I still trip out on all you anglers that can remember the manufacturers and names of your terminals. Once I open the package and put the hooks in the box, all I know is I didn’t make ‘em. Must be the difference between a great angler and pastime fisherman. Love the vids, especially the philosophical ones. Keep up the great work!
I used to try to keep them in the original package so I’d know which hook was which, but the packaging takes up too much space for a bank angler tackle bag.
I have all mine in 1 box seperated by compartments on my boat no packages. I just look in the box and say to myself " this looks like a good hook for this bait " and tie it on lol
I bought a lot of jerkbaits and crankbaits over the years, and didn’t have enough sense to keep the packaging. Now I have no way to know how deep they swim. Now I write such info inside the lid of the Plano box I store them in. If I pre-tie leaders on them, I wind the leader on a small square of card stock, and I can write the info there.
I just started bassin. It's been one of my dreams for more than 20 years and I finally have the time! You cleared up some major stuff for me Brother, it may sound stupid but I'm just getting some fundamentals right now. Thank you thank you thank you!
Randy I started using straight shank last year after one of your vids. Catch rate definitely went up. Great tips. Thank you for all your work to help us put more bass in the boat.
I’ve gotten off the ewg’s myself but what about the standard offset hook? I use those and it seems to work fine and they are much cheaper than those gamakatsu g finesse hooks.
i agree on the g finesse hook...im a tightwad...and never thought was much better till i bought a pack...now im hooked.....the light wire is the ticket and the coating i think
Like u said, u briefly mentioned this hook recommendation in another video. I made the switch back then and I can say u are nothing but right with your recommendations here. Thanks for dropping these tidbits. I don't know anyone with decades of fishing experience over here and these types of vids mean a lot.
Amazing advice!! Here in South Africa i fish only weighless texas rigs mainly because of the masses of grass in my home province dams. I have used ewg hooks only but i will change tomorrow to straight shank hooks!
The g-finesse hook is the most sticky hook I’ve ever used, I tried them on St Clair this year and if a fish get close to that thing he is stuck, I’ve never used a hook like it!
Never thought of skin hooking worm on side but have doing that on tubes for years. Tubes are thick and I lose a lot of fish but hook up ratio really improved when skin hooking on side
I tired this rigging method in spring. Lost the worm on every hook set . Went back to hooking it in the middle and started catching fish Not only do I not want to lose all my worms, I don’t like leaving them all in the lake either
Love your content Randy. Keep it up. I only share your channel with really really good friends because the tips are too close to what I enjoy doing on the water 😂😂😂
Randy has done it again, I use bobber stoppers on a!most all my stuff, but at the same time I use them most of them are set up for slip sinker, why , thank you Randy
Since the sinker color is a key to the strikes, it makes sense to have some markers or paint pens to color them on the fly so you don't have to re-tie each time you want to swap out the baits, yes?
I used off shank (gam) . hooks for 20 plus years and never had a problem with loosing alot of fish.Run the hook thru the bait and skin hook it. I really dont like straight shank hooks.
God i love these tutorials it reminds me of talking to uncle Ross on the way to the spot ive also caught so many more fish because of the tips from your videos so thank you! I call you the dad of my bass fishing content lol it would be really cool to go out fishing with you!
Randy, I been doing skin hook , and your right the skin hook is got better hook up ratio. But I've seen u make videos where you made a channel where your hook comes out. That's a good one 2. And I never understood the egg hook on worms ad creatures. Only time mostly I use eggs is for swimbaits and flukes.
Had me interested until he said the bass think the worm is chasing something (sinker). 😂 I didnt know worms were predatory by nature hahahahahaha other than that it was a good video lol
Same here. I have heard too many pros telling us to use something else, but I get a great hookup rate with Gamakatsu EWG hooks and trust my experience more than the pros.
Ditto, Gammy EWG offset shanks when rigged right are flawless. Hook point all the way through the worm and skin hook it. Depending on the type of plastic or the softness, I work a slightly bigger hole in the worm so it doesn't adhere to the hook as much which allows the worm to move away from the hook point easier and more. Simply by doing this I increased my hook percentage to at least 95%, many days it's 100%. It's all about the details and fine tuning relative to hook point exposure.
Query whether skin hooking at an angle rather than straight affects the lure as it drops in the water column. Does it look less natural or have more random action like a dying bait fish?
Randy, hopefully it will see this and respond. How do you feel about the offset hooks but not the extra wide ones? They kind of have the same profile and they look the same when installed. I’ve used all and I agree about the EWG, I like to use those on a thicker bait like a swim bait. Hope to hear your thoughts, thanks and I enjoy your perspective on all.
Actually the weight can slide down the line if not pegged and hit the hook which knocks it out when the fish goes to thrash. Had this happen many times when my weight was not pegged
I have nothing but EWG’s for TX rigging but I have been using the side hooking method and it does seems to get hookups at least as well if not better than burying the point in the middle while being as weedless. I used to stick the tip of the point up to the barb right under the skin on the bottom.Sometime the worm would roll to one side and I’d get a great hookup but sometimes it would have to go through the whole worm and they’d be barely skin hooked. Any tips on using rattles or other ways to make more noise for stained water? I have heard that tungsten will chip glass beads and I’m not a big fan of brass weights.
Would you go through more worms hooking to the side of the worm after every two smallmouth. After the first smallmouth tear, you probably put the hook through the other side. Fish tears the hook on that side and now its time for a new worm
Has anyone used those new type slip weights with the red eyes on em , the sinker is a lil different than the normal shape bullet it has a cup on it ? The red eyes are counter sunk in the weight ?
Hi Randy, great video. I lost a good fish the other day for that exact reason. I was using a whipsnake spinning rod and didn't get good hook set because the hook didn't penetrate the worm. Is this too light a rod for the 2/0 G finesse hook you were showing and a trick worm? I like this rod because I can skip it under trees with a 1/16 weight up shallow in dirty water. Another Question for you please. When a fish jumps do you keep reeling and pressure on them? I always lose my fish when they jump and head shake. Possibly lost my PB the other day.
usually, if my hookset is good, I leave excess line so that when the fish jumps, it can't enlarge the hole or use leverage to rip the hook out. it really only has leverage if you keep tension on the line. also If I feel it coming up and it's about to jump, I'll aim my rod tip down and I'll stick it in the water to try to prevent a jump by pulling it underneath the surface.
Hi Randy, another great video. Been in the boat several times and have waited for other guy to ask why his fish come off all the time and mine don't. I never impose my way until they ask, some get touchy, lol! I use your first hook, but give it a tweek to offset it with pliers, works great, also use truturn hooks too. You ever do that too?
I don't like the way the worm falls and retrieves with the skin hook.. I use a quality off-set hook and hook the worm right in the center. I do work the hook back and forth making a path for the hook to come out easily. I keep the point of the hook inside so it is still weedless. Been doing this for years and have no problem getting the fish hooked.
Great video as usual! Question- does it matter If the tail of the worm curling up should match the hook bend curving up; or does it matter if tail curve of the worm faces downward or sideways? Thank you for teaching me how to fish! 🤘🏼🎣
Not sure what to say to this. Rarely miss a fish, other than small ones, using an offset hook. As for rigging, always rig with the hook near the outside skin of the worm but going right up through the center of the worm. Thinking that hookup ratio has more to do with hook set timing than the difference between the two hooks. Too soon they don’t have it. Wait too long they’ve either spit it or swallowed it. Either way. Nothing wrong with what you’re teaching. May help the guys that only fish two days a year.
I’ve tried this but I don’t like it. The bait doesn’t seem to run correctly. I also use Z Man plastics which don’t texpose well so the hook point picks up crud. I keep it old school. Z mans are soft enough that I’ve never had trouble with penetration.
No ewg hooks for me either but I've been pegging my weights since the late 70's with toothpicks and very rarely ever will I lose a bass from shaking the hook, key is keeping them from jumping by holding the rod low. Just saying.
I have to say, I watched and listened twice to your "sinker, pegged, slip, bass grab it in mouth" section, and I'm so confused. One minute I think you like it, the next minute I think you don't. I know you know what you are "thinking/meaning," but I didn't. I can't be the only one, but maybe I am. Sinker weight, peg vs non-peg, open water vs docks vs heavy grass, I guess I need to listen again. Wahi' Valley
Depending on when your illness hit I would hazard to guess it's environmental. You just came out of the desert and now your back home. High humidity and pollen. Probably the sinus pressure - infection again.
You forgot about roughing up the plastic. LOL I do that all the time now because of you. What do you think of brass bullet weights? I got out of bass fishing for a while and just getting back into it last year or so, several years ago there were discussions about all the lead fisherman were breaking off in the water so that is why brass got popular as I understand it and I have several packs of them. Good video, I was wondering last week if I should be pegging my sinker or not.
I just hope you’ll let me continue using my FFS for recreational fishing. I like using it and hope your agenda to eliminate it is limited to tournament fishing.
I still trip out on all you anglers that can remember the manufacturers and names of your terminals. Once I open the package and put the hooks in the box, all I know is I didn’t make ‘em. Must be the difference between a great angler and pastime fisherman. Love the vids, especially the philosophical ones. Keep up the great work!
I used to try to keep them in the original package so I’d know which hook was which, but the packaging takes up too much space for a bank angler tackle bag.
I have all mine in 1 box seperated by compartments on my boat no packages. I just look in the box and say to myself " this looks like a good hook for this bait " and tie it on lol
I just buy the same hooks...gamagatzu ewg...6th sense flipping...Mustad wacky
It's a helluva thing having tackle OCD 😂
I bought a lot of jerkbaits and crankbaits over the years, and didn’t have enough sense to keep the packaging. Now I have no way to know how deep they swim. Now I write such info inside the lid of the Plano box I store them in. If I pre-tie leaders on them, I wind the leader on a small square of card stock, and I can write the info there.
I just started bassin. It's been one of my dreams for more than 20 years and I finally have the time! You cleared up some major stuff for me Brother, it may sound stupid but I'm just getting some fundamentals right now. Thank you thank you thank you!
Really enjoy your knowledge and time you take to teach. Thank you!
Randy I started using straight shank last year after one of your vids. Catch rate definitely went up. Great tips. Thank you for all your work to help us put more bass in the boat.
I’ve gotten off the ewg’s myself but what about the standard offset hook? I use those and it seems to work fine and they are much cheaper than those gamakatsu g finesse hooks.
Thank you Randy! I really appreciate the knowledge you share. I’ve never heard of anyone else doing this. Hope you’re feeling better!
i agree on the g finesse hook...im a tightwad...and never thought was much better till i bought a pack...now im hooked.....the light wire is the ticket and the coating i think
Like u said, u briefly mentioned this hook recommendation in another video. I made the switch back then and I can say u are nothing but right with your recommendations here. Thanks for dropping these tidbits. I don't know anyone with decades of fishing experience over here and these types of vids mean a lot.
Amazing advice!! Here in South Africa i fish only weighless texas rigs mainly because of the masses of grass in my home province dams. I have used ewg hooks only but i will change tomorrow to straight shank hooks!
Good Stuff Man,,!!! Keep it rollin’👌
Great rigging tip! Has really helped my catch ratio on the 10” worms.
Brilliant video, your experience is coming through!!! Thanks, I'll be setting it up like that from now on and will be testing it TODAY!!!
Some of my good old tricks too
Love the show
Keep you line tight 🎣
The g-finesse hook is the most sticky hook I’ve ever used, I tried them on St Clair this year and if a fish get close to that thing he is stuck, I’ve never used a hook like it!
I like to use the old school true turn hook side hooked all day long. Thanks for all the great tips!
Never thought of skin hooking worm on side but have doing that on tubes for years. Tubes are thick and I lose a lot of fish but hook up ratio really improved when skin hooking on side
I love this channel. Thank you for all the info Randy
Gotta love the percentages he attaches to everything lol
95% of them are wrong?!?!? That's insane! Thank God you're here to correct the world!
I tired this rigging method in spring. Lost the worm on every hook set . Went back to hooking it in the middle and started catching fish
Not only do I not want to lose all my worms, I don’t like leaving them all in the lake either
I've mentioned it before, you need a small a/c window unit in the cave . Thanks for the video.
No kidding. Small investment for being a little more comfortable. Plus, not using deodorant. Lol
@@dong8307 yes the deodorant , I forgot about that 😅 Tight lines Don 🙂
Randy saw this on your creature bait vid, 100 % agree. MUCH better hookups.Love those Gamagatsus, fish never come off
Ty for the knowledge!!
what about brass and glass, it seems that the sound moves fish to it... what you think.. thanks
Thanks will use your tips to rig next time
Love your content Randy. Keep it up. I only share your channel with really really good friends because the tips are too close to what I enjoy doing on the water 😂😂😂
Randy has done it again, I use bobber stoppers on a!most all my stuff, but at the same time I use them most of them are set up for slip sinker, why , thank you Randy
Since the sinker color is a key to the strikes, it makes sense to have some markers or paint pens to color them on the fly so you don't have to re-tie each time you want to swap out the baits, yes?
Hi Randy,
Do you get any line twist by hooking the worm this way?
I used off shank (gam) . hooks for 20 plus years and never had a problem with loosing alot of fish.Run the hook thru the bait and skin hook it. I really dont like straight shank hooks.
God i love these tutorials it reminds me of talking to uncle Ross on the way to the spot ive also caught so many more fish because of the tips from your videos so thank you! I call you the dad of my bass fishing content lol it would be really cool to go out fishing with you!
Thx man!
Randy, I been doing skin hook , and your right the skin hook is got better hook up ratio. But I've seen u make videos where you made a channel where your hook comes out. That's a good one 2. And I never understood the egg hook on worms ad creatures. Only time mostly I use eggs is for swimbaits and flukes.
thanks Randy!
Had me interested until he said the bass think the worm is chasing something (sinker). 😂 I didnt know worms were predatory by nature hahahahahaha other than that it was a good video lol
Idk Man I use an Gammy EWG with my worms and hook almost every fish that bites my worm. Just being honest.
Same here. I have heard too many pros telling us to use something else, but I get a great hookup rate with Gamakatsu EWG hooks and trust my experience more than the pros.
Ditto, Gammy EWG offset shanks when rigged right are flawless. Hook point all the way through the worm and skin hook it. Depending on the type of plastic or the softness, I work a slightly bigger hole in the worm so it doesn't adhere to the hook as much which allows the worm to move away from the hook point easier and more. Simply by doing this I increased my hook percentage to at least 95%, many days it's 100%. It's all about the details and fine tuning relative to hook point exposure.
Query whether skin hooking at an angle rather than straight affects the lure as it drops in the water column. Does it look less natural or have more random action like a dying bait fish?
Good stuff. I usually use a gamagatsu bent shank worm hook and Tex pose it but I'll def try this method out. Seems more streamlined.
Thanks man :) will try this
cool tip I will try it out at Douglas lake next week.
2:05 Did he say "20 years of a$$ fishing?"
Lol
Solid advice as always.
love that toothpick idea
Randy, hopefully it will see this and respond. How do you feel about the offset hooks but not the extra wide ones? They kind of have the same profile and they look the same when installed. I’ve used all and I agree about the EWG, I like to use those on a thicker bait like a swim bait. Hope to hear your thoughts, thanks and I enjoy your perspective on all.
MAN! THANK YOU!!!
Great video. Thank You
What weight size peg sinker u use or recommend to pitch it around. Thanks for the info I've been catching more bass
When you skini hook on the side, doesnt it corkscrew through the water and cause line twist?
Another awesome video!!!!
Randy have you ever used the owner twistlock type hooks for texas rigging ?
Dropping gems
Will these hooks straighten out with a heavy casting rod? Wondering because they are a light hook
Actually the weight can slide down the line if not pegged and hit the hook which knocks it out when the fish goes to thrash. Had this happen many times when my weight was not pegged
I have nothing but EWG’s for TX rigging but I have been using the side hooking method and it does seems to get hookups at least as well if not better than burying the point in the middle while being as weedless. I used to stick the tip of the point up to the barb right under the skin on the bottom.Sometime the worm would roll to one side and I’d get a great hookup but sometimes it would have to go through the whole worm and they’d be barely skin hooked.
Any tips on using rattles or other ways to make more noise for stained water? I have heard that tungsten will chip glass beads and I’m not a big fan of brass weights.
Genius
Would you go through more worms hooking to the side of the worm after every two smallmouth. After the first smallmouth tear, you probably put the hook through the other side. Fish tears the hook on that side and now its time for a new worm
Randy what size G-finesse hook would you recommend for a standard 7 to 9 inch worm? Definitely something I want to experiment with.
3/0 and 4/0 for over 9
Has anyone used those new type slip weights with the red eyes on em , the sinker is a lil different than the normal shape bullet it has a cup on it ? The red eyes are counter sunk in the weight ?
I'm with you on a tooth pick but for me I
Use the flat sided kind.
Day time tips in the now famous"Tackle Room"😁
What is your preference for the orientation of the tail Randy? Do you think it makes a difference whether the tail faces down or up?
great video!!
Hi Randy, great video. I lost a good fish the other day for that exact reason. I was using a whipsnake spinning rod and didn't get good hook set because the hook didn't penetrate the worm. Is this too light a rod for the 2/0 G finesse hook you were showing and a trick worm? I like this rod because I can skip it under trees with a 1/16 weight up shallow in dirty water. Another Question for you please. When a fish jumps do you keep reeling and pressure on them? I always lose my fish when they jump and head shake. Possibly lost my PB the other day.
usually, if my hookset is good, I leave excess line so that when the fish jumps, it can't enlarge the hole or use leverage to rip the hook out. it really only has leverage if you keep tension on the line. also If I feel it coming up and it's about to jump, I'll aim my rod tip down and I'll stick it in the water to try to prevent a jump by pulling it underneath the surface.
Amazing juice
Does it not fly out on the cast rigging it on the side
thanks...
Hi Randy, another great video. Been in the boat several times and have waited for other guy to ask why his fish come off all the time and mine don't. I never impose my way until they ask, some get touchy, lol! I use your first hook, but give it a tweek to offset it with pliers, works great, also use truturn hooks too. You ever do that too?
I don't like the way the worm falls and retrieves with the skin hook.. I use a quality off-set hook and hook the worm right in the center. I do work the hook back and forth making a path for the hook to come out easily. I keep the point of the hook inside so it is still weedless. Been doing this for years and have no problem getting the fish hooked.
Does that make it swim differently? 🤔🤷🏼♂️
Hope you get better Randy.
Ya I love your vids
Been skin hooking in the side for yrs and people always say I'm wrong oh well I'm getting good hook set bet they not lol
What is the peg
When I uses to use the toothpicks I would cut it off flush instead of breaking it I feel it is a little easier on your line
Great video as usual! Question- does it matter If the tail of the worm curling up should match the hook bend curving up; or does it matter if tail curve of the worm faces downward or sideways? Thank you for teaching me how to fish! 🤘🏼🎣
Tail up
It doesn't matter a bit honestly.
Yes but I use a long shank with a bend at the front.
Round bend or straight shank
What do you think of the hook up of that wacky worm where they just hook it in the middle of the worm? Have you ever use that type of setup?
What about using a red weight?
Not sure what to say to this. Rarely miss a fish, other than small ones, using an offset hook. As for rigging, always rig with the hook near the outside skin of the worm but going right up through the center of the worm. Thinking that hookup ratio has more to do with hook set timing than the difference between the two hooks. Too soon they don’t have it. Wait too long they’ve either spit it or swallowed it. Either way. Nothing wrong with what you’re teaching. May help the guys that only fish two days a year.
I’ve tried this but I don’t like it. The bait doesn’t seem to run correctly. I also use Z Man plastics which don’t texpose well so the hook point picks up crud.
I keep it old school. Z mans are soft enough that I’ve never had trouble with penetration.
Do you ever Snell your Texas rigs?
Maybe a fineness jig?
No ewg hooks for me either but I've been pegging my weights since the late 70's with toothpicks and very rarely ever will I lose a bass from shaking the hook, key is keeping them from jumping by holding the rod low.
Just saying.
Ima stay with the bobberstoppers. They just too cheap. I use the tooth picks to get the jerky outta my gums when the fish aint bitin.
And go get you an AC for your tackle shop!
I have to say, I watched and listened twice to your "sinker, pegged, slip, bass grab it in mouth" section, and I'm so confused. One minute I think you like it, the next minute I think you don't. I know you know what you are "thinking/meaning," but I didn't. I can't be the only one, but maybe I am. Sinker weight, peg vs non-peg, open water vs docks vs heavy grass, I guess I need to listen again. Wahi' Valley
You need a/c ?
Depending on when your illness hit I would hazard to guess it's environmental. You just came out of the desert and now your back home. High humidity and pollen. Probably the sinus pressure - infection again.
That makes sense
You forgot about roughing up the plastic. LOL I do that all the time now because of you. What do you think of brass bullet weights? I got out of bass fishing for a while and just getting back into it last year or so, several years ago there were discussions about all the lead fisherman were breaking off in the water so that is why brass got popular as I understand it and I have several packs of them. Good video, I was wondering last week if I should be pegging my sinker or not.
Wait you have the tail facing up opposite the side of the hook. Hmm I have the tail facing down, not sure it make a difference but any comments
I just hope you’ll let me continue using my FFS for recreational fishing. I like using it and hope your agenda to eliminate it is limited to tournament fishing.
Yeah no thanks