How large is to large (lure-wise) and how small is too small (hook-wise) ?

[SPOONMINNOW]

After I repaired my reel to make it cast longer distances (spool was over filled), I wanted to test it and a 3.75" worm with a new design. A few things I learned and a few things confirmed:

1. Don't overfill your reel !
2. When it comes to cold water (41 degrees in this case), fish will still smack a lure like no tomorrow given their cold water immunity[i/]. This morning I wanted to see the action of the worm on the drop, jigged off bottom and swum. Not great since the plastic I poured was too hard for the tail end to shimmy. But guess what? A 1.75 lb bass and 12" perch clobbered it! Which leads me to these question:
a. when matching jig hook size to lure size, how small is too small ?
b. when fishing in cold water, on long is too long when it comes to straight baits like Slider Worms?

V1 is the hook placement I had no problem hooking either fish. V2 is where the hook would normally emerge given a larger hook size. Just the fact that both species got hooked means that when it comes to larger fish, their aggression level stimulated by lure design allows them to easily wrap their lips around a longer lure with short shank hook. In the case of the bass, the lure was completely in its mouth whereas smaller fish in my pond didn't bother.

(Note: The bass started out at 1 lb when stocked in my pond in spring; today that bass had grown to almost 2 lbs. being the only bass swimming alongside a smorgasbord of pan fish to snack on. Guess 'hog' applies!)

Back to tail design. The tail made the worm act slightly different regardless plastic's firmness and the retrieve; the tail's hook-profile might have an added visual stimulus.

Time to pour some more in soft plastic.

(note: pond is stocked with permits for five species)

 

[catfish170]

Every time I have fished something I thought was too big some little fart would swallow the bait. Hook size again is what are you comfortable trying. Most think I fish too small in hook size. Largest Striper(36 lb) was on a 1/0. Lost more fish on big hooks I care to count.

 

[Softbaitmaker]

I can answer that question when it comes to my fishing but can't really tell you about other anglers that buy some of my big 6 inch swim baits and 14 inch ribbon tail worms. I can't remember the last time I fished a worm longer than 7.5 inches long and I use a 4/0 Owner offset worm hook on them. For everything else I use the Owner utility hook in a 3/0 (with the exception of tube baits and then utility 4/0) For anyone that has not looked at or used an Owner Utility hook you may want to give them a second look. You also ask about how long is two long in cold weather/water. To begin with, like I said I don't fish anything over 7.5 inch worms ad I seldom go any shorter than a 5 inch bait which for the most part is my stick baits(Senkoe type) except when it comes to Tubes and I wil got 2.5 Fat body tubes for Smallmouths but catch largemouths on them also.
I know you make your own baits and if you don't mind my asking what Grade of Plastisol are you using Hard, medium or soft? (500,503 or 536) Now with that said. (My SPOCK Logic) Most everything that has young in spring so by Late Fall and Winter The Fry or babies have grown into at least a fingerling or larger in fish, Night Crawlers have reached adulthood, Crayfish will have reached at least 3/4 size or depending on surrounding grown into adulthood so even though that is what takes place in nature most all of the anglers I know will downsize to smaller baits even though it goes against everything in nature in cold weather or winter fishing.. The orders I am pouring right now are for 2.5 inch swim baits, Crawfish, Magnum 4 inch Finesse Worms and the small Swimming Jig Chunks for Finesse Jigs which are for anglers getting ready for Winter fishing.
Now with that said, I do realize that yes, Largemouth bass do become somewhat latharic in winter but they still eat, just not as often! Smallmouths on the other hand actually are more active when the water gets colder and can be caught more often in lakes where they have a good population of them. back in the Winters of years past when I could deal with the cold I would fish lakes with a lot of Smallies and I would rely mostly on Tubes with average success catching 4 to 8 fish an outting. When I would venture out on Old Hickory lake in Winter I would catch a few Green fish focusing on banks that would have the sun hitting it the longest which was the north banks and I would use a crawfish and move it slowly an the strike would not be like in 80 degree of water but more like a mushy feeling and a heavy feeling on the rod. Thats all folks!!!!

 

[fischnrod]

Who orders the big worms and how much do they cost ?

 

[Softbaitmaker]

You have a PM.
Thanks

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

"what Grade of Plastisol are you using Hard, medium or soft? "

I pretty much stick with M-F plastisol and use soft grade and medium. If I want the bait to have more action with the least rod tip manipulation at the slowest speed, I add a small bit of softener to soft grade plastic before nuking; medium hardness for medium- large swimbaits. I've started using M-F's sinking plastic and like it! With fine salt, it's close to the Senko's plastic formulation and the lure is still soft.

I've gotten away from using Lurecraft plastisol because I hate how difficult it is to mix the stuff after it sits unused for a week. The hard white stuff on the bottom takes forever to mix. M-F has far less of an odor and never bubbles even at 300 degrees.

I have caught medium size bass using Bass Assassin's 10" worm on a 5/0 wide gap hook. But in the example, I rarely go smaller than a #4 jig head hook for most baits. The hook in the picture is a #6 and I never expected to catch two fish this morning while testing my reel for casting distance and retrieve smoothness on a worm that was too firm for my liking.

Now that I know how well the new tail works, I made up 6 more worms in different lengths.

As far as downsizing, strange as it seems, I never need to use any tube smaller than 2" most of the year - even under the ice. For bigger fish from ice out to water just above 50 degrees, I catch bass and other species using 2-3" tubes and no larger. Diameter seems to be the other most important factor.

 

[R-boatless]

fischnrod - 11/20/2017 2:33 PM

Who orders the big worms and how much do they cost ?

I have bought many, many baits from Softy. And I would / do listen anytime that he offers advise on fishing.

 

[Softbaitmaker]

Between You, Rusty, and 31AirBorne I'm surprised your boat don't sink but then with all those baits in them the baits would probably float the boats............... emoDance