Zoom finesse worm

[rjasso]

For the smaller zoom finesse worm, is there a shakey head with a small hook?  I’ve only seen shakey heads starting at 4/0  and have seen sites suggest for use on both the trick worm and the finesse worm but I wanted to see if anyone knew of a smaller hook size?  Or will this be fine?  Just want to make sure I get the best setup. 

[MN Fisher]

VMC Standup Shaky - 3/0 hook

https://www.rapala.com/vmc/jigs/shaky-jigs/sshj-stand-up-shaky-head-jig/SSHJ+Stand+Up+Shaky+Head+Jig.html?cgid=vmc-jigs-shaky&taglist=VMC|Jigs|Shaky Jigs

 

Owner's Stick Bait Shaky Head in 1/8oz is also a 3/0

https://www.ownerhooks.com/product/stick-bait-shaky-head/

 

Big Bites Stand-Up Fintwist Head in 1/8 and 3/16 is a 3/0

https://bigbitebaits.com/product/stand-up-fintwist-head/

 

That's what I found in about 10 minutes of searching. Might be others that are even smaller...but smaller than 4/0 is out there.

[DitchPanda]

Davis baits makes a very good head that was designed by Aaron Martens  that has a 3\0 gama hook. Plus they are reasonable price wise... A 5pk is $6-7$.

[CrashVector]

I use the VMC head listed above.  Works very well.

 

An alternative would be rigging the trick worm on a light wire 2/0 standard worm hook with a 1/26oz tungsten weight pegged.  The tail will stand up if rigged this way, duplicating the result of a shaky head.  It's how I rig it when fishing in mid-summer to early fall when there's still lots of grass, weeds, and algae.

 

Using the thin-wire 2/0 hook and 1/16oz tungsten pegged weight means less fouling on weeds and such.

[Bluebasser86]

Slider Pro head 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Charlie_Brewers_Spider_Classic_Pro_Darter_Head_4pk/descpage-CBSCPH.html

 

Not exactly the standard shakyhead, but it's a killer way to rig a finesse worm. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

My favorite SH is the Gami tricky head, but the shank on the 3/0 hook is too long IMO for shorter thin worms.  The Davis baits look great, but I've had trouble ordering them in a 1/16 through their site.

The 2 heads that Ive found work really well are polar opposites in nearly every way.  The Picasso Tungsten Takedown is available from a 5/0-2/0 the hooks run small so 5/0 is closer to a 4/0, 4/0 to a 3/0 and so on.  They work really well, but they are expensive, because they are tungsten.

The Bite Me Tackle is a small 2/0 that fits smaller worms perfect.  the hook is light wire and sticky sharp.  The keeper is really aggressive and holds really well.  Unlike the Picasso they're dirt inexpensive, less then 1$ a pc.

[Munkin]

The past couple of years I have been using Owner heads but they are expensive.  VMC recently introduced a new hook so now I make my own that are similar. 

[LrgmouthShad]

On 8/23/2022 at 9:52 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Slider Pro head 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Charlie_Brewers_Spider_Classic_Pro_Darter_Head_4pk/descpage-CBSCPH.html

 

Not exactly the standard shakyhead, but it's a killer way to rig a finesse worm. 

 

This head is shaky head approved by the man I know as “the shaky head wizard”

[GRiver]

I 

On 8/24/2022 at 12:29 AM, CrashVector said:

Using the thin-wire 2/0 hook and 1/16oz tungsten pegged weight means less fouling on weeds and such.

I fish this way too.

[TnRiver46]

[Jmontgomery87]

War Eagle Shakey heads use a 3/0 Mustad hook.

[galyonj]

7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

☝️

 

I'll throw any trick worm-style plastic on a little ballhead or mushroomhead jig. I switch to a shakyhead-style jig when I start reeling in the local flora. When I start pulling up slop, I get rid of the weight altogether.

[Drawdown]

7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Heck yeah! Going to snag the more I try bottom contact, but they come in a pack of 20 and 1/8 oz jig head with a #1-2/0 hook ain’t exactly pricey.

[TnRiver46]

Todays flavor was smoke purple and a monster catfish ate it 

[whitwolf]

I use these exclusively.  

 

https://siebertoutdoors.com/products/ols/products/zenith-shaky-head/v/ZNT-SHK-HD-1-4

[Darth-Baiter]

On 8/27/2022 at 2:53 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Todays flavor was smoke purple and a monster catfish ate it 

dang.  i am not sure i even know how to handle a big catfish.  wow!!

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

dang.  i am not sure i even know how to handle a big catfish.  wow!!

Backreel. I used 6 lb test and that thin wire hook, it held 

[bowhunter63]

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Backreel. I used 6 lb test and that thin wire hook, it held 

You got skill brother 

[LrgmouthShad]

On 8/27/2022 at 4:53 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Todays flavor was smoke purple and a monster catfish ate it 

Sometimes I wonder if I’m in the right sport, fishing for bass. Cuz I’m having all sorts of fun and then somebody posts a photo of a 30lb flathead or blue and I think “Dang, now that’s a predator!”

[galyonj]

1 minute ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Sometimes I wonder if I’m in the right sport, fishing for bass. Cuz I’m having all sorts of fun and then somebody posts a photo of a 30lb flathead or blue and I think “Dang, now that’s a predator!”

 

If it makes you feel any better, I think the catfish was as surprised to see us as @TnRiver46 and I were to see it.

[LrgmouthShad]

Just now, galyonj said:

 

If it makes you feel any better, I think the catfish was as surprised to see us as @TnRiver46 and I were to see it.

Haha. Im just impressed, is all. ?

 

In NY I’d constantly run into this guy from Texas while fishing around at the ponds there. He loves to hunt, more than most people I’ve met. But my ponds were around hunting ground so we’d constantly be crossing paths. We’d always ask each other how things were going and no matter how big a bass I caught that day, he was polite but never impressed. He grew up fishing for bass, switched over to catfish and sometimes saltwater and hunting because “Anything under 10lbs to me is just too small and not worth the time.” 
 

I could’ve caught an 8lb bass up there and I don’t think he would’ve batted an eye ?. 

[TnRiver46]

15 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Sometimes I wonder if I’m in the right sport, fishing for bass. Cuz I’m having all sorts of fun and then somebody posts a photo of a 30lb flathead or blue and I think “Dang, now that’s a predator!”

It was one helluva strike, I’ll say that 

[Darth-Baiter]

52 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Backreel. I used 6 lb test and that thin wire hook, it held 

sorry.  i meant "how to hold it in my hands".  i think i can fight one in with rod/reel.

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

sorry.  i meant "how to hold it in my hands".  i think i can fight one in with rod/reel.

Ah. Well it’s tricky, I tried to hand land that one for some time. Dorsal and pectoral fin rays are what you want to avoid. Also blues bite like a freaking German Shepherd. You just have to be willing to lose a little bit of skin off your hands. It’s ok it grows back 

[Darth-Baiter]

yup. i helped a friend.  big cat grabbed his crankbait (not a euphemisim or anything).  we kept it in the net and just dumped him out of it.  it was scary looking.