Hook Size for worms for Smallmouths

I regularly fish the local river (White River in Anderson, IN area) with my
son in law (good partner). we bank fish and wade (its not a big river here).
We generally use lighter set-up (Spirex 1000's on 6' St Croix Premier UL rod
with 6 lb magnathin) when we do this. Early in the year, we had great
success with strike king bitsy tubes on size 1 or 2 "EWG" type hook on 8 lb
floro
leader with a small splitshot carolina style above a snapswivle. The fish
aren't huge but a few 'legal' fish per trip was normal and we had many good
takers that were just a bit short 10 - 12 inches.
The alternative hook we use with this is a true turn no. 2.

Lately the bite seems to be other things and I tried a 1/0 offset worm hook
(eagle claw) on a 3 or 4 inch worm; one I know was a 3" yum dinger. of the 3
or 4 fish I've caught on this - 2 swallowed the hood so deep that they bled
all over the place. dead before I could even really attempt to get the hook
out or even cut the leader. I've not had that happen with the tube rig. I
hate to kill fish. I am strictly catch and release - especially on the
river - which is still recovering from a HUGE fish kill about 5 yrs ago.

My questions is how do you determine the right size of hook to use with
different
plastics? I was thinking that part of the problems was that the worm hook
was too long
for the narrower bait; making it easier (or too easy) for the fish to
swallow too deeply,
when compared to the profile of the tube. But I how do I know when the hook
is too
small (or too short) ? wouldn't this lead to missed fish too?

Thanks for any help and/or opinions.

"Brother" Bill

Lately the bite seems to be other things and I tried a 1/0 offset worm hook
(eagle claw) on a 3 or 4 inch worm; one I know was a 3" yum dinger. of the 3
or 4 fish I've caught on this - 2 swallowed the hood so deep that they bled
all over the place. dead before I could even really attempt to get the hook
out or even cut the leader. I've not had that happen with the tube rig. I
hate to kill fish. I am strictly catch and release - especially on the
river - which is still recovering from a HUGE fish kill about 5 yrs ago.

My questions is how do you determine the right size of hook to use with
different
plastics? I was thinking that part of the problems was that the worm hook
was too long
for the narrower bait; making it easier (or too easy) for the fish to
swallow too deeply,
when compared to the profile of the tube. But I how do I know when the hook
is too
small (or too short) ? wouldn't this lead to missed fish too?

Thanks for any help and/or opinions.

"Brother" Bill[/quote]


I always use a 2/0 Gamakatsu Deep Throat Wide Gap worm hook. I am fishing the same type of small rivers in the Ozarks. I very seldom have a swallowed hook.

It may be that the wider gape of the hook keeps them from swallowing or it may be that I'm really quick with the hook set. They even look at my bait and I set the hook.

These work very well with a 4" carolina rigged worm. The hook may seem big for the size of the fish but trust me, they can get in their mouth. I have also caught a lot of goggle-eye on the same rig.

Hope this helps.
Ronnie