I've been experimenting with wacky worming recently because in my area wacky rigging hasn't caught on quite yet.  However when I use a plain Gamakatsu EWG hook I constently get hung up with aquatic vegetation.  So lately i've been looking into hooks with a weedguard and was wondering are they worth it, does the guard decrease hookup ratio, and which brand is best? Thank you

Here's the one I use.  Hard to go against Gamakatsu!

Dan

If you are fishing in the grass just rig it like a weightless T-Rig using a 3/0 or 4/0 hook. I like wacky rigging as well but, there is no law in changing your rig if the conditions call for it. Gammy or X Point are good choices in hooks.

Octopus or finesse wide gap.  If you are getting gut hooked too much switch to a circle hook.

I've used the weedless hooks for quite awhile. I've been using the on a buch of different baits. Whta I have found is that only small fish things that could probable be eaten by your lure if it were alive (6") are the ones that you miss. Actually it is a nice way to judge size. Once in a while something like 12" won't get past the guard but that was because the bass only had the tail any way, so a regular hook wouldn't have helped. Maybe I missed one fish over 14 because of the weed guard.

A suggestion I can make that I discovered yesterday. If you are still worried about the weed guard bend it. Bend it so that it sits on top of the point not under it. Was still weedless but picked up the occasional weed. 1 out of 10 cast in heavy sticky weeds, not bad at all. Since I just started doing it this way I can't really tell you if the guard interfers at all.

bassdocktor

I use these in a 1/0, Gamakatsu® Weedless Finesse Wide Gap Hook

Four different hook styles are commonly used for W-rigging: "Dropshot Hook" - "Octopus Hook" - "Kahle Hook" - "Circle Hook".

Like most decisions, first you need to decide how you want to fish the wacky worm.

For instance, the circle hook is the most forgiving of a totally slack line (fishing like a long-liner).

On the other hand, if you prefer to use jaw-breaking hooksets, then the circle hook should be eliminated.

To appreciate the difference between a dropshot hook and an octopus hook, look at the point section in relation to the hook-shank.

You'll notice that the point section of the Gamakatsu dropshot hook is aimed pretty much toward the eyelet,

whereas the point section of most Octopus hooks is more parallel to the hook-shank.

I normally use the Gamakatsu shot hook.

Roger

I prefer the Mutu Lite to the Gammie circles for wacky rigging. I get fewer gut hookups.

http://www.ownerhooks.com/pages/products/hooks/circlehooks.htm