What hooks are best for bass fishing soft plastics? This is a common question, and understandably so, given the multitude of bait options and fishing styles available. Pro bass angler Seth Feider answers this question by sharing his 4 go-to hook styles and sizes for rigging and fishing soft plastic lures (excluding trebles, jigs, and weedless swimbaits).
FEATURED HOOKS
- VMC Heavy Duty Flipping Hook
- VMC Ringed Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook
- VMC Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook
- VMC Heavy Duty Worm Hook
- VMC Finesse Neko Hook
- VMC Neko Hook
- Straight Shank Hooks are Feider’s top choice when punching matted vegetation with compact creature baits either through flipping or pitching (1-ounce weights or larger). In this scenario, the rod and line are heavy — usually no-stretch braid. Heavy gauge straight shank hooks resist straightening under the stress of powerful hooksets in the thick stuff. The hook shape is also proven to be effective with large weights at steep hookset angles near the boat.
- Offset/Extra Wide Gap Hooks (EWG). EWGs are Feider’s top all-around hook, specifically in the 4/0 size, to pitch or cast lighter Texas rigs such as those used when fishing around thinner grass, boat docks, laydowns, or brush. He also prefers the EWG hook style with thicker, bulkier baits like tubes.
- Offset Worm Hooks excel when casting smaller-profiled plastics such as stick baits, soft jerkbaits, and Carolina-rigged plastics. They feature the flattest hook angle and outperform the pack on long casts and sweeping hooksets. Feider relies on sizes from 2/0 all the way to 6/0 hooks.
- Neko Hooks are the only hook style that Feider uses on spinning tackle. The lighter wire construction and hook angle penetrate easily and usually deep, keeping bass pinned. Feider matches hook size to the presentation, making regular use of size 6 hooks for nose-hooking small plastics all the way up to 1/0 for straight shank Texas rigging finesse worms around brush piles.
