Does a straight flipping hook improve ratio on hook up on bass compare to ewg hook flipping sparce vegetation? And why ?

I tend to believe that I get a better hook up ratio with a straight shank hook because it’s a straight pull on the hook point when setting the hook.

The only time I use an EWG hook is for flipping tubes and 10” worms. In those cases I use a 4/0 Mustad Big Mouth Tube hook.

I dont know. I just know that when I used heavy straight flipping hooks I was losing big fish. Probably operator error. I quit using them.

Personally, I don't really notice a difference.

Even punching. I used to always use straight shank with a snell knot thinking that's the only way to go. One day I ran out of my flipping hooks and started using heavy wire EWG. No problem whatsoever. After that I use either or.

I think I see a difference, though it is marginal. In theory, there is nothing in the way of the line of the hook point when you pull. When you are pulling on an EWG, the fish's mouth has to get inside the gape of the hook which is inside the line between the hook point and eye. A straight hook has a much more exposed hook point that can grab on top any flesh it finds.

That said, I can't think of a single fish I've lost in the past 3 years on a texas rig and I've fished both styles (and a round bend offset eye hook) in that time.

I use the straight shank heavy duty Mustad Grip-pins. They have a standard "Denny Brauer" series which is a beast of a hook on it's own. But they also have the 3X Punch Hook version which is a straight up GAFF. Like 80lb braid and a locked drag into a tree stump and some part of YOU is gonna break before that hook bends.

I just like straight shank cause I feel like my hookup is a bit better than with EWG in those kind of situations.

11 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

I use the straight shank heavy duty Mustad Grip-pins.

I love the grip-pins. They're my go-to for EWG. Definitely helps keep the plastic from sliding down so easily.

Pros swear by the straight shank flipping hook. It's probably a better hook if you fish grass. If you're flipping/pitching wood cover, you're going to be getting hung up a lot. For that reason, I just stick with the Gamakatsu EWG superline hook. I've been using them a long time and I don't lose many fish on them.

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

and a round bend offset eye hook

Been using those for decades. I only use EWGs with tubes or thicker plastics.

The big advantage to both straight shank and round bend offset eye hooks is the bite. That is the amount of bite between the eye and the hook point. Draw a line parallel to the hook shaft up from the hook's point until it passes the eye. The space between is the bite.

Some EWGs have very little bite.

Not a fan of the straight shank hook. I think my hook up ratio is better with a regular offset worm hook or EWG in heavy cover.

It’s just one more specialty item to buy and tote around.

In theory I understand why they should work better. Practical terms I rarely miss or lose fish on EWG hooks. I mostly use them for thick bodied baits in grass.

Allen

I wish there was a way to see 1000 close up, slow motion videos of the hook set in a fishes mouth, but there isn’t. Until then, I will continue to go back and forth in my mind about what is more valuable, straight pull of a straight shank or room for the soft plastic of an EWG. Like others have said, I haven’t noticed a difference.

I just use EWG with the offset, I like the way you can make it so weedless. With tubes I use the stupid jig heads, which make it pretty weedless

In theory, straight shank should hook them better because there is more hook “bite” or gap. I swear I lose more fish on them though compared to EWG.

I was missing a lot of fish on a slither rig (1/2 head with a skirt) until I moved to a straight shank. No more misses, but baits get ragged out faster.

I'm a fan of the owner CPS flipping hook and I use it on everything but trick worm sized baits.

I think straight shanks have much better penetration vs most inline EWG and offset round bends. The drawback to straight shanks is that they are generally more destructive to plastics when compared to hooks with an offset throat.

The points on straight shanks hooks generally have a wider angle to those on EWGs. The gap, or space bewteen the eye and point are often greater with straight shanks as well. Im not entirely convinced a bigger bite is always better. Ive found sproat and O'Shaughnessy bends, which don't have a very deep gap or "bite," = or surpass the landing % of wide gaps or round bends, so long as you arent using a bait thats too big for the hook.

EWG have less ‘bite’ than straight or offset. Newer EWGs like Infini mitigate these issues somewhat.

You need a heavier rod for flipping hook too. I use medium wire for most sparse vegetation.

I have gone back and fourth and finally chose wide gap hooks. I don't loose more fish with either. But here the job is making fish bite. I feel the with EWG hooks, the bait ( mostly creature baits ) has a better attitude. It's more horizontal in the water. With straigh shank hooks you get that 45 degree angle a lot of times.

With heavy straight shank hooks, you also need to strike harder to get a good hookset. Once done, yes the fish keeps pinned. I'm getting old, so I don't strike as hard as I once did !!!

I feel like with a heavy gauge flipping hook you need a really hard hookset. Also for what it's worth I will ONLY use a flipping hook with a monofilament keeper. I don't feel like you have as good of a hookup ratio with plastic keeper hooks. I only use flipping hooks around heavy cover and an EWG on a TX rig specifically. I don't feel like one is superior over the other though. Just different hooks for different jobs.

The only time I use a straight shank hook is when punching or in very heavy weeds.

All other t rigs are offset.

Depending what I throw where I’ll also use a EWG, or keel weighted with cps.

Mike

The jargon of this thread has me very confused. A straight shank hook will have a round bend, and can be offset or not. An EWG hook does not have a straight shank, but is offset. And then you have non-offset flipping hooks that what I think people are referring to as simply “straight shank”. These have a straight shank, no “shoulder” that would offset it, and feature a round bend.

A hook doesn’t have to be either offset or straight shank. It can be both and often is. The opposite to a “straight” shank isn’t an offset, it’s an EWG. They make the gap wider by bending the shank of the hook, which renders the bend no longer round and the shank obviously no longer straight.

All my straight shank hooks feature an offset.