Short striking fish

[fishercurtis]

I was out today and was fishing docks on the delta with 10" power worms on a t-rig. On several occasions I was getting bit, would set the hook and miss the fish. I changed hooks to be certain it was sharp 3/0 gammis ewg. I usually don't miss fish on plastics. I down sized to a 7inch and didn't get bit. Put the 10" back on and got bit again, but couldn't get them to hook up. At the same time I was pitching 6" senkos around the backsides of the docks and was landing every fish that bit, same with drop shots every time I get bit I hook em up. Any suggestions for a 10" worm.
Thanks
Curtis

[oakie joe]

i have found that you need a 5/0 wide gap hook with a 10" worm.'
hope this helps

[Bryant]

try some of these http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpage-OOW.html

[Alex M.]

Minnimum 4/0 but a 5/0 Gammie EWG would be ideal for a 10" worm. Otherwise a smaller hook allows them to inhale, taste, and spit out the worm without ever coming into contact with the "business" end of your T-Rig. Also, most 10" worms are usually pretty girthy and stout. You need a bigger hook for penetration through both the worm and the fishes mouth. Maybe you're skin hooking your T-Rig too much/deep? A senko tears much easier than a 10" Powerworm or Big Unit for example. Thats prolly why you didnt have any trouble hooking those fish. With the softer plastic and injected salt, you'd have to really be trying extra hard to swing and miss those fish. Try barely skin hooking your worm. I can almost assure you this will help. Good Luck!

[BassManDan]

Just Let'm mouth the bait a little longer, they need to take in that whole thang so you can stick'em, put a little Smelly Jelly to get them to really munch on that worm.

BassManDan

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

A 3/0 round bend off-set Gammi is plenty big enough... if the're eating it that is.. sometimes there just not willing to take a big worm. An EWG is OK but the hook-up percentage is lower.. I stopped using the bigger 4/0-5/0 hooks when I realized I was losing fish in the weeds cuz the hook was actually too big and getting stuck in stuff during the fight other than just the fish. A 10" power worm is a great thing, but if they're short striking, change it up like you did.

[Tobe]

A 10'' power worm is a big bait, a 5/0 ewg is perfect but let em chew it a bit before you swing.

[Matt Moreau]

Try threading the hook so it sits with the hook point in the middle of the worm. If you are fishing it Texas style then put a bobber stop just above the nose of the worm. This will help with hook ups and give a little bit different action. Enjoy!

[brambo0311]

Sounds like ya got sun fish chewing on the curly tail. I have this problem at disco bay all the time. Sometimes you will hook one of the little suckers.

[Phil]

FOR MY 10" AND 12" WORMS I ALWAYS USE 7/0 OWNER MODEL 5110-171 HOOKS TO BE SURE IF IT IS ACTUALLY A SHORT STRIKE OR JUST DINKS ??

JIGS

[kopper_bass]

Yeah,
I was thinking possibly the same thing.

Just because you caught a bass on the senko and felt a tap in the same area with a 10" worm, doesnt mean the same fish was hitting both baits.

I am guessing that it was sunfish that was hitting the 10" power worm (just nipping at the big tail), thus no hookups; and only when the senko came fluttering down did a bass decide to react.

just my .02

kopper_bass

[NaCl]

I think Moreau and Dan are right when they say let the fish hold the bait a little longer. This gives them the time to work the bait down into their crushers. Problem with this is you risk deep hooking the bass causing serious damage to it whether you leave the hook in or dig it out. For fun fishing, I'm personally not willing to put those fish at risk so if I don't stick em on the initial bite then the fish "wins". And, I move on.

Another interesting thing happens when you wait on the hookset. If the "bite" is actually something small like bluegill, crappie or baby bass, they just keep pecking at that tail. This constant pecking pretty much tells you what's doing the pecking. A quality bass rarely "pecks" at a bait. So, if you get an initial "hit" and decide to allow time for the fish to take the bait deeper then when you lift to feel pressure, you pretty much know its a better fish. In those instances, I'll pull with steady without a hookset to warn the bass and give it a chance to spit the bait. I've actually pulled nice bass all the way to the side of the boat doing that until it sees the boat and lets go.

Good luck,

.....NaCl

[crawdaddy]

Try adding a scent.

[buddy brown]

Try a gAmi 5/0 roundbend hook. The distance between the hook eye and hook point is greater and the angle of the hookpoint more perpendicular (sp?) to the plane of the worm. This means that the hook point is in a better angle when it goes through the worm into the jaw. Try changing the color too.

[Joe W.]

IMO a 3/0 is too small for a 10" bait. Especially considering how thick the powerworms are. I don't use anything smaller than a 5/0 on a worm that size. You may hook some fish just fine on a 3/0 hook but they have to inhale the whole worm, which they do not always do as you know!

[Greg_Cornish]

Are you skin hooking them like this?
http://www.significantudders.com/senkodemo.MOV 7MB file