Straight Shank Vs. Wide Gap For Texas Rigging 2024
Verisimilidude reply :
Hey folks -
Looking to get some insight into your thoughts regarding using straight shank hooks vs wide gap hooks.
I've been mostly throwing all of my t-rigged plastics on straight shank hooks with bait keepers. I'll do this whether I'm flipping, or making long casts. I can see some of the pros and cons of doing this, but i'd like to hear your thoughts.
Recently I've tried throwing the same plastics on wide gap hooks, and while the lighter wire hooks seem to have better hookup ratios (so far), the baits seem to always need to be adjusted after every few casts.
Willing to hear anything you guys have to say on the topic.
Thanks very much in advance.
livemusic reply :
I would like to know the answer, too. Hookups are my #1 concern; whatever is best for that is what I would favor unless it is a major pain to fish.
Glenn reply :
Here's how you keep the bait from sliding on the hooks:
scaleface reply :
I like to peg the worm also. This year I've been removing a strand from a jig brush guard and use it to poke through the bait and eye .
HoosierHawgs reply :
I always use super glue. I used to use straight shank, but like the EWG better. I'd still use a straight shank flipping hook with a snell for creatures though.
livemusic reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 12:26 AM, jakob1010 said:...I'd still use a straight shank flipping hook with a snell for creatures though.
Why, I'm curious.
HoosierHawgs reply :
Confidence thing. I lil the Trokar flipping hooks, I believe its the TK130 model. I'm not worried about straightening that bad boy out, and I feel I get a better penetration of the hook.On 5/9/2015 at 1:01 AM, livemusic said:Why, I'm curious.
livemusic reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 1:11 AM, jakob1010 said:Confidence thing. I lil the Trokar flipping hooks, I believe its the TK130 model. I'm not worried about straightening that bad boy out, and I feel I get a better penetration of the hook.
You said "snell," does that mean snell knot? Is that a knot around the hook? If so, why?
I think I used that hook with Texas rig Fluke and had good hookups. I just used Palomar knot.
HoosierHawgs reply :
Its a type of knot. When a flipping hook is snelled, it causes the hook to kick out on the hook set, thus penetrating the plastic and the fishes mout. It also does not slip while using braid.On 5/9/2015 at 1:17 AM, livemusic said:You said "snell," does that mean snell knot? Is that a knot around the hook? If so, why?
I think I used that hook with Texas rig Fluke and had good hookups. I just used Palomar knot.
chelboed reply :
I gave straight shank a shot...pretty nice ones. I bought the Trokar hooks and another brand that had a nice barb on it to keep the worm on. My opinion is...I didn't like it. Straight shank hooks when used in heavy veg, thick hydrilla, thick moss...pull through the plastic to easily because the hook tip is pointed out instead of skin-hooked like a wide gap offset. When the plastic reaches the vegetation, it flexes just a tad exposing the very tip of the sharp Trokar hook. That tiny sharp tip will start ripping the weeds and bringing them back with you.
My favorite setup is a 2/0 or 3/0 Gamakatsu with a 5" Senko. 4/0 with Fat Ika. 1/0-2/0 with a 4" senko and other finesse worms. If the weeds are thick, I'll use a 1/16oz bullet weight behind a weight stopper / bobber stopper (little rubber nub on a wire) to keep the weight against the hook. The reason I use the little rubber stopper is because it lessens the transition from the line to the weight. The reason I use the bullet weight is to guide the weeds over the shoulder of the plastic.
If the weeds are few, I cast weightless.
livemusic reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 1:19 AM, jakob1010 said:Its a type of knot. When a flipping hook is snelled, it causes the hook to kick out on the hook set, thus penetrating the plastic and the fishes mouth. It also does not slip while using braid.
Hmmm... my #1 wish... hookup after a bite. Those Trokar hooks are so sharp! Anything that is more apt to get it out of the plastic, into the fish's mouth, I'm interested.
I'd like to see a pic of a snelled hook rigged Texas style.
chelboed reply :
On 5/8/2015 at 11:54 PM, Verisimilidude said:Hey folks -
Looking to get some insight into your thoughts regarding using straight shank hooks vs wide gap hooks.
I've been mostly throwing all of my t-rigged plastics on straight shank hooks with bait keepers. I'll do this whether I'm flipping, or making long casts. I can see some of the pros and cons of doing this, but i'd like to hear your thoughts.
Recently I've tried throwing the same plastics on wide gap hooks, and while the lighter wire hooks seem to have better hookup ratios (so far), the baits seem to always need to be adjusted after every few casts.
Willing to hear anything you guys have to say on the topic.
Thanks very much in advance.
You don't necessarily need to use lighter wired hooks either. Superline hooks are stout and sharp. I think the Trokar straights are sharper, but IMO...sharp isn't an issue. I can sharpen hooks. For me the issue is bringing my worm back weed-free and keeping my plastic on the hook from weed bed to weed bed.
((I bankfish and cast over the weeds and work it back across. I don't cast from a boat out to the weeds and reel into open water...so that could be a difference in perspective too.)
CWB reply :
If you like to snell your flipping hooks ( as I do ) try the VMC with the epoxy sealed eye ring. No chance of the hook eye opening damaging your line. For everything else, I use EWG.
Catt reply :
Straight shank round bend hook
No peg
No bait keeper
No snell
No problems in any way, shape, or form
I cast, flip, pitch, & punch every kind of cover known to man.
papajoe222 reply :
I use EWG hooks for my T-rigs and straight shank worm hooks for flipping and pitching, basically whenever I want the added advantage you get when using a snell knot and bullet weight. I just started using that knot in those situations and I'm very happy with the solid hook ups I get on the majority of hits.
retiredbosn reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 1:01 AM, livemusic said:Why, I'm curious.
Here is why the Snell knot really improves hook up ratios. Be sure to watch until the end, less than an ounce weight causes the hook to flip up into the fish's mouth.
https://youtu.be/tm7rZefNF8U
hatrix reply :
I use a flipping hook for all creature baits and tubes. Basically anything but worms.
rangerjockey reply :
straight shank any time I can..The only time I use a EWG is when the plastic would fill the gap, beavers brush hogs ect.
No Thanks I'll Bass reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 1:22 AM, chelboed said:I gave straight shank a shot...pretty nice ones. I bought the Trokar hooks and another brand that had a nice barb on it to keep the worm on. My opinion is...I didn't like it. Straight shank hooks when used in heavy veg, thick hydrilla, thick moss...pull through the plastic to easily because the hook tip is pointed out instead of skin-hooked like a wide gap offset. When the plastic reaches the vegetation, it flexes just a tad exposing the very tip of the sharp Trokar hook. That tiny sharp tip will start ripping the weeds and bringing them back with you.
My favorite setup is a 2/0 or 3/0 Gamakatsu with a 5" Senko. 4/0 with Fat Ika. 1/0-2/0 with a 4" senko and other finesse worms. If the weeds are thick, I'll use a 1/16oz bullet weight behind a weight stopper / bobber stopper (little rubber nub on a wire) to keep the weight against the hook. The reason I use the little rubber stopper is because it lessens the transition from the line to the weight. The reason I use the bullet weight is to guide the weeds over the shoulder of the plastic.
If the weeds are few, I cast weightless.
I notice you don't use a bead. I have been using a bead in between the weight and the hook. Not sure why? I think I saw a video that used one and I just have done it since. What's the reasoning behind that and is it really worth rigging on there?
WRB reply :
The first worm hooks were straight shank sproat bend made by Mustad and EagleClaw followed by off set hooks by EagleClaw, era mid 60's. Fast forward 50 years and straight shank sproat bend hooks are still made by Mustad, EagleClaw, Gamakatsu and others. The first round bend worm hooks were called Aberdeen and Gamasatsu introduced needle sharp round hooks as thier first light wire worm hook. Owner followed with a round bend worm hook. True Turn came out with a bent straight shank hook and there has been hundreds of worm hook shapes and styles over the past 50 years trying to solve the problem of bass not getting hooked every strike.
The problem isn't the hook design, it has always been and always will be operator error.
There isn't a panacea in worm hook design.
Tom
Catt reply :
@WRB
Lonnie Stanley made a deal with Mustard to create first needle point round bend hook which Lonnie used in his jigs, spinnerbaits, & even a worm hook.
S. Sass reply :
On 5/9/2015 at 1:22 AM, chelboed said:
I gave straight shank a shot...pretty nice ones. I bought the Trokar hooks and another brand that had a nice barb on it to keep the worm on. My opinion is...I didn't like it. Straight shank hooks when used in heavy veg, thick hydrilla, thick moss...pull through the plastic to easily because the hook tip is pointed out instead of skin-hooked like a wide gap offset. When the plastic reaches the vegetation, it flexes just a tad exposing the very tip of the sharp Trokar hook. That tiny sharp tip will start ripping the weeds and bringing them back with you.
Of course not being in your shoes I don't know. But this is where T-rigged came from and made it popular. T-rigged properly should excel when used in heavy veg, thick hydrilla, thick moss... it should not pull through the plastic so easily. Just guessing but maybe your setting the hook point to deep into the plastic.
From my experience you don't have to come near penetrating the outer surface with the straight shank hook point. I think people that have been use to skin hooking the standard EWG trying to keep or get that hook point out as much as possible sometimes think that a straight shank should be .0001 of a inch from coming out of the bait. This is far from necessary. On strait shank hooks the point is already leading the way out of the bait with the angle it sits at. Not to mention these razor sharp hook tips of today have no problem poking through. This differs from a EWG that is skin hooked as the skin hooked portion of a EWG is basically being ripped through, using the dull back side of the hook not the tip, the point/tip of this style hook is not leading the way to penetrate the bait, its pointed forward. To make it worse some EWG are even tilted inwards slightly. To come out and hook a fish it has to be pushed vertically where there is no point or sharp edge.
I was actually having this discussion with a guy having issues with hook sets using ElaZtech(Zman) baits for the first time at the lake a few weeks ago. He was using EWG hooks and he was having the issue of the very elastic material not letting his skin hooked point rip through. The back of the hook isn't sharp and ElaZtech material is pretty spongy.
Raul reply :
On 6/4/2016 at 12:24 PM, WRB said:The first worm hooks were straight shank sproat bend made by Mustad and EagleClaw followed by off set hooks by EagleClaw, era mid 60's. Fast forward 50 years and straight shank sproat bend hooks are still made by Mustad, EagleClaw, Gamakatsu and others. The first round bend worm hooks were called Aberdeen and Gamasatsu introduced needle sharp round hooks as thier first light wire worm hook. Owner followed with a round bend worm hook. True Turn came out with a bent straight shank hook and there has been hundreds of worm hook shapes and styles over the past 50 years trying to solve the problem of bass not getting hooked every strike.
The problem isn't the hook design, it has always been and always will be operator error.
There isn't a panacea in worm hook design.
Tom
^^^^^^^ What he said !
I've used pretty much every hook and so far I haven't found any significant difference in the hook up ratio, I have pretty much settled in Owner's J hook for almost everything.
So which hooks are best ? Whatever you like but make sure they are RAZOR SHARP all the time.
Mike L reply :
I've always texposed every plastic I throw until I started useing the Trokar TK 130 hooks. With those I don't penetrate the plastic anymore. They're so sharp it isn't necessary, especially when snelling the knot
Mike
lakeannaangler reply :
I use EWG anytime I can. Other than that I use offset round bend for worms and straight shank for flipping
everythingthatswims reply :
I use Gamakatsu EWG for everything. "Superline" for pitching
Mosster47 reply :
I use both and it seems to me like I get a hook in fish a little easier with a straight shank and they stay on a little better with the EWG. I think both get the job done if you do yours.
The only real difference between certain hook styles for the same technique is a finesse gap vs a light wire straight shank on a drop shot. The straight shank is infinitely better in both hookup ratio and keeping the fish pegged.
chelboed reply :
On 6/4/2016 at 11:20 AM, No Thanks I'll Bass said:I notice you don't use a bead. I have been using a bead in between the weight and the hook. Not sure why? I think I saw a video that used one and I just have done it since. What's the reasoning behind that and is it really worth rigging on there?
Well, 9/10 I won't even use a bullet weight anymore. I just use an EWG hook and a plastic. If I need a bullet for finesse, it's likely no heavier than 1/16. If I punch a mat, I'll use a 1/3oz.
All of my fishing is from the bank, so I am generally pulling my bait into the weeds versus away.
The bead is there to protect the knot from the weight, add some flash, add some sound.
lo n slo reply :
Gamakatsu 3/0 round bend offset
A-Jay reply :
I'm an EWG hook user & abuser.
For standard (light wire applications) it's Gamakatsu Offset EWG Worm Hooks Black for me. Has been for Years.
For Medium to Heavy Lifting, I'm a Huge fan of the Owner Wide Gap Plus Black Chrome Hook ~ It's like a GAFF.
Tired really hard to like the Lazer Trokar MagWorm Hook. But the majority of my rigs are Tex-Posed and this hooks "unique surgically sharpened three-sided hook point" slices through my baits well before a fish can get on them. No Good.
Still, I carry a wide assortment of various gauge wire Offset Round Bend Worm Hooks ~ just never use them.
Maybe someday . . . . . .
A-Jay
Mike L reply :
On 7/1/2016 at 3:48 AM, A-Jay said:
Tired really hard to like the Lazer Trokar MagWorm Hook. But the majority of my rigs are Tex-Posed and this hooks "unique surgically sharpened three-sided hook point" slices through my baits well before a fish can get on them. No Good.
A-Jay
A-Jay...Don't tex pose them. Stop before you break through and then throw. Don't worry about not getting a proper hook set with the hook penetrating the plastic..I use the TK 130 exclusively for punching which I can do all day and don't have that problem..
Good Luck
Mike
A-Jay reply :
On 7/1/2016 at 3:58 AM, Mike L said:A-Jay...Don't tex pose them. Stop before you break through and then throw. Don't worry about not getting a proper hook set with the hook penetrating the plastic..I use the TK 130 exclusively for punching which I can do all day and don't have that problem..
Good Luck
Mike
I smell what you're cooking Mike ~
Thanks
A-Jay
Mike L reply :
On 6/4/2016 at 11:20 AM, No Thanks I'll Bass said:I notice you don't use a bead. I have been using a bead in between the weight and the hook. Not sure why? I think I saw a video that used one and I just have done it since. What's the reasoning behind that and is it really worth rigging on there?
3 reasons...
1. It protect's the knot from the weight banging into it
2. It makes somewhat of a clicking sound when it hits the weight which some folks say helps to mimic a craw
3. It's a confidence thing
Mike
Fishinthefish reply :
Mustad EWG hooks for anything rigged texas or weedless. Flukes, stick baits, craws or creatures. I have a lot more confidence in my hookups and in deep cover I can slam a hookset without fear of pulling it out of the mouth. The EWG hooksets also make me feel more confident fishing under docks.
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