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Bass Hooks Guide

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Mention the largemouth bass to almost any angler, and visions of wrestling beasts from places angels fear to tread come to mind. 

The largemouth is North America’s number one species to chase, and it is a multi-million dollar industry with everything from the simple hook to boats. 

largemouth bass hook size

The Bass Angler’s Sportsman’s Society, B.A.S.S., even has its own tournament trail and professional bass anglers.

There are so many lures and techniques to consider when bass fishing, the last thing people consider is often the most important thing you need – the hook.

The reason we don’t think about the hook is that it is just that – the hook. It is this line of thinking that is why so many bass anglers only dream about the absolute ‘hawgs’ that swim in lakes, ponds, and rivers across North America. 

Those who are after the biggest and worst fish need to start thinking about the best hooks for bass available.

With everything we need to think about when it comes to bass fishing, the last thing we often worry about is our hooks. 

The same bass hook Grandpa used to catch his bass should be just as good for us today, correct?

Nothing can be further from the truth.

The first thing to realize, and many already recognize this, there are different hooks for bass for the many different presentations and lures. This is common knowledge for the bass angler.

That is why Angler’s Gear is going to review the best hooks for bass. The most skilled and seasoned angler knows about the bass hook and its importance. 

BASS professional angler Kevin VanDam considers the hook to be the most important lure in his tackle box, and this is why hook manufacturers are constantly honing their products, looking for better metals, and getting hooks sharper and sharper.

Before Angler’s Gear discusses the best bass hooks available, it is a better idea to review the different types of bass hooks. Here are the fundamental types available.

Straight shank

These hooks do not bend at the eyelet. The straight shank hook itself is ideal for fishing heavy cover where the bass is likely to hide. 

The largemouth bass is an ambush predator, so it needs cover and concealment for its prey.

Offset Round Bend

Gamakatsu 25 Pack EWG Offset Worm Hook

If there was a single, all-around hook for the bass, this would be the hook. The offset shape maneuvers the lure in ways to entice a strike. 

The hook is also equally effective in the open water or in dense cover.

We saw a lot of these above because I think they’re the best hooks for bass. The offset helps position the lure properly, and they work well in cover as well as open water.

Offset Wide Gap Hook

Fishing Extra-wide gap hook

The enlarged gap provides more space between the barb and the shank. For the Angler’s Gear angler, this is an ideal hook as the design makes the hook very difficult to swallow. 

Bend down the barb, and the barbless look makes for quick and easy catch and releases fishing.

Treble Hook

Mustad Classic Treble Hook

The treble hook is three hooks coming together at a single eyelet. These are most common on topwater, swimbait, and crankbait artificial lures. 

Treble hooks are designed to catch and hold onto fish. It is exceptionally rare that a treble hook is swallowed or caught anywhere but the mouth of the bass or any other fish.

If you aim to fish with a treble hook, you might find interest in our Treble Hook Size Chart comprehensive guide to choosing the one that fit your needs. You can also read our treble hooks review.

Drop Shot Hook

Drop Shot Hook

This is a very specialized hook for a specialized technique. A small baitfish are suspended in the water for a natural look. The other name for the particular hook is the octopus hook.

Ned Rig

Mustad Ned Rig Jig Head

Bass fishing has not had a really great breakthrough since the advent of scented baits. The Ned Rig changed that. The Ned Rig hook is tough and perfect where the bass is under heavy pressure. 

It is a low-profile rig, has subtle action, and is similar to the majority of what a bass feeds on. The hook itself resembles a simple jig head hook. (A jig head hook is a straight shank hook with a weight at the eyelet.)

Texas Rig Hook

It is a hard decision between the jig and pig or the plastic worm that is the all-time leader for catching bass. 

The Texas rig is one of the original ways to hook a worm and remains a top way to produce bass day after day. The hook is a straight shank hook with a slight bend before the eyelet. 

The allows the hook to run straight down the body of the worm while embedding the barb and tip back into the body of the worm.

Weighted Swim Bait Hook

The swimbait hit the bass fishing world by storm and has yet to slow down. The bait is equally effective for inshore saltwater. 

The hook is similar to a Texas worm hook with the difference being there is a screw coming off of the eyelet and weight on the bend of the hook. The screw holds the worm tightly, and the weight allows the lure to swim straight.

Angler’s Gear wanted you to be aware of the best bass hooks on the market, but when it comes down to the serious bass angler, there is one bait that will produce time and time again – the plastic worm. 

Therefore, we are covering the best worm hooks for bass available.

Texas rig worms produce bass. The only thing that produces more bass is live bait – common bass forage. 

Most of these hooks are also ideal for live bait and can be made barbless with a bit of effort. Angler’s Gear will cover those for you as well.

GAMAKATSU 25 PACK EWG OFFSET WORM HOOK

Gamakatsu 25 Pack EWG Offset Worm Hook

First off, Gamakatsu works and works well. They are made with high-quality carbon steel made with some of the best tempering technology available. 

Each hook is heated and cooked in oil afterward. The result is a hook that is exceptionally hard but not brittle, so the hook will ‘give’ some during use.

The last thing, and possibly the most important, the Gamakatsu hooks are ultra-sharp from the outset. 

This means any bass will hook easily. Bend the barb down, and you are ready for a full day of quality catch and release fishing.

The hook is designed primarily for a Texas rig, but the wide gap can accommodate live bait easily. 

Between a worm and live bait, you have the best bass bait on the best bass hook.

LUENGO 50PC BAITHOLDER FISH HOOKS

Angler’s Gear is always looking for the best in fishing gear, and this includes hooks for bass. If you are serious about bass fishing and looking for some table fare, live bait, particularly shiners, is the only way to go.

This Luengo model is an octopus design and has two extra barbs along the shank to help keep a fish on the hook.

The catch and release philosophy of Angler’s Gear does not match well with this particular hook. 

The big advantage you will have with fishing live bait or shiners is the quality of fish will be much more substantial. Keeping a few for table fare will not be an issue.

SOUGAYILANG FISHING HOOKS HIGH CARBON STEEL WORM HOOK

SOUGAYILANG FISHING HOOKS HIGH CARBON STEEL WORM HOOK

We spoke at the beginning about how Texas rigged worms produce bass and produce well. 

One thing we did not talk about is how there are several different sizes of worms that range from around four inches to over a foot long.

One of the advantages of Texas rigging is you can use more than just a standard worm. Many jerk baits, made popular in the ’90s, are Texas rigged. 

The Sougayilang hook will work perfectly. The sizes of #1 to a 3/0 mean you can cover almost any worm size. 

The hooks come in a plastic box with 10 hooks per size. This is the best bass hook set you can likely find.

Z-MAN TEXAS EYE JIGHEAD

Z-MAN TEXAS EYE JIGHEAD

Z-Man is a relative newcomer in the fishing world. The lures are exceptionally popular for inshore saltwater anglers, but these jighead hooks work great for bass.

There are only three per pack and one color, so making sure you are careful is very important. If you are a Ned rig angler, this is the best bass hook around. 

The bait keeper at the top will hold onto your worm or Ned rig lure without issue. It works so well, in fact, there is a good chance your worm will be torn off.

The jig head is not the best looking in the world, but the bass does not care. This is a great bass hook.

MUSTAD CLASSIC WIRE DEMON

MUSTAD CLASSIC WIRE DEMON

The largemouth bass is the number one fish in North America, but if you are fortunate enough to be in a locale where striped bass is abundant, you are doubly lucky. 

Stripers get big, fight hard, and are incredibly fun to catch.  Angler’s Gear covered them in the saltwater, but the fish are anadromous – able to survive and thrive in freshwater. 

Many southern states have successfully introduced them to a successful population.

Mustad makes hooks and little else. They are some of the leaders in the fishing world within the hook industry, and they make some of the best bass hooks around – stripers included.

The Mustad Classic Wire Demon is designed for shiners, small panfish, eels, and other baitfish stripers will feed on in fresh and saltwater with regularity.

These hooks will move to the corner of the mouth with relative ease, making the catch and release quick and easy.

Mustad Ned Rig Jig Head

Mustad Ned Rig Jig Head

When it comes to ned rigs, we go with Mustad! Tough and perfect where the bass is under heavy pressure. It has a low-profile rig, has subtle action, and is similar to the majority of what a bass feeds on.

What size circle hooks for striped bass?

Circle Hooks for Striped Bass

The anglers on the east coast of the U.S. know their preferred quarry in the saltwater is the striped bass. Striped bass, stripers, linesider, rockfish, cows, or whatever moniker the fish has, is an anadromous species, meaning it can tolerate freshwater as well as saltwater.

Anglers who live for the striped bass know the species will take a variety of artificial baits, but the number one thing they use on a regular basis is live bait. There is no better hook for live bait than the Circle Hook.

Not like anglers have a lot of choice in the matter. The decision to shift to using circle hooks exclusively is a decision by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The striper population was in serious jeopardy because breeding fish did not survive gut hooking. The changes mean in a few years the species will rebound considerably. This will be a boon to all anglers

Which bait to use is a matter of personal preference. The same can be said for how to hook the bait. 

Menhaden

The Menhaden, (bunker or pogy, depending on the location), has several different hook locations to select from.

  • The back and belly – Hooking the baitfish in this way have the bait swim down and to the bottom, a common location for striped bass. (Note: There are some anglers who fish for striped bass in freshwater who will strike the bottom of the boat, encouraging the striper to look up.)
  • Nose – Hooking the Menhaden through the nose gives the hook the perfect opportunity to land and pierce the side of the mouth.
  • Bridle – Hooking a menhaden or other baitfish through the body can damage the baitfish and slow the efficacy. Bridling the bait means using a small wire, running it through the eye socket, and attaching the hook to the front of the wire. The advantage is a small hook and better hook opportunity

Cut bait

Cut bait needs to be hooked securely but with the point exposed for the best hook-up. It is best to use a larger hook in this situation.

Eels

If there is one bait that will produce stripers when nothing else will, it is the eel. Eels work well with smaller circle hooks because of the diameter of the fish. A smaller hook is better because there is a better chance of a hookup.

What circle hooks to use?

The huge number of differences in the way to hook and fish live bait for stripers mean there are plenty of options for the angler. Amazon has the best selection of options, but the UCEC Combination Box Is The Best Choice Because Of The Number Of Hook Sizes Available.

What size circle hooks for striped bass?

Please remember, even though a circle hook will catch the corner of the mouth on most occasions, removing the hook can damage the fish. Bending back the barb for a barbless hook is always recommended for the angler. Catch all you want, keep what you need, and return the rest for another day.

Barbless hooks for bass

How to Choose the Right One

Barbless Hooks are one of the most popular fishing hooks for many reasons. These hooks can be used in both largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing and they come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They eliminate the chance of the hook tearing out from the fish’s mouth, which is crucial for catching bass.

One way to find a good barbless hook is by looking at its size, shape, and jaw design.

In general, smaller hooks are better for small-mouth bass because they can get swallowed too easily.

The best shape for these smaller barbless hooks is usually a Circle Hook or an oval. For largemouth bass fishing, barbed hooks work better because they have larger mouths that can handle bigger sizes with ease. When it comes to jaw design – a long-shanked barbed will work great!

The Bass Hook

Bass Fish Species and What Size Hook They Prefer

The largemouth bass is the most popular type of bass fishing in North America because of its size and reputation as a fierce fighter. This fish prefers a medium-sized hook (1/0-4/0). The smallmouth bass prefers a smaller hook (#4-1/0) and will typically bite on anything that moves.

 

Largemouth bass hook size chart

Hook Type

Hook Size

AberdeenFrom: #2To: 4/0
OctopusFrom: #6To: 5/0
Worm hookFrom: #2To: 8/0
Treble hookFrom: #1TO: 2/0
Circle hookFrom: #2To: 2/0
Baitholder HookFrom: 1/0To: 2/0
Siwash hookFrom: 1/0To: 2/0
Kahle hookFrom: 1/0To: 3/0
Weedless hookFrom: #1To: 3/0

Smallmouth bass hook size chart

Hook Type

Hook Size

AberdeenFrom: #4To: 2/0
OctopusFrom: #6To: 1/0
Worm hookFrom: #2To: 2/0
Treble hookFrom: #8TO: #2
Circle hookFrom: #8To: #1
Baitholder HookFrom: #6To: 1/0
Siwash hookFrom: 1/0To: 1/0
Kahle HookFrom: #2To: 1/0
Weedless HookFrom: #4To: 1/0

If you prefer a treble hook, check our detailed treble hook size chart

Bass Hook Size Chart: The Definitive Guide to the Best Bass Hooks

Introduction: Why You Need a Bass Hook Size Chart

Bass fishing is a popular sport. However, the lack of an accurate sizing chart for hooks has made it difficult for beginners to catch fish. You may have bought a hook that is too small or too big for your bait, which means you’ve wasted money.

Understanding Fishing Hook Size Chart

A bass fishing hook size chart is a chart that’s used to find the right size of fishing hooks to use when fishing for bass. The size of the fish and the size and the type of bait will determine what size of the hook is used.

What is a Bass Hook?

Bass hooks are made up of four parts: eyelet, shank, gap, and point. The length of the shank and the gap width determines the size of fish that it can catch. The length ranges from ~20mm to ~80mm inches for these hooks. The thickness of the wire also varies among different brands and models.

The Importance of Finding the Right Bass hook Size

In this section, we will be exploring the importance of finding the right bass fishing hook size. There are a few important things to consider when looking for the right size.

On average, a shank of a size #4 hook is 20mm long while a shank on a size 4/0 hook is 40mm″ long (see the full Fishing hook size chart in mm). The type of bait you are using and how deep you will be casting can also dictate what size bass fishing hook you should use.

The good news is that we’ve created for you a simple Bass hooks size chart to clarify this important choice.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Bass fishing hooks are designed to do one thing-catch bass. There are a variety of different types and sizes of hooks, but they all have the same basic goal-to sink into the fish’s mouth and hold on tight.

That’s why it’s important to use the right type of hook for the size and type of bait you’re using, as well as for the conditions you’re fishing in. If you want to catch more bass, make sure you’re using the right bass fishing hooks!