Swimbait Hook Preference

[*T*]

Am planning on fishing more 5" swimbaits this year in hopes of meeting a few more larger fish face-to-face.

Tex-posed weighted swimbait hook or open-hook swimbait jig?

Also, what seasons are this size of a bait most effective. Good for winter/late winter bite?

[Champ188]

Open hooks are always the best choice in open water. Never put plastic between a hook point and a fish unless absolutely necessary. Tex-posed belly-weighted hook when fishing around cover.

[huntest]

Champ

Do you ever run the point of the hook back into the soft bait on a shakey head presentation or always keep the point exposed? Thanks

[Champ188]

Good question huntest and maybe I'm contradicting my earlier advice, but I pretty much always Tex-pose my shaky head. The difference there is, shaky head worms are small (thin) in relation to a swimbait and require little pressure to drive a hook thru. Also, I rarely throw a shaky head that I'm not around some kind of cover. Also, the shaky heads that I use exclusively have the little wire spring extending below the line tie and are therefore designed to be Tex-posed.

[huntest]

Thanks Champ but I am not familiar with the term tex-posed....by that you mean to set the point in a bit?

[Champ188]

Yes, huntest ... go ahead and Texas-rig your worm in normal fashion, then poke the hook on thru the worm completely. Then pinch the worm upward slightly and reinsert just the hook point back into it, making sure the worm still hangs straight. That will give you a bit of weedless protection but will also make it easy to pop the hook home when you get a bite.

[huntest]

Thanks Champ!

You explained it so well even I can understand..lol

[abkeenan]

Tex-Posing is the only way to go.

[Champ188]

This pic may help ....