so, i bought these swimbaits...

13 fishing bamf shad and the golden shiner ones too.  they recommend a weighted 6 or 7 owner beast hook. i bought the 6s. the troubles i am having are:

 

the hook won't stay inside the bait. it  keeps coming out, and that makes it run funny.  how can i correct that? when the hook remains inside the bait, they really move so nice! 

 

i had several hard strikes with some big bass (i think they were bass, i didn't see more than a flash)  but they don't stay on the hook for more than 30 seconds or so. i am setting the hook, they are sharp. what am i doing wrong?

The hook is likely too small so you don't have enough gap to get the bait rigged right or clear enough of the plastic to get a good hookset. 

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The hook is likely too small so you don't have enough gap to get the bait rigged right or clear enough of the plastic to get a good hookset. 

 

i could step up  to the next bigger hook, but then the weight gets bigger too, and the water is too shallow for more weight.  to my eye this hook size should be adequate.  the bait is VERY soft, and the belly slit is a pocket that goes  all the way through to  the spine.  also a bigger hook would not solve the problem of the hook coming out when i cast it.  i'm pretty sure it's something i'm doing wrong, because that is the hook size recommended by the manufacturer,  and i don't hear of anyone else having these problems

Get a lighter wire version of the same - sized hook, or use some mend-it on where you push the hook through the bait to t-rig it. Either use rubber core sinkers on the shank or a drop shot/teardrop weight on the shank and position it with an old piece of a plastic or a bobber stop, kind of like a jika rig but on the shank. (You can also jika rig it)

I lost a magdraft freestyle due to similar issues last night. Especially when skipping the hook wants to ride up and stick out making it extremely snag prone - so now my last one is fastened nicely to a crossbeam under a dock. I thought of Mend It like has already been mentioned, but I imagine it’s just a temporary fix that will last 10 minutes. 

8 hours ago, cheezyridr said:

the hook won't stay inside the bait. it  keeps coming out, and that makes it run funny.

Toxic Baits provides a rubber stopper with their Wade Frog and Wade Froglet. They'll work on other soft plastic baits. Helpful if your hook is popping up out of the bait exposing the point. Call them to see if they'll sell you a handful, or get creative and rig something similar with something found at a good hardware store.

 

If you're having the opposite problem, where the hook's point is pulling down through the bait, then superglue a toothpick into the plastic across the bait just before the hook's barb.

 

 

I'd also speculate it needs a larger hook size. You noted there's a slot in the bottom of the hookbaits. That is a very tall piece of plastic. FWIW, my swimbaits run best with the bottom weight hanging free, not enclosed by the slot which would limit a proper hookset. YMMV.

8 hours ago, PhishLI said:

 

 

If you're having the opposite problem, where the hook's point is pulling down through the bait, then superglue a toothpick into the plastic across the bait just before the hook's barb.

 

 

 

i am going to try this first, and see how it goes