Stright shank worm hooks,

[gunning]

I have been reading a few articles lately where it sounds like most of the pros are almost exclusively using straight shank hooks with all of their plastics except for a few things like tubes and soft jerk baits. After reading an article by Mark Menendez he said "I see a lot of my co-anglers use the absolute wrong hook for a given technique. If you're flipping and pitching soft plastics, always use a round bend, straight shank hook. When you set the hook, the hook will go straight up into the fish's mouth instead of having to turn and then go up. If you're using a soft jerkbait, or you're Carolina rigging, a wide gap is okay. I see a lot of guys use wide gap hooks when flipping and pitching, and that is going to reduce your catches."

I also saw something where Ish Monroe said pretty much the same thing about the straight shank and I know John Crews was using a straight shank tied on with a snell when he was flipping a little gambler cricket when he won down on the Ca Delta. I don't think I have ever used a straight shank hook I have always used an offset or a EWG. It seems like using a straight shank would be kind of a pain keeping the plastic from sliding down the hook. So are you guys going old school and going back to the straight shank or do you use something else on soft plastics.

[Ray Esboldt]

I am pretty much on-board with those guys. I will only use hooks that that have the line tie offset from the hook point (offset shank) for texas rigging. I do not like the hooks that have line tie and hook point on the same plane (most wide gap hooks are this way). Now, I do like the wide gap hook for wacky rigging. In my mind, it should come through the weeds a little bit better, but my mind makes up all sorts of things.

[RK]

Hiya -

I use a straight shank hook with a large bite (I use Owners) for flipping and pitching, and always tie a snell knot. Especially if you're pitching bulky plastics like Beavers or jungle hog type baits the straight shank with a wide hook gap prevents the plastic from balling up on the hook bend and filling up the gap when you try to set the hook. The only time I use an offset hook is, as Ray said, for Texas-rigging worms.

As for keeping the plastics on the hook, they don't slide down too bad until they start getting torn up but a lot of these hooks come with keepers on them. You can make your own out of shrink tubing.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[TonkaBass]

I have used straight shank almost exclusively for my t-rigs this year... I will say you have to be careful with the hook set. No need to go hog wild or the fish can possibly wreck your hook. The owners are the strongest I have used, but still bend out. The Gammys I used are junk, they bend and roll the tip over like nothing. I still have to try the mustads ultra point and the trokars. I did a little experiment with the tokars and their tip seems to be really touchy too, but that wasn't and in the water deal. I will say that the point of the hook is right in the sweet spot every time though. I just haven't had the % that other guys are having with them... I also shrink wraped them before I used them.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm going to try more straight shank hooks this year. As on the MisterTwister staff I have used Exude for many years. ITs not the best for staying on a hook. MisterTwister has now pretty much halted the Exude line for bass plastics.. So I dont have to worry about that as much. I really dont think I missed all that many fish because of the hook I was using.. But maybe? So we will see.

[Craigums]

Ive been using an offset hook for a while and always thought they did really well. This is what I have been using...

The straight shank hooks you use Ray and RK are they like the one below? I may have to give it a try this summer with a snell knot

[Cecil]

I think a big thing is what you are using them for. If flippin or on shorter line the straight shank would be better. Longer casts a offset with wide gap would be better. At least thats what I do...

[bemidjibasser]

How often do you guys actually flip as opposed to pitch? For me it is almost never. And if I do flip it is usually with a heavy jig to punch through coontail/ milfoil or into tall cabbage. I haven't used the straight shank hooks and don't think I have suffered many, if any missed/lost fish because of it. I also like to tex-pose my hooks rather than leaveing the tip inside the bait. It gives me confidence that the hook point is going to penetrate the fishes mouth easier...

[Craigums]

I pitch 99% of the time and flip the other 1%, I use the offset hooks and go all the way through the plastic and then just bury the point of the hook into the plastic again. I have not noticed that to be much of a problem in the past but I'm always open to trying new things and expanding my fishing knowledge

[RK]

Hiya -

I pitch probably 75% of the time, and flip mainly in cane or rice. I do think my hooking percentages are better with straight-shank hooks in both cases. Not by a huge margin, but better.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[BigMike]

Craigum,

Straight shank is the way to go for flipping/pitching. I've been using the straight shank for flipping for a couple years. I have found a slightly higher hooking percentage overall, but more than the hooking percentage is the ability to get the fish in the boat and rerig quickly. Usually a straight shank flipping hook is much stronger/heavier gauge than a EWG hook. There are a few heavier gauge EWG hooks out there, but I really haven't liked them for flipping/pitching... your bait can roll with that extra keel hanging down. Think of the gear you use for flippin/pitchin: Heavy, 7'6''+, high speed reels, & heavy braid (50+lb) or Mono/Fluro (20+lb). With a light gauge hook, you're going to bend that hook out often with that gear. In addition, the fewer bends you have in a hook, the stronger the hook. Straight shank are the strongest, then offset, then EWG.

As far as the hooking percentage, I've found I definitely catch more fish in the top of the mouth with a straight shank than I do with EWG or Offset hooks.

Here is my rule of thumb for hooks:

1. Straight shank: Flippin/Pitchin

2. Offset: worming (texas rigged worms, carolina rig, etc)

3. EWG: tubes, senkos, flukes, swimbaits, skipping baits (ie. fluke/senko, etc), and some wacky rigging (although there are more and more wacky hooks coming out...I like the Falcon K hooks especially)

[Dourque]

I can't recall to many fish that I have missed on an EWG hook but I will be giving a try to staight shanks this year just to see if there is a difference in presentation and hook sets. may open my eyes, but so far EWG's are my goto hook, I like to fish right along the weed line so maybe getting into the thick stuff will be the real key to me catching more fish! Every day I read posts on this forum I learn a little more, thanks to all for the great advice!

[YUM]

What kind of knots are you guys using with the straight-shanks? do you use a snell knot... for braid? what about with flurocarbon?

[BigMike]

I use a palomar for braid and a snell for flurocarbon/mono when fishing a straight shank hook.

[Craigums]

In the newest issue of bassmaster magazine one of the elite series pros talks about this topic. He says its personal preferance and that he uses offset EWG worm hooks for all his pitching. I think im still going to try straight shank hooks this summer to see if I like them but this just reinforces the fact that there are no rules in bass fishing

[BigMike]

but this just reinforces the fact that there are no rules in bass fishing

You've got that right. I use a size 5/0 for flipping.