by Ken
(Saranac, Michigan)
Q. Last year I had a blast fishing for bass with a 5'6 ultra light rod with a fast action tip. Of course I miss some hook sets but now wonder with this set up which jig hook would serve me better. A regular jig hook or light wire ?
The weight jig I use are usually 1/8, sometimes 3/16.
I did catch the biggest fish of my life last May first time using the rod. First week of May caught a 36 inch pike on a 1/8 oz jig using a white chomper. Hooked him in the corner of the mouth and with 6lb test line I was very lucky to boat him. I always do catch and release with any fish I catch.
Thank You for your time and advice.
Ken Cole
A. Hi Ken,
36 inch Pike with that setup must have been a rush! I think you pretty much said it in the 1st sentence of your question, you're having a blast fishing with said setup. It sounds like you like a challenge and if you're not fishing as a means of paying the bills then to each his own.
When I emailed you earlier in the week, in my haste, I did incorrectly mention a concern of the light wire jig being able to penetrate during the hook set. They actually do penetrate better than heavier wire hooks. Couple this with the fact that lighter wire should be less restrictive on your soft plastics allowing them to perform better.
So in my opinion you would actually be optimizing your current setup if you went to light wire. I think the fact that your rod has a fast action tip is what will really allow this to work and just keep providing you with a great time every time you go fishing, especially for bass.