When I’m using braid should I be using a heavy wire hook 90% of the time to keep the hook from bending?

I use 1/16 thru 3/8 oz ballhead jigs with 20, 30 lb braid and like the fact that i can bend the hook on them to get out of wood caught snags. I bend he hook back straight and keep fishin.

Naw, I don't think so. You need to be aware of the strength of your hooks and utilize the drag to keep from "bending them out". Now if your planning on flipping or pitching laydowns, brush or heavy vegetation.  Someplace where you have to "horse" them out off. Then you want the triple X strong or Superline hooks.

 

I fish crankbaits with lighter wire hooks with 20 and 30# braid (no leader) and I think it's fine.  You just can't bulldog/water ski a 5+ pound fish straight back to the boat. Hope that helps, August.

FM

I say yes

YMMV 

Depends on how much give is in the rod. I straightened a snap hooked to a crankbait when a big pile ate it near the boat. Not enough give in the system. Then again look at the guys fishing ned and other finesse rigs on braid. Plenty of give in the rod. 

Not if your rod is softer in action. There needs to be some “give” somewhere in your setup.

With everything else you need to have balance. What I mean is if punching grass matts with 80lb braid then yes. Now if you are running 15lb braid on a spinning rod then heavy hooks are not needed. 

 

Allen

On 5/21/2024 at 4:26 PM, Fishingmickey said:

utilize the drag to keep from "bending them out"

On 5/22/2024 at 11:23 AM, Munkin said:

With everything else you need to have balance. What I mean is if punching grass matts with 80lb braid then yes. Now if you are running 15lb braid on a spinning rod then heavy hooks are not needed. 

 

 

 

Ditto

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

No. Rod is what to pay attention to when determining what hook gauge to use