you listed should be rotated through till they tell  you how they want it.

 

 

 

Mike

[Tatsu Dave]

Sorry can't figure out how to edit my post so I will add owner screwlocs on all my weighted or unweighted hooks including the VMC's

[ChrisD46]

19 hours ago, Mike L said:

Owner w/cps.

Large selection of different weights. 
 

The thickness of the plastic will dictate the size and depth will dictate the weight. 

 All 4 of the presentations you listed should be rotated through till they tell  you how they want it.

 

 

 

Mike

*Owner with CPS would be my normal choice - but not so much with elaztec soft plastics - in this case the Gammy EWG weighted hook is just easier to rig with the DieZel swim bait . I believe I'll get a pack of the Gammy 3/0 EWG weighted in both 1/16th and 1/18th and try a few retrieves .

[camman]

My favorite weighted swimbait hook is the Owner Beast hooks, unfortunately its too big for a 4" bait.  I also use the Owner Weighted Twistlocks for the smaller baits (IMO its better than the Gamakatsu version with the Spring lock).  I prefer 1/16 oz if I'm fishing 10ft or less.  I fish them a variety ways from just winding them in, fishing it like a jerkbait, or slow rolling it over the weedline and just letting it drop in pockets like a jig.  If I'm fishing it deeper than 10 ft, I'm usually fishing a submerged weedline which is normally just a slow wind or dragging it along the bottom.

[Luke Barnes]

I recently picked up some SK belly weighted EWG underspin hooks with the spring keeper. 1/8 & 1/4. Ive been reading this thread on retrieves but....... What do you all think the ideal rod power would be for these? I want to use a baitcaster but if I have to use one of my spinning so be it. I have everything from UL to H haha. Casting in M, MH and I know better than to think i would ever need to use my H unless it was an insane big heavy plastic swimbait. 

[roadwarrior]

MF

[Sphynx]

If your having a tough time with the CPS on an elaztech, try heating up the pin with a lighter, not sure why, but it seems to give me less trouble that way

[ChrisD46]

16 hours ago, camman said:

My favorite weighted swimbait hook is the Owner Beast hooks, unfortunately its too big for a 4" bait.  I also use the Owner Weighted Twistlocks for the smaller baits (IMO its better than the Gamakatsu version with the Spring lock).  I prefer 1/16 oz if I'm fishing 10ft or less.  I fish them a variety ways from just winding them in, fishing it like a jerkbait, or slow rolling it over the weedline and just letting it drop in pockets like a jig.  If I'm fishing it deeper than 10 ft, I'm usually fishing a submerged weedline which is normally just a slow wind or dragging it along the bottom.

*After further review - I can't wrap my head around using a weighted Super Line (braid) 3X rated hook with a ZMan DieZel 4" swim bait . I will explore either using the VMC "Drop Dead 3/0 weighted hooks or use the 3/0 Owner  1X rated EWG hooks with the built in centering pin  - then add my own BPS cylinder weights crimped on to the shank . **This is just my search for  a weedless small swim bait  option as normally I would reach for a standard small swim bait jig head.

[Choporoz]

@ChrisD46, my response totally neglected your very specific request about elaztech.  (I only use elaztech on ned heads, so don't think about it.)

 

I'd consider revising my response to maybe avoid cps and hitchhikers for those diesel baits.  And perhaps the Gammys without springs might work well.  You would have to bait the hook before tying unless you can pull the lure over the weight.

 

That doesn't change my recommendation to get some Owner weighted twistlocks....for any other plastics.

[5/0]

On 8/18/2020 at 6:09 PM, Choporoz said:

I used Gammys for a long time.   Two issues, however.  Unless they have changed, they don't have a spring keeper, so I put bought and put hitchhikers on all of them. Second, the eye was 180 from the hook, so getting the bait straight took a little patience.  (The spring lock has to sort of form around the eye.)  I made due for a couple years, but now I only use Owners.  They come with spring lock and the eye is parallel to the hook, so rigging straight is never a problem.   Fusion are a decent alternative.   

  As to weights,  get both.

For fishing them?  Always on the bottom for me.

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I agree that the Gammy twist lock is funky, it comes loose very easily. But the eyes on both hooks appear to be similar. Did you mean that Gammy twist lock was the reason for the bait not being straight? Would switching them out to Owner CPS fix the problem?

[Tatsu Dave]

12 hours ago, 5/0 said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I agree that the Gammy twist lock is funky, it comes loose very easily. But the eyes on both hooks appear to be similar. Did you mean that Gammy twist lock was the reason for the bait not being straight? Would switching them out to Owner CPS fix the problem?

Using an owner CPS on any hook is a very good choice, don't care for the ones that use a hook to attach. Prefer to thread the CPS on and know it will stay straight myself.

 

For me there are owner CPS and there's all the other screw loc designs that I take off and replace with owner's. I've got two film containers that are full of non owners I will give to anybody that lives in my area.

[Catt]

Owner Weighted Beast Hook w/ Twistlock

 

If y'all are going to use CPS I highly suggest buying either a medium or large. The small doesn't hold as well & will tear up plastics unnecessarily.

[Mike L]

4 hours ago, Tatsu Dave said:

Using an owner CPS on any hook is a very good choice, don't care for the ones that use a hook to attach. Prefer to thread the CPS on and know it will stay straight myself.

 

For me there are owner CPS and there's all the other screw loc designs that I take off and replace with owner's. I've got two film containers that are full of non owners I will give to anybody that lives in my area.

Ditto 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Ben77]

Owner flashy swimmer's work for me.

[Tatsu Dave]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

Owner Weighted Beast Hook w/ Twistlock

 

If y'all are going to use CPS I highly suggest buying either a medium or large. The small doesn't hold as well & will tear up plastics unnecessarily.

I stock large - medium - and small and use what ever fits the bait's, you should really have all three sizes if you get into using them. 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Tatsu Dave said:

I stock large - medium - and small and use what ever fits the bait's, you should really have all three sizes if you get into using them. 

 

The small will tear the nose of the plastic out fast than a medium. 

 

If we're talking swimbaits the medium will fit 3.5" lures.

[zell_pop1]

5 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

The small will tear the nose of the plastic out fast than a medium. 

 

If we're talking swimbaits the medium will fit 3.5" lures.

This is why I do not use screw lock hooks, instead I use the Damiki weighted hook with the spring that Texas rigs it.

[Tatsu Dave]

Agree with Catt on this one, use what fits the baits and have all three sizes. For swimbaits of medium size I use a medium, for stickbaits, most worms and grubs, anything finesse I use small, for larger swimbaits and creature bait's I use large. I don't use anything but owner CPS.  

[Tatsu Dave]

39 minutes ago, zell_pop1 said:

This is why I do not use screw lock hooks, instead I use the Damiki weighted hook with the spring that Texas rigs it.

I've looked at them but never bought any to try, how well do they hold? look's like they would tear the nose on plastics when jerked hard. Other drawback for me would be I've never seen them in bulk only when bought on hooks. I buy my hooks in bulk and spring locs as well. Just curious.....

[Mike L]

I’ve been using them for years, and have never changed the spring to a larger or smaller size. 

They hold just fine with whatever I rig with. 
I use 5/0 and 6/0 size hooks. 
 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

@zell_pop1 I do like their Viper Straight Shank ?

[Choporoz]

On 10/7/2020 at 7:41 PM, 5/0 said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I agree that the Gammy twist lock is funky, it comes loose very easily. But the eyes on both hooks appear to be similar. Did you mean that Gammy twist lock was the reason for the bait not being straight? Would switching them out to Owner CPS fix the problem?

I just looked at Gammy hooks.  You are correct that they now sell them with eye aligned with hook...and they now have keepers.  These are new to me.  When I started using weighted EWGs, these are all that Gammy had...eye 90 degrees off, and you had to add a hitchhiker ...but I made due...and learned to love weighted hooks....once I tried Owners, I never looked back