Choosing hooks: Drop-shot hooks by rigging
There is no single "drop-shot hook". The way the bait is hooked decides the hook, and it can be straight or offset.
| Hooking | Hook | Family | Size | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nose hook (about 1/8" / 3 mm into the nose) | Light-wire drop-shot hook (Gamakatsu SS/DS, Owner Mosquito, Berkley Fusion) | Straight | #2, #1, 1/0 (#6–2/0) | Open water, gravel, sparse grass, clear water, pressured fish; most action; 6–8 lb FC |
| Threaded | Medium-wire straight worm hook | Straight | #1–1/0 | Vertical fishing, short strikes; the bait stays straight |
| Texas / Texposed | Medium-wire EWG | Offset | 1/0–2/0 | Brush, grass, docks, laydowns; weedless; slightly heavier FC |
| Wacky (middle) | Octopus circle, Mosquito, weedless wacky near cover | Straight | #2–2/0 | Stick or finesse worm hooked in the middle; circle hooks lose fewer fish |
| Knot | How |
|---|---|
| Palomar | Tie the hook 12–18" (30–45 cm) above the weight, then pass the tag end back through the eye from the point side so the hook stands out, point up |
In brush a nose-hooked bait hangs up on every cast; switch to Texposed before you switch spots.
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Choosing hooks
Straight or offset, fine or heavy wire (with a formula), the wire for your line and rod, hook size for each soft bait, every way to hook a drop shot, and hook eyes: which way they face and at what angle.