Choosing the Right Size Hook for the Wacky Rig: An In-Depth Guide

Quick Summary: What is a Wacky Rig and Why Does it Work?

The wacky rig is a finesse-style technique whereby the belly of a plastic worm runs through the hook point and sits horizontally in the water column.

This profile gives the soft plastic an altered look, but a look that smashes bass no matter the conditions. This is an all-season technique and can be fished in numerous ways with great success.

This technique thrives around shallow cover and can be fished around heavy vegetation and other forms of threatening cover thanks to weedless hook options. This again helps make this technique a weapon when fish are pressured and are hugging cover.

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What Hook Should You Use on a Wacky Rig?

Numerous styles of hooks can be used on a wacky rig, but because of the unique presentation and way the soft plastic is rigged, there have been hooks specifically designed to present the bait the best way possible, as well as promote a better hook-up ratio.

Finesse hooks are often the best option for the wacky rig purely because they give the bait a more finesse presentation and are geared to get a strong hook set.

The Finesse Wide Gap hook from Gamakatsu is a fan favorite when it comes to the wacky rig. This hook has a shorter shank compared to traditional bass hooks, along with a wider gap which leaves more hook point exposed to help produce a better hook set.

Shorter shanks are often preferred for wacky rig anglers because a longer shank is less necessary because of the way a soft plastic is rigged for a wacky rig. The shorter the hook for the wacky rig, the more subtle and ‘finesse’ your soft plastic will be.

Weedless options protect the hook point and make the presentation more suitable around vegetation and other threatening shore-based cover.

Best Size Hook for the Wacky Rig

The best size wacky hook for stickbaits is a 2/0 as it promotes a better hook-up ratio. However, if you’re fishing smaller soft plastics, you may want to consider a 1/0 to get a more lifelike presentation.

Hook size selection is crucial for getting the best out of your wacky rig, but also very much depends on the size soft plastic you’re fishing.

When it comes to the most versatile size, you’re looking at a 2/0. This size is big enough to present larger soft plastics, such as 5-6 inch Senkos or other similar-type stickbaits.

If you’re looking to fish smaller soft plastics, which is often the best option when bass are really pressured and finicky, you may want to consider having a pack of 1/0s. This size will do the job and present 3-4 inch soft plastics really well.

A #1 size hook will also work well with smaller soft stickbaits - especially if the fish are extra finicky.

Wrapping Up

The wacky rig is one of those techniques that bass anglers will always turn to when the bite gets tough. The goal of finesse fishing is to present the soft plastic in the most natural and subtle way, and the hook we select plays a huge role here. Size very much depends on the size plastic you’re throwing, and having a few hook size options on the boat will give you the versatility you need.