Fishing with a swimbait can be a great way to catch fish, but selecting the right hook can be tricky, especially for beginners. In this blog post, we'll cover some basic guidelines to help you choose the right hooks for your swimbait.
If you're fishing near or in cover (read more about structure and cover), it's best to go with a weedless hook option. This will prevent your hook from getting caught on grass, other types of vegetations, or timber which can be so frustrating. It’ll also allow you to keep the tail thumping when your swimbait goes through or over different pieces of cover which can draw strikes.
Another thing to consider when selection a weedless swimbait hook is the depth you’ll be fishing. Match the depth you’ll be fishing with a weightless or weighted swimbait hook that’ll allow you to stay in the strike zone. If you’re fishing shallow water or keeping your swimbait in the top of the water column it’s a great idea to use a weightless swimbait hook like a Trokar Swimbait Hook or Trokar Magnum Swimbait Hook. Conversely if you’re fishing deeper water use a weighted swimbait hook that will allow you to efficiently get your swimbait to depth and keep it there. The Lazer Sharp Weighted Swimbait Hook and Trokar Magnum Weighted Swimbait Hook are great options for fishing your swimbait in a little deeper water.
If you're fishing in open water areas like points or riprap, an exposed hook jig designed for swimbaits is the best option. The bite to hook up ration of an exposed hook swimbait jig is fantastic! Again, consider the depths you’ll be fishing and adjust the weight of the jig accordingly. The shallower you fish the lighter you go, the deeper you fish the heavier you go. A few exposed hook swimbait jig options anglers love are the Lazer Sharp Swimbait Head Jig, Trokar Swimbait Head Jig with Molded Keeper, and The Trokar Boxing Glove Jig.
Selecting the right size hook or jig can be confusing when you’re first starting out. An easy way to size hooks for swimbaits a lot of anglers rely on is to simply match the length of the bait to the ought of the hook. So for instance a 3inch bait would require a 3/0 hook, a 4 inch swimbait would require a 4/0 hook, etc…
Choosing the right swimbait hook can be tricky, but by following these basic guidelines, you can increase your chances of catching fish. In the next blog post, we'll cover more advanced techniques for selecting the right hook, so stay tuned!