Ready for some rock

[ctom]

I cast a bunch of weighted hooks yesterday to get ready for a trip to the river where I'll be casting plastics [primarily Rippers and Fluke style baits] to rock rip rap. I like weighted hooks because the cast can be made right up tight to the water/rock merger and the baits will drop straight down, bait horizontal, and allow me to work the bait along the submerged and sloped structure. Hooked weedless, the plastics stay fairly free of snagging and allow me to bump and bang the bait all the way down to the mud line. Presentations using a pegged weights or jigs like to find crannies to fall into and stay there. This presentation is slick.



Seen here are 1/8 ounce 3/0 hook at the top left. Top right is 3/16 on a 4/0 and at the bottom is a 1/4 ounce on a 5/0 hook. All hooks are Gamakatsu, some black nickel, some heavy bronze.

While smallies are the targets, no shortage of walleyes, pike and even crappies will get caught using this hook style and fishing this way.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Since I looked back on years of fishing with various EWGs, analyzed the data, then threw out all my Gamakatsu 584 hooks (Gammy Superline are same design, just heavier wire), I don't miss or lose fish anymore 👊

[ctom]

I like the Mustad Ultras but they've gotten hard to find around here. Gammis are everywhere. I had a guy cast up a hundred for me a couple years ago on Gammis and haven't had any issues with them fishing them this way and the Ultras have done me well too. Maybe its just a difference in the way we fish.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

On of my favorite’s

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I caught a lot of fish with Gamakatsu 584, but lost more than I care to admit.  Upon reflection, Gamakatsus were the variable, across the board.
Owner Wide Gap Plus make all the difference in the world.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I gave away every Gammy EWG I had, and all the Trokar EWG I had that were shaped exactly like the Gamakatsus went with them.

I'm sure I made someone's day 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I remember days where I could do nothing right to keep a fish pinned...Gamakatsus were 100% those days.
Never again.

I've never had those problems with Owner WGP.  Ever.  They stick and stay stuck.

[ctom]

Don't know what to tell you Gary. I've never seen a problem with Gammis. Eat your Wheaties maybe? lol

[BareKnuckleJigs]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👊

[Lamar]

 If you're going to give Gamakatsus away then give them to me. I'll fish them. Especially the super braid ones. I like that they have a smaller barb. I think they penetrate better.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I did that already, Boss Man Lamar.
Only the EWG, 584-style, including the Trokars shaped exactly the same.

I still use some Gamakatsus, just not their EWG hooks.  IMO, the problem is in the Gap (height) between the hook eye and hook point.
I have come to believe that there needs to be more gap between them...look at how the eye and point line up.

The gap above the blue dotted line.
Gamakatsu 584 have little of this gap.
Owner Wide Gap Plus has more.
Straight-shank offset worm hooks have a LOT of this gap and they don't have this problem.
Straight worm hooks, with no shoulder, hook the very well.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Straight-shank Offset Worm hook.
Point is elevated above the eye much more.
Hooks and holds reliably.

[ctom]

IMO, the problem is in the Gap (height) between the hook eye and hook point.
I have come to believe that there needs to be more gap between them...look at how the eye and point line up.

Now I'd just take a pliers and put a tiny bit of upward bend in the hook to get that gap you feel is missing....if I felt it necessary. Which I don't. Everybody sees things differently I guess. A hook has to have some miserable defect for me to find much fault with it and I'll do a bend job if needed before I fret much.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I fish Bass, though 🤣

[ctom]

So do I.