hook size

[ctom]

I posted this on another forum but will toss it out here.

Regarding walleye jigs, what is your preference in hook size when using a jighead made for plastics or when using bucktail jigs. There are the industry standard hook sizes the most will simply settle for but a lot of people making their own jigs have size options they can lean preferences towards.
Personally, I like a 1/0 in a 1/8. In a 1/4 I prefer the 2/0 instead of the 1 or /0. I use a 3/0 in 3/8 heads instead of a 2/0 and in 1/2 heads I like the 4/0 instead of the 2/0 or 3/0.

Walleyes have large enough mouths that they can easily take the up-sized jig hooks and in some instances, I think even larger hooks could be used in place of those I’ve mentioned. Bucktails come to mind here where the hair itself in densely tied might hinder a hookset. For plastics I always use jigs cast on the sizes I have brought up.

I’m just curious if any of you have seen any advantage to larger that standard hooks when chasing walleyes and, of course, this pertains to open water. Hair and plastics will be used quite a bit at this time of year below the dams and its been my observation that larger than the standard hook sizes have put more walleyes in the net for me over the years than the standard sizes that the industry seems to want to hold onto. Any thoughts or observations to share?

[bigjim5589]

Tom, I've never fished for them, but have had a few folks get jigs from me and they said they were for Walleye.

I don't like the idea of standardizing a hook size per weight, but understand why, since costs have to be controlled.

With some exceptions I've tended to go a little larger with hooks for bass, and seems that should work fine for Walleye's too. So, for a 1/8 oz hair jig I like a 2/0 or 3/0 hook, but have used smaller & larger.

For plastics, I also like a slightly bigger hook, and have compared some of the mass produced and it really depends on the plastics your using. For example, I like the Zoom Fat Albert grubs, and a 3/0 hook gives more bite, without needing the plastic to compress a lot.

Folks say, they'll hang a lot, and in some places they will, but so will smaller hooks.

There's no single answer IMO, and much of this is personal preferences. If you're buying premium hooks, as you go larger the prices usually go up, so that might limit the size too, but for my fishing, 2/0 & 3/0 has been a good size for the lighter jigs, unless I'm making them to use with very small plastics or for tying smaller hair jigs.

BTW, I very much like the Mustad 32746 hooks for these types of jigs.

These jigs are some I like a lot for grubs & other baits, made from a modified wacky weight mold. All have 3/0 Mustad 32746 hooks in them.