Too many SMB lost using wacky worms…Feedback pls

I was in complete frustration mode last weekend using wacky worms fishing SMB. I kept losing fish, after fish, after fish, after fish by either:

a) setting the hook and nothing (most times even lost my worm as well). could feel it slip right out of their mouth.

b) after hook up losing fish half way to the boat. not by jumping but just coming unbuttoned.

I caught a fair amount of fish that day but I must have lost an additional 15 to 20 fish from the reasons stated above. I lost maybe 50% or more vs. what I caught with wacky worms. I was even having “buddy fish” grab my wacky worm after the first one came loose halfway to the boat. Once, after losing 4 or 5 in a row I finally threw my rod and hat down in frustration and screamed…when I went to reel up a buddy fish was on the end of it (talk about luck).

I was using a standard 7′ medium action spinning rod with 20 lb suffix braid and 8 lb fluor. leader using both 4″ and 5″ senkos. I tried changing the following things throughout the day without minimal sucess:

1. Both 1/0 and 2/0 gamakatsu finesse wide gap hooks. 2/0 seemed a little better for hook ups.

2. Both 2/0 and 1/0 gamakatsu offset shank work ewg hooks. Again, 2/0 maybe a little better hook up %.

3. A standard 2/0 straight shank plastic work hook. Lost a ton with this rig.

4. Tried to gently set the hook by only loading the rod. Seemed to initially hook them this way but then they would come loose half way to the boat.

5. Tried to set the hook hard (mono style) but this seemed to rip them from their mouth.

6. A side hook set vs. an upright one was much better for hook ups.

7. I was using a wacky worm ring and it seemed to help a little to slightly sink the hook through the worm.

Could it be I am still used to using staright mono and the lack of stretch is pulling the hook out?? Is it normal to lose 50% of fish with a wacky style?? Maybe I should go back to straight mono and deal with all the line twist headaches??

I am thinking about trying true turn hooks…I know they are not gamakatsu but I have used them in the past with plastic worms and have had great sucess. I just need to find where to buy them.

Any feedback would be appreciated…be great to also hear from one of the IDO field staff members.

Are you drop shotting these or just using ’em weightless? Either way I’ve had pretty good hookup percentage for Largemouth and Smallmouth by upsizing those Gamakatsu widegaps to a 3/0 or 4/0 and hooking directly through the worm instead of using bands…Might lose a few more baits but seems to work better IMHO..Give it a try.

I’m certainly no expert, but I prefer mono for wacky rigging. I use the Gami finesse wide gaps in 2/0 or 3/0. When I get a bite, I give more of a slow sweep of a hook set than a hard snapping hook set.

I am not drop shoting…20 lb braid with 8 lb seagar fluor. leader (about 7′ or so) and slightly weighted senko. One thing I did not try was hooking directly into the bait (w/o ring)…different hook angle this way (up vs. sideways)

…also with Ralph here.. I usually use straight mono or flouro( usually 8lb.) vs. braid with a leader.

As stated ditch the rubber band, go through the worm, use the ewg, u’ll stick em’

I am going to break the mold here.. if you are losing smallies.. I have one thing to say:use a bigger hook. 3/0 is the smallest I use for smallies. 4/0 or 5/0 on a finnesse worm, and no fish come unbuttoned. and I use a straight worm and texas rig those senco’s.. and I catch fish on them..

I would agree as already posted. I have just really started getting in the wacky rigging this summer and have had good luck with the wide gap 3/0 and 4/0 hooked directly through the worm – no rubber band. I also change back and forth between the 4″ and 5″ and have been using the Yum Dingers.

Things I will now change…

1. I will definately nix the band and hook right through the hook. The more I think about it I like this hook angle.

2. Bigger hooks (3/0 or 4/0). I also want to try true turn hooks.

Things I still am not clear about…

1. What about using straight mono?? Does my braid not stretch enough and pull the hook out??

2. Hook set?? hard or slow load??

Tough to say on the hookset. I think that is determined by how the fish strikes. Super hard strike= hard ,fast hookset… A fish that runs with the line or hits softly on the deadstick= a more subtle hookset if that makes any sense at all

Been through this for a few years now… the nice thing about guiding is that you are in the boat with one or two other good sticks.
When we get on fish I always experiment to see what works best…here is what I have found that works best for me and my clients…

2/0 VMC EWG on 4″ Senkos…3/0 on 5-6″ers
8# straight fluoro…INVIZX or Sufix…
Since I quit using braid (for fluoro) for my Senkos, Jigs, T Rigs etc…My hook-up/catch rate climbed dramatically.
I use the O rings but also catch some plastic with the hook point.
Sometimes they don’t really want to eat Senkos and you get days like you had.
I had a trip tonight and the Dad ( who has done well wacky rigging before) had the same issues you are having. The Smallies were still in 18-28 fow when we started out trip at 4 PM.
He was fishing 5″ ers with a 1/8oz worm weight on a St. Croix 69 MLXF with 20 braid and a 10# fluoro leader…and kept getting stripped.
I put a 704 Dobyns Spin rod in his sons hand and he and I switched to 3/8oz football jigs with 3.5″ Craw trailers. I used a Med/Hvy 7’4″ Dobyns baitcaster, both with 8# fluoro.
We each caught a doz nice bass up to 20 3/4″s in the last 2 hours. Dad finally switched to a 703 Dobyns with tubes and caught nine.

I’ve just started using the wacky worms myself and have been using mono haven’t missed many fish yet. Thanks for all the good info.

I prefer Owner mosquito hooks to those gamis, but they should do just fine for you. Definitely get rid of the o-rings. I couldn’t hook anything when I tried em as well. With braid your hook set should be a solid pop of the rod tip and almost everyone of em should be hooked in the upper lip or the roof of their mouth.

I use a 1/0 Eagle Claw Wacky Worm hook with 8lb. fluorocarbon. I caught a bunch of nice bedding largemouth this spring on this hook, and also caught my biggest smallmouth of the year on this hook. I haven’t used it with a senko, but a lake fork ring fry and zoom trick worm.

Lose the rubber band and lose more worms. Been there. Done that. No thanks.

Fun fishing I use an O-Ring to save on expensive Senkos. Come tourney time I DITCH the o-ring…… too many misses!
I have the best luck with the Gammy Wicked Wacky hooks….. my hook-up ratio is tons better with them!!! Plus, with the weedguard they handle their own quite well around wood and such. On hook size…. GO BIG OR GO HOME… period!

Curious to get opinions on circle hooks? I was out a couple weeks ago fishing smallies on wacky worms and they absolutely inhaled them. I had to do major surgery to get them out of their stomachs – I think I saved one fish but probably killed the other. Went to Dick’s and the guy said its a problem that many smallies are dying so use the circle hooks which hook only the corner of the mouth. Haven’t been out yet to try. I get the effort to try to save the smallies…but will circle hooks work? Maybe hook ups are better, or worse..?? Anyone have any real experience with circle hooks?

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Anyone have any real experience with circle hooks?

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Not for bass. I can see them working, but don’t set the hook. Just let the rod load up. Tell us how you do.

I use a circle hook and they work well for wacky rigging a senko. You never set the hook. Just real in the bait to make another cast and surprise surprise you got a fish on the other end. I’m surprised they aren’t popular on the frozen tundra with all those toothy fish. The circle hook will get em in the corner of the mouth so they can chew on steal instead of line. I also use a zappu inchi wacky. Very good design, also.

SOme thoughts for the guy who is losing fish on a senko….
1. Those gammy hooks are crap. They are the worst hook ever made for wacky rigging. Throw them away. If you still use them increase the gap on them by 25% with a pliers.
2. Why are you using braid (floating line) on a bait that is designed to sink? Please realize that you are getting a big bow in your line if you are using braid and a weightless senko so when you swing all you are doing is removing the bow in your line. You aren’t moving the hook an inch hence your lame hook setting. Please use straight flourocarbon that sinks with your bait.
3. I am assuming you are feeling the bite and swinging. IF you are a line watcher and see the braid twitch and you swing, the bow in your line is even bigger since the fish hasn’t removed any of the bow so you can’t even feel the bite. If you are stubbern and still want to do stick with the braid, then I’d suggest you just reel set. When you detect a bite just raise the rod tip while you reel as fast as you can. Crank 10 to 12 times as fast as you can. That way you will remove more of the bow out of your line and start to move the hook point a little. And provided the point is sharp it will find a home.
4. Perhaps your rod is too limber. Are you using a short glass rod by chance? Try a longer stiffer graphite rod.

Just some thoughts. Hopefully you figure things out. Fishing is supposed to be fun

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1. Those gammy hooks are crap. They are the worst hook ever made for wacky rigging. Throw them away.

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I beg to differ. I have never had an issue with them. To each his own, though.

I will say the best line I have found for wacky rig fishing is not braid, not mono…its a co-polymer called Yozuri Hybrid. It has a mono core wrapped with fluorocarbon. It sinks, is abrasion resistent, low viz and best of all LOW STRETCH. Okay, more than braid but not like regular mono. It has the sensitivity to feel the nibbles, and to set the hook with just enough give to not rip out of their mouth.

I hear you about the bow in the line on braid and it also floats…I was missing too many. Try the hybrid, or at least use it as the leader tied to braid, it has just enough of the combination features to be perfect for this type of fishing.

For you guys that fish places with Zebra Mussels its the best non-braid against those razor sharp nuisances too…lot less re-tying.

The new DropShot/Wacky hook designs are getting closer to circle hooks. 80% of my hook ups are in the upper lip and 20% are in the jaw hinge.