What Hook To Use For Wacky Rig

Most anglers out there know by this time that a wacky style rig is a great way to be sure to get that catch.

What hook should you use for wacky rig fishing to ensure that your rig is perfect for luring the fish to your bait?

We found that the best for a wacky rig is a hook with a short shank but a wide circle style hook.

You can use a size 1/0 hook because it has the right size for a good hold on the wacky worms.

But there is more to finding the right wacky rig hooks, so read on and find out how to choose the best wacky hook.

Opened tackle box with fishing hooks and accessories. Fishing hooks in box sections. Case for tackle elements. Fishing accessories background close-up.

Contents

What Is A Wacky Rig?

This is for those who don’t know what a wacky rig is, which will be in the minority or someone who never catches fish.

A wacky rig is a fishing technique with a soft plastic lure and mostly wacky worms like a Gary Yamamoto Senko.

In this rig, a wide gap hook with a short shank is impaled through the middle of the body of the bait worm.

This causes the worm to move around in wacky movements, which makes it even more visible to fish, which is great for the bass angler.

The wacky rig is quite popular because it increases the chances of catching finicky fish such as big bass.

The wacky soft worm is also known as stick bait among many anglers worldwide and comes in different sizes.

Wacky worm rig for catching predatory bass fish with spinning rod, braided fishing line and hook.

When To Use A Wacky Rig

The best time to use a wacky rig is on those days fish are tough to catch, and they are picky baiters.

It is also an ideal setup to use if you don’t mind the size of fish you want to catch.

Because the lure is smaller than most, the chances for different sizes of fish to take the bait is higher.

The wacky rig can be used during all seasons, though many anglers prefer not to use it during winter.

So, if you are struggling to get fish to eat, take out that wacky rig and you will have a better chance of catching it.

You can cast it at a decent distance, and the slow fall through the water column will lure the fish to the bait.

You can also use it in all types of water, whether you angle in shallow water or even in deeper water.

What Is the Best Hook For Wacky Rig?

The right size hook is one of the most important factors to consider when finding the right hook.

Learn how to put a hook and weight on a fishing rod.

If you use a small wide gap hook, you will find that the bait will take much longer to fall to the bottom.

This means that stick bait is visible for much longer, triggering the fish to feed.

This is called a drop shot, where lighter gear is used and the bait is floating longer in the water.

But the best hook for wacky rig is a 1/0 size hook with a 5-inch Senko worm.

You can also use a 2/0 size hook with a 6-inch and thicker worm diameter if you want it to wiggle more.

If you find a weedless hook with a short shaft and wide hook, you can use that to be on the safe side.

This will make it much easier to find fish even in shallow cover with the chance of your hook getting stuck.

While you know the size of the hook is important, you should also find the right size worm for the perfect rig.

A 1/0 hook size and an artificial soft worm of 3 to 6 inches in length will make the best for wacky rig.

How To Set Up A Wacky Rig

Setting up a wacky rig is not that difficult and you don’t need a lot of items to complete the rig.

You need a hook with a short hook shank and a wide gap hook to give you the best action in the water.

You will need a Senko-style plastic stick bait or Senko worms to complete the wacky rig.

Follow the steps to complete the wacky rig and you will be ready for bass fishing.

  • Add the hook to the line and tie it through the hook eye.
  • Now take the soft plastic worm and hold it with two fingers to find the best spot to impale it.
  • This is the spot where it wiggles the most while holding it between the fingers.
  • You will find it balances just off-center. Now impale it through the middle with the hook.
  • That is it. You are ready to cast it.

See the following short YouTube video for the complete instructions on how to set it up the right way.

Some Useful Hints

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when it comes to finding the right combination of hook and worm.

Many websites out there have a lot of helpful information, but it will take time to search them all.

We have compiled a list of useful hints that will help you when it comes to using a wacky rig for catching bass

  • The water clarity and whether you catch in heavy cover will impact your choice of hook.
  • If the water is only a few feet deep, you would want to use the lightest hook you can find to use on your rig.
  • Wide circle hooks are the easiest and the best option for a good wacky rig for quick and easy attachment.
  • Many people prefer to fish weightless or with a nail weight so it will go down a bit slower, but that is not always the best.
  • Adding the right weight will add extra weight to the worm, making it look more life-like. This will trigger a reaction in the fish. The best option is a nail weight or a pencil weight. Heavier weights might not be such a good idea either.
  • Use standard 8mm O-rings to put the worm through and attach the hook to the ring, which will help your worm to last longer. To make it a stronger connection, you can always use 20-rings with your rig.
  • Dropping the rig on the edge of vegetation may also trigger a much better reaction from the fish.
  • The perfect transition between light and shadow will have an impact on the success of your fishing expedition.

Conclusion

As you can see, a smaller hook with a wide gap and short shaft and a lighter weight option is a good combination.

While a size 1/0 is the best choice, you should also experiment with other setups to get the right balance for your wacky rig.

Hopefully, this will help you to understand wacky rigs and what hook to use with them, happy fishing!