anyone have a favorite drop shot hook? interested in recommendations.

I used to fish Gamakatsu DS hooks.  After breaking a couple hooks while fighting fish, I gave them all away and switched to Owner Mosquito hooks.  Haven't had any of those break of bend on me yet.

VMC Spinshot hook

I am really liking the Gamakatsu Finesse Heavy Cover.

 

They are sharp as hell and that keeper is something else.  I fish Robos most of the time and it gives them an amazing durability.  This one here had caught 5 bass at this point and I only hand to retire it when it ripped where the hook point came through.  The head was still on there solidly.  

They are absurdly expensive, but I am going to have a few beers to loosen up and buy a pile of them this coming black friday.  

 

Gammies ds hooks

Owners mosquitoes 

 

They’re also the two most readily available in my area and have never failed. 

Trokar and gamakatsu are the two I use most.

Gammies for the most part. I also like the Gammy Light Wire Worm Hooks. 

 

But I primarily fish for smallmouths. Never ever had a Gammy hook break. 

Mosquito hooks for me.  #1 to #6.

Welcome aboard!

 

I've used a number of different brands including Owner, 

Hyabusa, BPS, and others...I always come back to the

Gamakatsu Split/Drop shot hooks. I've not broken any

Owners, but have broken both BPS and Hyabusa, fwiw.

 

Go to size is 1/0, but use #4, #2, #1, and 2/0 as well.

Owner* Mosqiuto drop shot nose hooked , #5133 down shot weedless hooked and #5172 wacky hooked Neko/nail weight.

Tom

* Owner or Gamakatsu drop shot hooks are equal for me, depends on what I have at the time. Nothing is equal to #5133 or #5172 Owner.

5 hours ago, WRB said:

#5133 down shot weedless hooked

 

What size do you use and what plastics do you use them with?  I have a pack or two in 1/0 and 1, but have never had much luck with them on both hooksets or staying weedless.  

Size 1 4 1/2" Roboworms and size 1/0 5" & 6" Roboworms. I also use this hook for slip shot rigs using the same size Roboworms except curl tails.

Tom

Interesting, I will give them another try then.  Do you keep the hook point buried in the worm, lay it along the top exposed, or out the top and skin-hooked?

I always skin hook weedless worms. Not always through the center of the worms if the worm is a fat body, through about 1/3rd of one side, the hook looks a little off center but runs straight, it's a thin wire very sharp hook, yet strong for finesse use.

Tom

Cool, thanks for the info!  I like the looks of the hooks, they are sharp as hell and did very well in the "pliers test".  The Gammie Finesse Cover hooks are far stronger, but I don't think my dropshot rod could really bend either of them, so there is no disadvantage to the thinner hook.  

Roboworm rebards.  They have worked great for me

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 10:41 PM, islandbass said:

Gammies ds hooks

Owners mosquitoes 

 

They’re also the two most readily available in my area and have never failed. 

About as good as it gets  - a true main stay ...

Gamakatsu® Wicked Wacky Weedless Hook

Smallest is 1/0 tho which really is a lil large and obnoxious. Dropper line goes through the tube and hook always stands out and no tangle. 

 

Smaller company made these in smaller saizes years ago but I can figure out who they were.

 

 

 

Aaron martens gamakatsu

gamakatsu and/or VMC drop shot hooks (non-spin shot, normal) size 1 usually. 

I am by no way an expert at drop shotting,  but I know it is something you have to learn to catch fish on days when it is tough. I usually try to split shot worms first, but after learning not to move the rod if at all, I was able to reduce line twist which was the main reason I hated this set up.

 

I still use the VMC drop shot hooks with a swivel, I like how fast you can change out hooks and leader, plus I find I can cast them along weed edges etc. and reel them in quicker if needed and line twist is not as much as a problem.

 

I used to use those hooks Damiki makes with the lever on the back which makes putting the line back through the hook easier when tying knots, but I now only fish hooks with a swivel on them and I find they catch fish as well as the other hooks guys use. 

 

I know using swivels is considered "Amateur" but I will take 2 less fish a day and not deal with line twisting and I am not sure the swivel causes any less strikes. They seem to work just fine, besides, I find the dropshot to be torture to fish. Sure it works great, but d**n is it boring to use when you are not catching them as quick as you would like. I still try to fish a buoyant worm or add a floating worm weight with a split shot as much as possible since it allows me to keep the bait off of bottom and fish it faster, use baits you want to have more action etc.....

 

If Conditions call for a drop shot, I find I often can get away with my favorite finesse technique by simply using a 4" Curly Tail Roboworm, GYB 4" curly tail, or any buoyant small finesse worm with a Mojo style rig but with a split shot. Bett's makes a floating worm weight which I love. I can also get away with a 1/0 Owner centering pin worm hook and keep it 100% weedless.