Whether you are building a Carolina rig, preparing a jig or constructing a drop shot setup, soft plastic lures are among the most popular lures used by anglers today. Available in a wide array of designs, colors and sizes soft lures can be used in any number of fishing techniques. To rig your soft lures properly, it's important to use the right hook. In fact, hooks are now available that are specifically designed to be used with soft lures.
History
According to the Bass Fishing Resource Guide, the first soft lure was a rubber worm, patented in 1877. The lure was very stiff and the hooks of that time were not designed to hold it properly, making it impractical. In 1951, the first usable soft lures became commercially available. In the late 1980s, automated production greatly increased their availability. As these lures became more widely used, hook manufacturers recognized the need to create modified hooks that worked better with soft lures. Today, a range of hook styles are available, designed to accommodate these popular lures.
Benefits
Most soft lure fishing hooks are designed to present the lure in as natural a manner as possible. These hooks keep the lure in alignment with the fishing line. When retrieved, this makes the lure move through the water more naturally. Soft lure fishing hooks are frequently designed to prevent the lure from slipping on the hook. These hooks can also be concealed, if necessary, making them both weedless and undetectable to striking fish.
Popular Types
Offset worm hooks are the most common soft lure hook, with two 90-degree bends just behind the eyelet, forming the offset. The hook point is first passed through the lure head, then immediately out its side. The lure head is then pulled up to the offset. The angle of the offset allows the lure to maintain alignment with the fishing line. The hook point is then inserted into the side of the lure, concealing it.
Jig hooks have a lead weight cast onto the shank just behind the eyelet. Often painted with bright colors and eye spots, jigs are commonly worked along the bottom. Soft lures, such as worms or grubs are added to jigs to make them more attractive to game fish. They range from tiny hooks designed for panfish to large lures for bigger game fish, such as northern pike or striped bass.
Specialty Hooks
Weedless hooks prevent soft lures from hanging up in "snaggy" areas. These have a wire or plastic guard attached to the shank near the eyelet that protrudes to the hook point. This guard bends away when a fish strikes. Rig a soft lure with a weedless hook by inserting the hook point into the lure head, into the body and out the side so the guarded hook is exposed. Keeper hooks look somewhat like an incomplete safety pin. A short barb point extending from the eyelet is inserted into the tip of a soft lure. The hook point is then embedded into lure body. Keeper hooks work well for keeping soft lures straight and also make them weedless.
Drop Shotting
A relatively new fishing technique, called drop shotting, has emerged. A hook is attached directly to the main fishing line, which then continues 10 to 20 inches to a small lead weight. Drop shot hooks generally have shorter shanks and are hooked directly through the tip of a soft lure, pushing the lure down to the bend, leaving an open hook. Octopus hooks, which resemble circle hooks, are also used for drop shotting.
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