Hook for wacky?

[rboat]

I like to wacky rig senkos. I use a wacky or circle hook 2/0 made for this application. Problem is lately the smaller fish hit hard and swallow it all before you can feel it. I have been able to get the hook out without hurting the fish, but I hate to see this happen. Should I use a larger hook like an EWG or something with a longer shank to avoid this problem. Please help

[Bass Junkie]

 Try an Eagle Claw Weedless hook, like the ones you see at Wally-World wih the wire weedguard. They have a nice long shank. Otherwise, I've done good with your standard widegap gammy.

[Wayne P.]

A short shank hook is easier to remove when the fish is hooked deep as you can turn it almost 180 degrees to extract it. A finesse wide gap, Octopus, or similar shank length is a the best choice.

A circle hook is made for live bait fishing and by design, it should pull out of the fish's throat and hook them in the jaw as they swim away or pull completely out without hooking the fish.

Whatever hook you use, remove the barb. That makes extraction effortless and doesn't result in lost fish.

[NewAngler]

when it comes to wacky rigging, you gotta liten to wayne p. he's the wacky expert!

[JohnMac]

The wacky rigged 5" senko is what i fish the majority of the time i spend on the water. I use the 3/0 wide gap finnesse gamakatsu hook. Its sharp and they cant seem to ever through this hook. But i love to see em try  

[aarogb]

    3/0 circle hook.

    Preferably Owner.

[Hammer 4]

X 2, except I'll use a 1/0, 2/0 alot of the time, of this depends on the bait also.

3/0 circle hook.

Preferably Owner.

[Crestliner2008]

I've been wacky rigging Senkos for a half dozen years now and through trial & error I've settled on the circle hook as the best option - for me. (However, I'm working open water and off-shore structures for smallmouths.) I'm using a Gamakatsu #221311, 1/0 red Oct InLine Circle. And I crush down the barbs. I've caught hundreds and hundreds of smallmouths, over the years, using this hook. Rarely do I hook fish deep. 99.5% are hooked in the upper lip. The very few that are so aggressive as to instantly swallow the Senko, can have the hook extracted rather easily without the barb.

I've never had to cut off and leave a hook in a fish.

[VAfishin4me]

It might sound kind of weird but you should try a Gamakatsu split shot hook, every fish I have caught using this has been hooked on the upper lip or side of the mouth.

[Hammer 4]

My hat's off to you Sir...

I've been wacky rigging Senkos for a half dozen years now and through trial & error I've settled on the circle hook as the best option - for me. (However, I'm working open water and off-shore structures for smallmouths.) I'm using a Gamakatsu #221311, 1/0 red Oct InLine Circle. And I crush down the barbs. I've caught hundreds and hundreds of smallmouths, over the years, using this hook. Rarely do I hook fish deep. 99.5% are hooked in the upper lip. The very few that are so aggressive as to instantly swallow the Senko, can have the hook extracted rather easily without the barb.

I've never had to cut off and leave a hook in a fish.

[cwb60]

VAfishin4me

Can you post a pic of the split shot hook or give some more detail.  I don't think I have seen one.

95% in the upper lip sounds great  to me.   I hate to cut a hook off in a fish, or even worse , for it to turn belly up when I turn it loose.

cwb60

[whoopbazz]

I recently switched to Mosquito hooks (by Owner or Gamagastu don't remember the brand just that they are called mosquito). I usually rig with a 1 or 1/0...but i fish smaller baits like Jersey Rig worms or 4 inch Senkos.

I really am having good luck with these hooks.

[Wayne P.]

cwb60, the Gammy split shot/drop shot hook is similar to an Octopus hook but not with the round bend and has a smaller wire size.

whoopbazz, the Mosquito hook is an Owner and the largest size availble is 2/0. It is shaped like the Gammy Octopus 024XX but a smaller wire size. I use the 2/0 for weedless wacky with finesse worms in waters with small bass and or with little or no cover. Owner's version of the Octopus 024XX hook is the SSW hook and has the same wire size. Daiichi hooks of that style are called DROP SHOT'N

For those that are not familiar with the Gammy stock number, the Octopus black nickel color in size 2/0 is 02412 and the 3/0 is 02413.

The red color Octopus hooks are stock #023XX

[whoopbazz]

cwb60, the Gammy split shot/drop shot hook is similar to an Octopus hook but not with the round bend and has a smaller wire size.

whoopbazz, the Mosquito hook is an Owner and the largest size availble is 2/0. It is shaped like the Gammy Octopus 024XX but a smaller wire size. I use the 2/0 for weedless wacky with finesse worms in waters with small bass and or with little or no cover. Owner's version of the Octopus 024XX hook is the SSW hook and has the same wire size. Daiichi hooks of that style are called DROP SHOT'N

For those that are not familiar with the Gammy stock number, the Octopus black nickel color in size 2/0 is 02412 and the 3/0 is 02413.

The red color Octopus hooks are stock #023XX

Thanks... I checked they are owners. like i said i use 1&1/0

The problem with the octopus style is the "angled" eye, where as a mosquito is straight.

[Fishing Rhino]

Circle hooks, 3/0, brand of your choice.

Do not overlook the Jackall Wacky Jig Head, or the Zappu Inchi Jig head.  You can use them on all size worms rigged wacky style.

They come in three different weights, 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8 ounce, with or without weed guards.  Unless you really need the weed guards, don't pay the extra.  The thin wire guard will break off after unhooking a few fish.

The hooks are thin, and small, the thicker worms might interfere with hooksets.

But, they really work well, and are among my favorite weapons.  As a rule, size is more important than color. Some days the 3" worms rule.   Other days 4" and some days, the 5" worms are what they want.  Then there are the days they attack anything that splashed down next to them, and size seems not to matter at all.

On those days, I use the small worms.  Two advantages.  One they cost less, and two, they give the hook a better bite, and better hooksets.

[Wayne P.]

whoopbazz, of the several dozen Owner Mosquito hooks I have, every one has the same bend angle at the eye as the Gamakastu Octopus, the Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, the Gamakatsu Octopus Circle, and Owner SSW hook. You must have some mfg defects.

[bigbill]

I wacky rig my senko type baits on a 1/8oz carolina rig. I use a weedless hook in the center of the senko. I cast it out from shore and keep the line tight as it falls to feel the hit. I use a 2/0 to 3/0 hook most of the time.  But i will go up to a 4/0 to 5/0 and larger for bigger thicker plastics.

BTW;  I seen a very big LMB one day swim right up near the shoreline and grab my 7 1/4" BPS stick o worm in its mouth.  I tried them on my first day of having them to see what they would do.  I didn't have a big hook and only had a 2/0 hook in it.  Of course i missed that fish of a lifetime too.  It probably was a new state record. My point is stay with the larger sized hooks.  I make a point of fishing for the larger fish now and carry another rod for the smaller ones too.   For large baits big hooks and for smaller sized baits smaller hooks you deceide what to use.

I fish with a guy who uses a flyrod all the time while were bass fishing and you want to see the flies he loses because the larger fish just go away with it.  I told him either you fish for small fish or large fish its up to you but one flyrod won't do it all.