Gut hooked fish on a Wacky Rig 2025
BrackishBassin reply :
So, I got a chance to hit the lake today. Blue bird skies, hot, and not a breath of wind. Decided to throw a wacky rig from the bank. I was targeting lay downs and other pieces of structure/cover I could find.
First fish (pickerel) I had zero issues. Next two fish (both bass) were gut hooked. I was able to remove the hook from one, but the other one died shortly after I put it back in the water. I absolutely hate killing fish I'm not going to eat.
With both bass, I never felt a tug or saw the line (braid with a mono leader) move. I went to shake it up off the bottom , felt resistance, and set the hook. After the second one was gut hooked (the one that didn't make it), I switched up to moving baits and never got another bite. I was just too gun shy to continue fishing it.
My question is, does or has anyone else had a similar issue fishing a wacky rigged trick worm from the bank? After today's experience, I'd be hesitant to throw them again. What if that fish that hadn't made it was a big one? Then I would've really felt like crap. What was I doing wrong?
Jar11591 reply :
It just means there was too much time between the when the fish takes the bait and your hookset. Try to keep your line semi-slack so its taught enough to feel any tension, but slack enough to let the bait fall naturally. There should be a slight bow in the line, not allowing it to lay limp on top of the water. With most soft plastic presentations, if you're not totally focused, more often than not a bass will swallow the rig. A wacky rig is especially easy for a bass to swallow because smaller hooks are often used.
Scott F reply :
If you pinch down the barb on the hook you use, you can easily remove the hook even if the bass is gut hooked. Before you say I think I'd loose too many fish, the pinched barb penetrates more easily and if you keep good pressure on, you'll land just about as many fish and most importantly most if not all with swim off alive.
Jig Man reply :
If you don't know how to go through the gills and turn the hook around, take the time to look it up and learn to do it. It is easy and saves those for you to catch in the future.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+remove+a+hook+from+a+fish's+throat&docid=608016054638741501&mid=A780E4C3C33CC0B1F974A780E4C3C33CC0B1F974&view=detail&FORM=VIREHT
RoLo reply :
Assuming that you are a 'line-watcher', gut-hooking is only a problem
on days when bass are highly aggressive, which is not the norm.
The chances are good that you won't encounter a similar day for quite a while.
If you continue dealing with gut-hooked fish, crimping the barb on your hook
will make it easier on the fish and the fisherman.
Roger
WRB reply :
Light wire circle hook will eliminate gut hooking.
Owner #5114 or 5185 light wire depending on the type of line you use.
Tom
BrackishBassin reply :
I do crimp my barbs. The one I couldn't save swallowed everything but the eye. I cut the line after I realized there was no way I was getting it out, but he flipped around for a while in front of me and then went belly up.
I use circle hooks for saltwater, but haven't tried them for fresh. I guess I can give it a shot. Have to retrain myself not to set the hook though.
I'm definitely a line watcher, but I never even saw it twitch. Never had that happen to me before. I spend quite a bit of time fishing ponds because they're local for me. 99 percent of the time I'm throwing a soft plastic of some sort and have only ever had 1 fish die on me. That one I chalked up to bad luck. Fish came out of the water bleeding like a stuck pig and was dead within 30 seconds of me tossing it back.
I'm familiar with the through the gills method, but these were on the smaller side and I couldn't access the hook through the gills for one that died.
WRB reply :
Weightless Senko drifting down through the water column with slight life like wiggles, to a bass it's pret and taste and feels alive so they engulf it and continue to swallow it without moving off with the meal. You can't detect that type of strike unless you see it or know the sink rate or see the line stop sinking.
You may miss a few fish until you get the sweep set timing down with a circle hook, it's works very well wacky rigged.
Tom
BuzzHudson19c reply :
Last year I was throwing t-rig Yum dinger and felt a fish toying with the bait. When he finally felt on, I set the hook. The thing comes it like a sack of potatoes which has me scratching my head. When it gets to the top I realized why, he was hooked through the eye and into his head. The fish at some point must have picked up the bait and spit it out. The thing was stone dead.
Simple solution for things like that, deep gut hook or otherwise, eat them. It's not the tastiest fish but I feel better getting a fillet out of a fish I killed accidentally.
PECo reply :
I use Gamakatsu No. 4 Octopus Circle hooks with an O-ring when wacky-rigging. I almost always end up setting the hook into the lip of the fish.
riverbasser reply :
Circle hooks will definitely help if not totally remedy the issue but I find I miss hook ups with them. To me wacky rigging a weightless worm and gut hooking is just something that's going to happen. I use octopus hooks with no barb and line watch but they just swallow this rig without hesitation. No one likes killing fish and for good reason but I don't know why no one likes eating fish. If I don't think they will survive then they get ate.
d-camarena reply :
Keep em and eat em. No biggie. At least he wont go to waste. Like jay kumar says- "they are just bass"
MassYak85 reply :
If you are that worried about it I'd switch to either a circle hook or crimp down the barb. I would also recommend watching this video or others like it. This method has saved dozens of fish for me and I'm sure it can help you out as well.
And if all else fails...no shame in eating them if they're going to die anyways. It happens occasionally to all of us whether we know it or not. If you know it...might as well put the fish to good use. But you should have a few options to avoid this now.
Bluebasser86 reply :
It happens often, and the question comes up often how to deal with it. If you learn how to properly remove a gut hooked bass, very few of them will go belly up on you like that.
BrackishBassin reply :
I would have kept the bass if it had been legal, but it wasn't. So, I had to toss it back.
I'll give circle hooks a shot.
Guess there's always a drop shot if I want to go finesse. Never had a bass gut hook themselves on a drop shot.
On 6/11/2017 at 1:15 PM, Bluebasser86 said:It happens often, and the question comes up often how to deal with it. If you learn how to properly remove a gut hooked bass, very few of them will go belly up on you like that.
Yeah, there was no removing this hook. It had swallowed everything but the eye so there was no place to turn the hook to. Would have just stuck it deeper into his gut.
I've used that method with worm hooks before, but it's much easier due to the long shank of the hook.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 6/11/2017 at 6:47 PM, BrackishBassin said:Yeah, there was no removing this hook. It had swallowed everything but the eye so there was no place to turn the hook to. Would have just stuck it deeper into his gut.
I've used that method with worm hooks before, but it's much easier due to the long shank of the hook.
I've seen this often, many times on Thursday as the older gentleman in the boat couldn't feel or see the strikes on his wacky rig. If you gently pull on the line the hook will usually move up further where you're able to reach it. I hate leaving the hook in them because I have a hard time believing those fish make it. Feel it's better for them to go fairly quickly bleeding out versus starving to death because they can't eat properly.
It's still going to happen, you'll still lose one once in awhile. I killed one on a frog last week. Inhaled it on the strike and got the hook right through the gills, belly up as soon as it hit the water. Just one of those things that's going to happen no matter what you do.
Fishes in trees reply :
My guess is that you just missed your cue. If you're fishing wacky baits on a semi-slack line or even a really slack line, like dead sticking, you should see the strike prior to feeling it. The line will move (or stop moving) or do something out of the ordinary, indicating that you might think about setting the hook. Hooksets are free. Fluorocarbon line can sometimes be a challenge to watch. Braid/fluorocarbon leader set ups are relatively easy.
kfili reply :
+1 for crimping down the barb on the wacky hooks, it's just an easy bait for them to swallow, I dont how much it would have helped if he swallowed it up to the eye (i picture it could have helped, at least make it easier to pass). I caught a fish with a entire jig head coming out of it, whoever caught it had crimped down the barb and I was able to pull it out easy, Im sure that fish is still swimming now.
RichF reply :
Senkos are killing too many bass! Time to ban that darn thing once and for all 
. Sorry Mr. Yamamoto.
MassYak85 reply :
If they're getting it so deep you can't use the gill removal method I would just crimp down the barbs. I do that for ice fishing now. I use the same type of finesse wide gap hooks popular for wacky rigging and just crimp down the barb on all of them. Most of the times they swallow it since you have to run to the hole but with the barbs pinched it still takes no effort to remove them.
NYWayfarer reply :
I use a size 1/0 wacky worm hook with an O ring. 8lb stren clear blue fluorescent line (easy to see)
Cast the worm when it hits the water I leave the slight slack in the line watching it at all times to see if it moves. Most of the time even with the semi-slack line I feel the initial tug of a bass taking the bait.
It seems to me the wacky hook with the O ring almost sets itself when the bass strikes as the hook is totally exposed.
greentrout reply :
I use Tru-turn hooks and they have greatly reduced gut hooked fish. Most are hooked in the lip or nose. If gut hooked, I'll cut off the line as close as possible and let 'em go. Get's 'em back in the water fast and those hooks will rust out or the fish has a chance to work it out. Once had a Texas Wildlife & Fisheries official tell me the most important thing is to get the fish back in the water quickly. Just because they swim off does not mean they will make it.
Each to his own.
LxVE Bassin reply :
Gotta set the hook sooner. The longer you wait the more likely the fish will swallow the the hook. Try using octopus circle or finess wide gap hooks, they usually hook them on the side of the mouth. Never had a problem with them getting gut hooked.
TOXIC reply :
One of the many reasons why I don't like wacky rigging. Having been sponsored by Yamamoto for over 15 years and guiding, I see my share of gut hooked fish. I'm an expert at removal through the gill. No tournament fisherman is gonna bend a barb in to reduce hookups. Also be advised that there are other places where you can hook a bass that will kill it immediately. The tongue is a delicate spot as well as the gills and some other spots in the mouth. I have found no less bites and far less gut hooks with the Texas rigged Senkos on a 4.0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. Reason being, the EWG creates a bigger mass that the bass can't inhale as easily without either a line jump or it banging off the inside of the mouth. But, they can also spit a Texas rigged Senko easier. With Clients, I actually watch their line as they fish. If they are really inexperienced, I will move up to a 5.0 EWG. Here's a picture from last weekend and if these big girls don't swallow it whole then the smaller ones are safer. You can zoom in on the hook.
Darren. reply :
Seen my share, as well...
Thus, one of the reasons I use yellow Power Pro. I am a
line watcher. So I have put a lot of time in and have gotten
pretty good at hooking the *vast* majority of wacky bass in
the mouth area, not the gut.
But there are those times when the take is so soft and the
line is still, but when you reel in, a bass is there. Have seen
that with both wacky and weightless TX rigging, although
less TX.
Doelman reply :
Use a floating line like braid. I've never caught a bass on a senko that I couldn't see the line acting strange when bit, I also don't leave it on the bottom for more than a second before popping it. If I ever even think I may have been bit, I'll reel until I either feel the weight of the fish or bait. With that said, big bass can inhale these things even when you see them take it and gut hook themselves. The only thing that will stop that is a hook big enough they can't swallow, but you'll get less bites.
TOXIC reply :
The resistance of braid and it's floating characteristic will eliminate the natural action of a weightless senko unless you use a leader. That is why I like mono for weightless senkos. 10lb mono to be exact. I caught a 14lb Northern Snakehead on that setup last weekend. If you set your gear up right then it's possible. You can't upsize a hook big enough to keep an average size bass (1-4lbs) from inhaling it.
CTBassin860 reply :
When you see that line start to swim away,reel up and sweep.Dont wait to set the hook.Im using the VMC Neko hooks size 1 with double O-rings.Every one of my sets are in the upper lip.
NHBull reply :
On 6/16/2017 at 7:08 PM, TOXIC said:The resistance of braid and it's floating characteristic will eliminate the natural action of a weightless senko unless you use a leader. That is why I like mono for weightless senkos. 10lb mono to be exact. I caught a 14lb Northern Snakehead on that setup last weekend. If you set your gear up right then it's possible. You can't upsize a hook big enough to keep an average size bass (1-4lbs) from inhaling it.
My personal experience is that noobs that are using mono with wacky rigs have a lot more gut hooks than those using braid or braid with leader. Sensitivity being the key factor. On a side note, 10lb 832 will sink faster than 10 lb mono. If you want braid to sink faster, lob the bait, the velocity helps break water tention
Glenn reply :
I never use braid with wacky rigs - not even as a "main line". Braid is buoyant, and it can inhibit the action of the bait. Instead, I use fluorocarbon. It has a slow sink to it, which conveniently matches the slow fall of a weightless Senko, so it pairs well with it. Plus fluorocarbon has high sensitivity.
Doelman reply :
On 6/16/2017 at 7:08 PM, TOXIC said:The resistance of braid and it's floating characteristic will eliminate the natural action of a weightless senko unless you use a leader. That is why I like mono for weightless senkos. 10lb mono to be exact. I caught a 14lb Northern Snakehead on that setup last weekend. If you set your gear up right then it's possible. You can't upsize a hook big enough to keep an average size bass (1-4lbs) from inhaling it.
Why would you use braid without a leader on a finesse rig? It takes 1 minute to cut off a 6 foot piece of fluoro and uni uni it to your main line. I've never had an issue getting excellent natural action using braid with a leader, but I only use Gary senkos and they tend to sink faster than most.
I would never fish senkos if I couldn't watch the line, gut hooking is a problem if you aren't on top of the bite.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 6/16/2017 at 7:08 PM, TOXIC said:The resistance of braid and it's floating characteristic will eliminate the natural action of a weightless senko unless you use a leader. That is why I like mono for weightless senkos. 10lb mono to be exact. I caught a 14lb Northern Snakehead on that setup last weekend. If you set your gear up right then it's possible. You can't upsize a hook big enough to keep an average size bass (1-4lbs) from inhaling it.
I use straight braid and no leader on my weightless wacky rig.I have never noticed any kind of diminished action whatsoever. I also have no problems with hook ups or gut hooks using a size 1 hook.
Scott F reply :
On 6/16/2017 at 9:20 PM, Glenn said:I never use braid with wacky rigs - not even as a "main line". Braid is buoyant, and it can inhibit the action of the bait. Instead, I use fluorocarbon. It has a slow sink to it, which conveniently matches the slow fall of a weightless Senko, so it pairs well with it. Plus fluorocarbon has high sensitivity.
The fact that braid floats is exactly why I only use it for my weightless senkos. It is so barely buoyant that it really has little to no effect on the fall rate of the bait. But, because it does float, It makes it MUCH easier to watch the line. So many of my bites are detected because I saw the line laying on the surface "twitch". If the line was under water, I'd never have known I had a bite.
TOXIC reply :
First, let me say this and I am being honest, I say it in every seminar I give regarding Senkos.
"There is no wrong way to fish a Senko."
Fish a Senko in whatever way gives you the most confidence. All the years of my being sponsored and and my trips to the factory interacting the the folks that make them in Page, AZ, allow me to get a little of the inside scoop on "why" they are made the way they are and "how" they were intended to be fished but that in no way means there aren't other ways to fish them that aren't productive. I've seen this topic get pretty heated on other sites and it always starts off with the Senko vs knockoffs debate. Just like the different rigging methods, there is no one right answer.
RPreeb reply :
On 6/11/2017 at 6:47 PM, BrackishBassin said:I would have kept the bass if it had been legal, but it wasn't. So, I had to toss it back.
This is certainly an issue here in Colorado. In most of the state water, size limit for largemouth is 15", but finding one that size can be a challenge (Colorado isn't exactly a major bass fishery 
). I fish catch and release, but it puts the fisherman in an ethical quandary when he knows that the hook has killed the fish, yet he can't risk keeping it because of the large fine imposed for having an undersized fish in his possession.
NHBull reply :
On 6/17/2017 at 12:52 AM, RPreeb said:
This is certainly an issue here in Colorado. In most of the state water, size limit for largemouth is 15", but finding one that size can be a challenge (Colorado isn't exactly a major bass fishery
). I fish catch and release, but it puts the fisherman in an ethical quandary when he knows that the hook has killed the fish, yet he can't risk keeping it because of the large fine imposed for having an undersized fish in his possession.
Fish are part of the food chain and little sleep should be lost on the occasional premature death.
Last yr, one of mine died and an eagle promptly dove and brought it back to the nest...life goes on...
RPreeb reply :
On 6/17/2017 at 12:57 AM, NHBull said:Fish are part of the food chain and little sleep should be lost on the occasional premature death.
Last yr, one of mine died and an eagle promptly dove and brought it back to the nest...life goes on...
Good point. Hopefully a badger or raccoon or coyote - we have all three around town here - will get it before it's too far gone. Most of my evening fishing is in a very small pond 4 blocks from home. Not much going on with it, but I get to practice new techniques there, and now and then I actually hook one.
NYWayfarer reply :
On 6/17/2017 at 12:45 AM, TOXIC said:First, let me say this and I am being honest, I say it in every seminar I give regarding Senkos.
"There is no wrong way to fish a Senko."
I have to agree.
A story comes to mind. My fishing partner was using a Senko with a offset 3/0 worm hook. Problem was he rigged it wacky style and went through the worm twice so it was bunched up in the middle.
Before I could give him some advice, he caught the first and biggest Bass of the day on that mess.
earthworm77 reply :
The bottom line is, on a weightless presentation you just have to really pay attention to what is going on or you will continue to have this issue.
BrackishBassin reply :
Appreciate all the input! In spite of paying close attention to my line, it seems like it's an inevitable part of wacky rigging trick worms. I'll stick to my weightless senkos and drop shot for a while. Don't have issues with either of those two presentations and they catch plenty of fish. Thanks all!
The Bassman reply :
On 6/11/2017 at 7:55 AM, Scott F said:If you pinch down the barb on the hook you use, you can easily remove the hook even if the bass is gut hooked. Before you say I think I'd loose too many fish, the pinched barb penetrates more easily and if you keep good pressure on, you'll land just about as many fish and most importantly most if not all with swim off alive.
I've always pinched barbs on trebles but didn't think to on singles. Used your tip this morning during some great wacky action. It kept me out of trouble several times and fish stayed buttoned just fine. Also, started fishing Mepps plain lately. Smallmouth hit them just fine. Come to think of it the dressed ones don't look any different in the water than when I pick up slop. Thanks so much for your input.
LxVE Bassin reply :
On 6/16/2017 at 10:46 PM, Doelman said:Why would you use braid without a leader on a finesse rig? It takes 1 minute to cut off a 6 foot piece of fluoro and uni uni it to your main line. I've never had an issue getting excellent natural action using braid with a leader, but I only use Gary senkos and they tend to sink faster than most.
I would never fish senkos if I couldn't watch the line, gut hooking is a problem if you aren't on top of the bite.
I usually fish senkos on braid with a leader, but occasionally I will fish with straight braid. I've caught my biggest bass on a senko with straight braid. I have caught fish on straight braid in clear and stained water. The sink rate is slower with straight braid but it still has it purpose.
Saki reply :
A few weeks ago I was with two friends testing braid to mono for the first time and a wacky worm, since I'm not familiar with knoting two lines I tried a Uni knot but somehow it wasn't a right knot.
First cast I set the hook and lose my leader + tackle, I rigged a new set and resumed my fishing walking along the shore of the pond. Forward 20 minutes and I'm casting back at the same stump structure with a spinnerbait and I get a fish
It was the same that ate the wacky earlier. As I was about to free the spinnerbait I noticed it had a line hanging from the mouth and there was the worm+hook inside, I felt so relieved as she did not swallow it but was keeping it inside her mouth, I was so puzzled and it was a small one so I didn't thought about taking pictures, but the 3 of us were shocked for the rest of the fishing trip.
Once I was fishing on a small dam and as I lifted the fish out ot the water it freed and came down hitting the rocks and landing on the shore of the small creek on the other side, 5mt.
She died from the fall and two minutes later it was being ripped of by the craws but I felt so down all the day.
Doelman reply :
On 6/19/2017 at 7:01 PM, Saki said:A few weeks ago I was with two friends testing braid to mono for the first time and a wacky worm, since I'm not familiar with knoting two lines I tried a Uni knot but somehow it wasn't a right knot.
First cast I set the hook and lose my leader + tackle, I rigged a new set and resumed my fishing walking along the shore of the pond. Forward 20 minutes and I'm casting back at the same stump structure with a spinnerbait and I get a fish
It was the same that ate the wacky earlier. As I was about to free the spinnerbait I noticed it had a line hanging from the mouth and there was the worm+hook inside, I felt so relieved as she did not swallow it but was keeping it inside her mouth, I was so puzzled and it was a small one so I didn't thought about taking pictures, but the 3 of us were shocked for the rest of the fishing trip.
Once I was fishing on a small dam and as I lifted the fish out ot the water it freed and came down hitting the rocks and landing on the shore of the small creek on the other side, 5mt.
She died from the fall and two minutes later it was being ripped of by the craws but I felt so down all the day.
I had a similar experience, I was bass fishing and hooked into a pike, it ended up biting the bait off. My dad caught a pike a few minutes later and what did it have in it's mouth? My lure lol
earthworm77 reply :
On 6/18/2017 at 6:41 AM, BrackishBassin said:Appreciate all the input! In spite of paying close attention to my line, it seems like it's an inevitable part of wacky rigging trick worms. I'll stick to my weightless senkos and drop shot for a while. Don't have issues with either of those two presentations and they catch plenty of fish. Thanks all!
I fish some gin clear water here in Fl and I use the wacky rig a lot. For me personally, I keep in contact with the bait at all times, meaning I control slack line. I would estimate I catch over 600 to 800 fish a season on this rig. I can't remember having a gut hook hooked fish in many years. I watch how people I fish with use the technique and generally, I see them picking up a ton of slack line to keep up with the bait or a bite, I think that is where the issue comes in. They don't realize how long the fish actually was on the bait. They don't instantly swallow it, that takes a few seconds.
soflabasser reply :
Bass get gut hooked all the time when using soft plastics, and even the best of best bass fishermen has gut hooked a couple bass on senkos, flukes, worms, etc. Many of these gut hooked bass die after the release and a good percentage of them have their intestines packed with soft plastics. Over time these bass will become malnourished and die from having too many soft plastics in their intestines.There's several pictures and videos online showing bass filled with soft plastics, check these videos out. Setting the hook as quickly as possible helps lower the chance of a gut hooked fish, but that's easier said than done.
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