Hey guys, this year my goal is to start throwing more worms. I have had such great success with other baits in my area, that I have really neglected them.

Past couple weekends I have had productive bass and crappie hits using a texas rigged 6" roboworm. But, I'm having a hard time getting hook sets. Id say, 70% of the time id land the fish. I needed to make an excuse to blame the gear, rather than the user  ;D

I'm pretty sure I'm using too big of a hook (Gammy offset 4/0). But, when I look at the rig, I feel I need a hook with a shaft length long enough to reach more of the worm. When I try to use say a 2/0, It just doesn't seem to cover the worm enough and I get more misses?

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong, or is this pretty much the norm for worms? I don't have this problem at all with other soft plastics it seems.

Thanks!

Only 70% hookup/land ratio  8-)

With 6 worms I use a Mustad 3/0 Straight Shank Denny Brauer Flipping Hook  

Most of my worm/soft plastic fishing is done with Owner straight shank hooks.  Exceptions are soft jerkbaits, senkos, etc.

What jdw said.  I fish plastic with a 7-1/2ft rod and can set the hook with slack in the line.  I use Owner straight shank hooks on 90% of my plastic.  Exceptions being Wacky, Frogs, & Shakey Head.

Kelley

Gamakatsu EGWs are fantastic in a 3/0 offset.  They aren't huge, but they aren't small.  I feel that they are the perfect size for the worms!  You just have to make sure that you use the right kind of hook with the size of worm that you have chosen.  anything 5-7" requires a hook that will be big enough to allow most of the worm to be engulfed into the fish, and cause a set.  I typically want to run a smaller hook, but I lost way too many fish.  I have been hearing that the 3/0, 4/0 hooks work best in this ratio.  Make sure also, that you have penetrated the worm, all the way through, so that when you go to set the hook, it actually takes!  So many times I have had a worm rigged wrong, and ended up losing the fish because I didn't penetrate the worm!  Remember that, and all will be well!

Have you tried texposing the hook?  You do it like the photo below shows and then you can reinsert the point of the hook into the worm to prevent snags.  This rig does not affect weedlessness but greatly improves hookups because there is less plastic for the hook to penetrate.

It's not the hook, that's all I use.

When you feel the bite, try a "snap set."

Reel down QUICKLY. When you feel the fish, snap the tip of your rod without moving the position of your reel relative to your body. This action will drive the hook home. The point does not need to be exposed, but if you are fishing relatively open water without mossy conditions, I like hooking up EXACTLY like the lure pictured above.

BTW,

Cephkiller, that is my favorite smallmouth color, Kent's classic by Mizmo (squash green).