Wacky - Set Up Hook

[Bartableman7]

For those who Wacky Worm Rig on a normal basis...hook in the bait, hook under the o-ring or hook into a plastic tube?  Anything noticeably good or bad about each?

[J Francho]

Hook in the bait, like a savage.

[WRB]

Hook through the worm 1/3 from nose to middle without o-rings or sleeves works good but you loose the worm.

Saving worms requires o-rings or sleeves.

Tom 

[BrianMDTX]

5” Senko. O-ring in dead center. 

[NorthernBasser]

These guys. Keeps the hook perpendicular. And you want a wacky tool for them, obviously. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_Wacky_O-Ring_Replacement_Pack_25pk/descpage-MWO.html

 

 

[Jmilburn76]

I went through close to two bags of worms today. I was using o-rings and putting the hook just under it and was easily losing the worms. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Jmilburn76 said:

I went through close to two bags of worms today. I was using o-rings and putting the hook just under it and was easily losing the worms. 

If they're Yama Senkos - ya, that happens a lot...they rip in half right at the O-Ring. Use a piece of shrink-tube or get VMC Crossover Rings for Yama Senkos...support more of the worm.

[J Francho]

13 minutes ago, Jmilburn76 said:

I went through close to two bags of worms today. I was using o-rings and putting the hook just under it and was easily losing the worms. 

I went through four bags over the course of two days. I caught well over 75 fish, so well worth it. 

[Darren.]

I've done shrink tubing, not o-rings. Meh. I usually hook thru the worm.

Use what gasses your tank. If o-rings are the thing, make it so.

[Jmilburn76]

@MN Fisher  I started with yamas, swapped to some color changing and they done it as well. Ill invest in the VMC set-up at some point.

 

@J Francho  I only caught 5 total!  I did lose a couple from flipping the bail with hook/worm too close to rod. Im ok with it though since my left hand has limited use, makes me a tad clumsy.

[RDB]

Rubber band to make a saddle.  Outside of a sleeve, it’s the least damaging to the worm because it’s supported in 2 spots, it’s cheap, and it doesn’t require a tool.

[uglyasheck]

Heat shrink works the absolute best to me> the crossover rings are good as well  as the o rings but when the fishing is tough i go straight through the weighted middle of the worm not the length middle . 

[5/0]

Anyone out there who have used the G7 sleeves for neko or wacky rigging? Opinions?

[gim]

I've seen people use two o rings overlapped, and then put the hook where they overlap.

[ChrisD46]

*If using an O-Ring in any finesse worm / stick worm , always catch a bit of the worm soft plastic  (like 10% ~ 15%) as you go under the O-Ring with the hook which for me makes any wacky worm last longer . If I simply slide the hook under the O-Ring without passing the hook through any soft plastic at all - then worms don't last as long and at times  the worm will completely slide off all together .

[Tatulatard]

Ditch the senko and get a literally any other similar worm and then use a1 /16 weighted weedless wacky jig head.  No contraptions, just stab the hook through the middle of the worm.  The weighted hook will get an increased fall rate that will make literally any other worm wiggle as much or more than a senko.  Its the Texas rig where a senko has an unbeatable wiggle.  Wacky rigging with a bit of weight and any old worm will wiggle on the fall and be orders of magnitude more durable than a senko.

[Team9nine]

Hook (jighead) directly through bait (Zman) - about 25 bass per bait average that way. Nothing as simple or as efficient IMO.

[NYWayfarer]

Here is my take,

 

Hook through the worm:

 

Tears it up faster, worm goes flying when the fish shakes it’s head, the part of the hook in the worm means that much less penetrating surface area than other options. Worm sometimes “turns” and the body of the worm winds up in the hook gap.

 

One O ring: 

 

Better penetration from the whole hook being exposed, Bluegill can pull the worm out of the ring if they grab the end and run. Worm lasts longer.

 

Two crossed O rings with hook slid into the “X”:

 

All the benefits of the one O ring plus, best way to keep from losing your worm to Bluegill.

[throttleplate]

22 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

One O ring: 

 

 Bluegill can pull the worm out of the ring if they grab the end and run.

 

I can attest to this as last year using one o-ring i was robbed by the pesky blugill repeatedly running with the worm. The worm slips out so easilly you wonder how in the heck and then you put another one on and in seconds its gone again.

[QED]

On 6/16/2022 at 2:06 PM, NorthernBasser said:

These guys. Keeps the hook perpendicular. And you want a wacky tool for them, obviously. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_Wacky_O-Ring_Replacement_Pack_25pk/descpage-MWO.html

 

 

 

I use these too and the senkos definitely last longer in this configuration rather than hooking them directly.  There are third party equivalents which are sometimes cheaper.

[throttleplate]

I got away from using o-rings last year and had the usual problems of worm getting mangled, broken and run up the line from the hook. Then i went to 1 oring and had the bluegill stealing worm problem.

 

Well this year i went to using the 2 crossed o-ring deal and have had great success with worm staying intact and not sliding up the line.

I am using octopus hooks with metal cage weed stop on a drop shot. This is a pic from saturday, i put a long down 3ft drop with a 1 oz weight on it and cast out from bank and drag it in through the weeds.

The fish i caught like this one got the point of the hook right through center of its bottom lip. The worm didnt budge.

 

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Hook through the middle of the bait. Tried O rings, didn't improve my catch per bait ratio at all, just added a step and some cost in the process. Pretty much only use Ochos and get multiple fish off almost every bait. 

[B-Gee]

I wacky rig Senkos with an O ring and a Gama #1 Octopus Circle hook for largemouth bass. This usually works pretty well for me.

[the reel ess]

I agree with everyone saying use another brand. Big Bite and Strike King Ocho are what I have. Color is secondary. I just hook through the worm a little off center. This tactic also works well with the Zoom Trick Worm and Finesse Worm. I use a #1 Gamakatsu finesse hook. If you use a finesse or octopus hook, don't set it hard. Just start reeling.

[Bird]

Much prefer VMC crossover rings.

I pre-rig a whole pack of Senko's with #6 rings before I leave the house.