Interesting Hook Design

[North Ga Hillbilly]

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=739157&destination=/catalog/product.jsp%3FparentCategoryId%3D109826280%26categoryId%3D109827180%26productId%3D744682%26type%3Dproduct%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104793480%253Bcat109826280%253Bcat109827180&WTz_l=YMAL;IK-320652

I havent done too much dropshotting, but what little I have done Ive had a hard time getting the hook to stay at the right angle, thought these were interesting and would fix the problem.

NGaHB

[Raul]

Stand out hooks have been around for quite a while, my beef with them is the sizes, they are quite small so in places like my neck of the woods you can´t rig your bait weedless, so fishing with an exposed hook is a sure way to hang up in an eyeblink.

I use Owner´s Down Shot hook, it comes in sizes 2 all the way up to 3/0, it allows the hook to stand up straight and it´s long enough to rig the bait weedless.

[ChrisAW]

I bought some recently to try as well, and I can't say I liked them very much. Seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn't fish cover because they would get hung up. I rig the bait the same as on the Gami's I use, but for some reason these got caught on everything. I don't even rig the gamy's weedless, just hooked with the point coming out of the nose, and I never have a problem with snags.

[basshunter81]

I love them, no complaints.

[J Francho]

A hook like that is not meant to fish in cover. The Owner Downshot hook that Raul mentioned is much better suited for fishing cover. That said, I use Gamakatsu Slip/Drop Shot hooks and Owner Mosquito hooks for nose hooking plastics on a drop shot rig. There's no problem getting the hook to stand out, if you run the tag end back through hook's eye, and pull the knot down.

Here's more info: http://www.richz.com/fishing/articles/dropshot.html

[Bluebasser86]

I like them really well but like others have said they don't fish well around cover, but when I'm dropshotting a 4" worm on 6lb test I'm usually not around real heavy cover.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Thanks for all the information guys. I rarely get the chance to do much dropshotting, but Ill keep all the info filed away for when I can.

NGaHB

[ChrisAW]

I like them really well but like others have said they don't fish well around cover, but when I'm dropshotting a 4" worm on 6lb test I'm usually not around real heavy cover.

I'm not talking HEAVY cover. I'm talking that one tree branch that I didn't know was on the bottom on a flat or something. No matter what, if there happened to be a tree branch or a stump or something between me and where I cast, it would hang on it. My Gami hooks rigged the same way do not hang up nearly as much as these did for me.

I'm not saying they wont work, they are very sharp and I wouldn't hesitate to use them if I run out of the Gami's, I'd just be watching where I cast more closely.

[Hamby]

With the standard drop shot hook, it can kinda roll sideways when it hits something if you finesse it past the snag.

[J Francho]

OK, dumb question time....why would you even bother fishing an open hook in cover? That's like saying, "I hate it when my rattle trap gets stuck in the lily pads." Wrong tool. Use one these if you're in cover:

[Gatorbassman]

Allthough Blakemore makes some of the best small lures on the market (Road Runner), this is not one of them. It does work as designed but, IMO it is a bulky hook and can have a negitive affect on the action of a soft plastic. If you tie the knot right and you are still having trouble getting your dropshot hook to stand out when it's out of the water then put it in the water with the intended bait on it and watch it stand out.

[Gatorbassman]

OK, dumb question time....why would you even bother fishing an open hook in cover? That's like saying, "I hate it when my rattle trap gets stuck in the lily pads." Wrong tool. Use one these if you're in cover:

The only reason I would use an open hook in cover is if the fish were line shy and it forced me to fish a light line that would normally break on the hookset that is required for a lure hooked like that. But that situation is very rare.

Word to the wise. If you hook your plastic this way remember that it requires a stronger hookset so it's no longer a light line, light rod technique. At least 12lb test and a Medium or Med Heavy Rod would be my choice when fishing dropshot in cover.

[J Francho]

If you hook your plastic this way remember that it requires a stronger hookset so it's no longer a light line, light rod technique.

I don't use anything different, tacle wise with these hooks. If you are using a typical drop shot plastic, like a GYCB Shad Shape Worm or a Roboworm Original, all it takes ia a wrist snap set, with modern X-fast drop shot rods. The wire is so light, you DO NOT want to whale on the hookset, because you will open the hook.

[Edgy]

I have actually never seen that hook before.

[Chuck Cooper]

I tried these hooks and my hook up rate fell drastically. Missed a few big fish on them. I hear the VMC Spinshot Dropshot Hooks are good. I'm going to give them a try.