is 3/0 too small for ribbon tail worm fishing?

[PressuredFishing]

so I was flipping and pitching a ribbon tail worm into cover and having a blast, but I missed two fish doing this method. the worms are about 7 inches and should I upgrade to a 4/0? I use 3/0 for most my plastics, from senkos to creature baits and flukes. I just didnt know if these bigger worms should have bigger hooks, because I lost two and only caught one, which isnt great odds

[DitchPanda]

I use a 3/0 on ribbon tails that size

[PressuredFishing]

5 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I use a 3/0 on ribbon tails that size

oh okay, would you reccomend letting them take it for an extra second to get that extra 2 inches of worm in their mouth? Im used to fishing 4 and 5 inch baits, will this help you think?

[huZZah]

I use 3/0 with 7-9” ribbon tails. Never been a problem. As far as waiting, if the fish sucks it in, they suck it in. Never been a problem. I even use little circle hooks with ribbon tails on drop shots. No problems. 

[Buzzbaiter]

3/0 is a hair small for my liking, but should absolutely work. I like a 4/0 for 7 inch ribbon tails. I think that the problem was that you were flipping with a ribbon tail in the first place. For flipping, I like shorter baits. When I’ve tried flipping long ribbon tail worms or big creature baits, I’ve experience a lot of short strikes

[PressuredFishing]

4 minutes ago, Buzzbaiter said:

3/0 is a hair small for my liking, but should absolutely work. I like a 4/0 for 7 inch ribbon tails. I think that the problem was that you were flipping with a ribbon tail in the first place. For flipping, I like shorter baits. When I’ve tried flipping long ribbon tail worms or big creature baits, I’ve experience a lot of short strikes

oh now this is actually quite good to know, because I was flipping. now I was wanting to use something with alot of action because it wasnt super snaggy, do you think maybe a lizard that is shorter or a creature bait like a brush hog be a better choice perhaps? thankyou so so so much for this information, this is very good for me to know!!!!!

35 minutes ago, huZZah said:

I use 3/0 with 7-9” ribbon tails. Never been a problem. As far as waiting, if the fish sucks it in, they suck it in. Never been a problem. I even use little circle hooks with ribbon tails on drop shots. No problems. 

okay okay thats good to know. I am thinking the fish where small, OR it could also very very well be what buzzbaiter said that because im flipping these worms into cover, when the bass hits it he may short strike it and just get the tail, that could also be a possibility. Thankyou for helping me solve this issue, you guys are very helpfull

[Buzzbaiter]

5 minutes ago, Socalfishier said:

do you think maybe a lizard that is shorter or a creature bait like a brush hog be a better choice perhaps?

Ive never flipped with a lizard, but I imagine that it’d have the same issue. A baby brush hog should work better, just stay away from something like a full sized brush hog, which also gets short strikes. Personally, I like ~4 inch beavers and craws without really long tentacles 

[PressuredFishing]

1 minute ago, Buzzbaiter said:

Ive never flipped with a lizard, but I imagine that it’d have the same issue. A baby brush hog should work better, just stay away from something like a full sized brush hog, which also gets short strikes. Personally, I like ~4 inch beavers and craws without really long tentacles 

okay thats awesome, yeah I have a few baby brush hogs that I will try this out, thankyou so much for these tips man, I think this will help alot, thankyou!!!

[galyonj]

Check out Kinky Beavers, too.

[Ratherbfishing]

It isn't so much the length of the worm (or soft plastic) which determines the size of the hook as it is the thickness.  A "skinny" worm can easily get away with a 3/0 hook whereas a thick worm may mandate a 4/0 or even a 5/0 hook.

[PressuredFishing]

20 minutes ago, galyonj said:

Check out Kinky Beavers, too.

okay I will check that out right now, thanks!

1 minute ago, Ratherbfishing said:

It isn't so much the length of the worm (or soft plastic) which determines the size of the hook as it is the thickness.  A "skinny" worm can easily get away with a 3/0 hook whereas a thick worm may madate a 4/0 or even a 5/0 hook.

okay this is something I did not know, Im always learning it seems

[Bankc]

You can cut down a lizard if you want to.  I often cut off the heads.  Sometimes I'll even cut them off to just below the shoulders, leaving just the belly, back legs, and tail. 

[PressuredFishing]

6 minutes ago, Bankc said:

You can cut down a lizard if you want to.  I often cut off the heads.  Sometimes I'll even cut them off to just below the shoulders, leaving just the belly, back legs, and tail. 

oh this is a interesting solution, I may try this, thankyou so much!!

[padon]

36 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

It isn't so much the length of the worm (or soft plastic) which determines the size of the hook as it is the thickness.  A "skinny" worm can easily get away with a 3/0 hook whereas a thick worm may madate a 4/0 or even a 5/0 hook.

yes go by the thickness. i fish a 3/0 in a culprit 7.5 inch all the the time. now a rage cutr work may be only 6 inches but has a thicker body. i use a 4/0 in it.

[PressuredFishing]

33 minutes ago, padon said:

yes go by the thickness. i fish a 3/0 in a culprit 7.5 inch all the the time. now a rage cutr work may be only 6 inches but has a thicker body. i use a 4/0 in it.

ooh okay okay I understand

[Catt]

Hook selection is based on the diameter of the plastic used, not length.

 

Of the two you missed had the hook fully penetrated the plastic?

[padon]

10 hours ago, Socalfishier said:

ooh okay okay I understand

when you set the hook some of that plastic could ball up in the bend of the hook. thats why you need a wider gap for the thicker worm. most bass are gonna grab the bait close to the head thats why the length of the worm really matter.

[scaleface]

I tend to use the smallest hook I can get away with . One that has a gap twice the size as the plastic . If   in thick brush or some other place where it is difficult to get the bass out , then I will go to a larger hook .

[huZZah]

I have noticed people are afraid to try things other than what they see in pro videos. Let me say this: the worst that happens is you throw it out and nothing bites it. (Actually, I guess the worst is you lose it.) I mean, that happens even with the perfect setup. So fear not. 

I don’t like to use big hooks. It’s just not my style, and I don’t have confidence in them like I do smaller sizes. Just personal. I don’t buy into “big bait big fish” cause it hasn’t been true for me. 

[Deleted account]

24 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I tend to use the smallest hook I can get away with .

Same.

[E-rude dude]

NO

[PressuredFishing]

1 hour ago, padon said:

when you set the hook some of that plastic could ball up in the bend of the hook. thats why you need a wider gap for the thicker worm. most bass are gonna grab the bait close to the head thats why the length of the worm really matter.

okay that makes sense, thanks for sharing this information!

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

I tend to use the smallest hook I can get away with . One that has a gap twice the size as the plastic . If   in thick brush or some other place where it is difficult to get the bass out , then I will go to a larger hook .

yeah I am exactly the same way, I feel like a smaller hook is less obvious and it isnt making the plastic as stiff.

1 hour ago, huZZah said:

I have noticed people are afraid to try things other than what they see in pro videos. Let me say this: the worst that happens is you throw it out and nothing bites it. (Actually, I guess the worst is you lose it.) I mean, that happens even with the perfect setup. So fear not. 

I don’t like to use big hooks. It’s just not my style, and I don’t have confidence in them like I do smaller sizes. Just personal. I don’t buy into “big bait big fish” cause it hasn’t been true for me. 

Yeah I hear you, I personally love to try new things. As for the big bait big fish thing, this is what is really interesting. So during this trip I was flipping a senko into some flooded structure, (Weightless)

I caught one fish and got no more bites after that. For fun I decided to throw the big worm into the same places and I got 2 more bites exactly where I threw the senko. Now the fish I caught wasnt bigger, it was actually smaller on the big worm lol, but the thing I took away from this is maybe they wanted a little more agressive action (the tail) or maybe it was the color change from the Green pumpkin senko to a junebug. It could have even been the fall rate perhaps with a bullet weight making it fall  faster into the structure. I completley agree with you that big baits dont always get big bites, I was just throwing that bigger bait because I wanted to see if there where some bass with different personalities.

[Log Catcher]

It depends on the type of worm. For a 6" Zoom U Tail I will use 2/0 hook. For a 7.5" Culprit worm I use a 3/0 or 4/0 hook. I use a 5/0 for a Mag II worm. For the Zoom Ol Monster I use a 5/0 EWG hook.

[PressuredFishing]

20 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

It depends on the type of worm. For a 6" Zoom U Tail I will use 2/0 hook. For a 7.5" Culprit worm I use a 3/0 or 4/0 hook. I use a 5/0 for a Mag II worm. For the Zoom Ol Monster I use a 5/0 EWG hook.

okay this is good to know, about the same as what im using

[WRB]

Hook size 3/0 doesn’t tell me what style of hook being used or how it’s rigged??

Hook description; mfr and type?

Tom