This sounds kind of stupid, and maybe it is. I am testing how much I want to get into soft swimbaits specifically, and new types of weighting for my other soft plastics. I've always done bullets and dropshots and splitshot and the like but I would like to play around with weighted hooks.

I'm not not made of money or patience but I want to have a wide variety of weights to play around with. Is there any reason I can't just clip, maybe with pliers if necessary, onto the shaft of an unweighted hook? That would let me use the same hooks weighted and unweighted, and also play with weight vs bait size and weight position on the hook.

I currently don't have the hooks I want (just basic twistlock swimbait hooks), or the clip on barrel weights.  Just figured I would check somewhere and see if I was being an idiot or not before I spent money lol. Thanks for any input.

Only one way to find out!

The problem will be that the weight sliding up and down the hook shank will make the action inconsistent and possibly horrible. Bps makes some small cylindrical shaped weights in various sizes designed to be clamped on to hooks. What size and brand of swimbaits were you looking to get and how were you intending to fish them?

Not being an idiot at all.  In fact, BPS sells the weights you described....for exactly that purpose. 

Yes. you can also just slide a small dipsey in there, We can call it Police Rig. "free, free, set them free..."

Fish don't care how you ballast your lures (maybe in Texas)...  

I’ve seen people use a split shot weight crimped onto the shank of a hook to weigh it down also. 

9 hours ago, Bassjam2000 said:

The problem will be that the weight sliding up and down the hook shank will make the action inconsistent and possibly horrible. Bps makes some small cylindrical shaped weights in various sizes designed to be clamped on to hooks. What size and brand of swimbaits were you looking to get and how were you intending to fish them?

I thought about this too. My biggest concern with the idea was whether I could keep the weight from sliding or not. I was looking at rubber core barrel weights on Amazon.  I figured once I pinched the weight down the rubber would hopefully keep it from sliding on the the hook just like it keeps it from sliding on the line.

They don't cost much and come in variety packs. They are roughly the same shape as the bps weights, but with a bit bigger cavity and rubber inserts and there is like 5 each of 5 different weights.
 

3 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

Yes. you can also just slide a small dipsey in there, We can call it Police Rig. "free, free, set them free..."

Fish don't care how you ballast your lures (maybe in Texas)...  

Dipsey? Like the lead weights for trolling? Or maybe the lead line? I haven't done trolling much since I went out with my dad back when I was ten or so, but I'm pretty sure this is a trolling thing right? Maybe?
 

2 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

I’ve seen people use a split shot weight crimped onto the shank of a hook to weigh it down also. 

Well if people use splitshot then I guess I don't know why I couldn't use barrel weights eh?


My biggest problems are the lack of anywhere within two hours to buy fishing tackle (we have a crappy Walmart or a 3 hour round trip for options) and the fact that lead fishing weights can't be shipped or sold in NY. Makes my options kind of hit and miss.

Before keel weighted hooks were available we used rubber core weights and removed the rubber, crimped on the weight into the hook shank. Removing a crimped on weight would be a pita.

Rubber core weights are available and cheap in 1/16 oz increments up to 1/4 oz, the 1/8 oz increments to 3/4 oz.

Tom

It seems like this is more complicated than just buying keel weighted hook. So start with a 1/4 and try that. If you want to go light buy a 1/8 or if heavier get 3/8 or 1/2. But you are probably always going to want a 1/4. 
 

i like the vmc hooks. 

3 hours ago, michaelb said:

It seems like this is more complicated than just buying keel weighted hook. So start with a 1/4 and try that. If you want to go light buy a 1/8 or if heavier get 3/8 or 1/2. But you are probably always going to want a 1/4. 
 

i like the vmc hooks. 

I agree it is probably more complicated. It would be easy to just buy the tackle already the way I want it.  I can't really "just" try 1/4 ounce and see how I like it. I have different size and style baits I'd like to use weighted hooks with. Of course I haven't really gone into detail there, largely because I'd like to play around with "swimbait" hooks on just about all the plastics I have.

I'd have to get a 1/0, 3/0, and 5/0 at the minimum I would think based on the things I would like to try rigging. 3 inch grubs and small swimshad style baits on up to 5-6 inch paddletails and 5-9 inch worms and the like.

Maybe I'm way overthinking it, but if I need to buy two or three packs of hooks just to test one size weight on 4 different styles and size baits it suddenly makes less sense than being able to use whatever size hook I want with whatever size weight I want.