How to Tie a Fish Hook in Zoom Bait
Zoom Bait is a soft, plastic bait in the shape of worms, grubs, frogs, crayfish or minnows. The bait is used to target bass, walleye and other spiny-rayed fish. While they come in many different shapes, all varieties of Zoom Bait are attached to a hook using the same rigging technique.
When rigged correctly and retrieved through the waters of a lake, pond or river, Zoom Bait behaves much like the natural prey of spiny-rayed fish. The most popular rigging style is called, "weedless," which includes two main variations: Texas-, and Carolina-rigged.
While some resources claim the simpler Texas-rigging is less likely to produce snagged baits, others believe the Zoom Bait behaves more naturally when rigged Carolina style because the weight is placed further up the line.
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Things You'll Need
- Offset worm hook
- Bullet- or egg-weight (optional)
- Fishing rod
- Reel
- Line
- Two-eyed swivel (Carolina rigging only)
- Leader (for Carolina-rigging only)
Instructions
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Texas Rigging
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1
Thread the line through the hole in the small end of a bullet weight, which should slide freely along the line, if planning to fish deep or along the bottom. If planning to fish close to the surface or in shallow water, skip this step and begin with Step 2.
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2
Tie an offset worm hook to the end of the line. Use a size 1/0 hook for Zoom Baits that are 4 inches or less in length. For larger Zoom Baits, use size 2/0 or 3/0 hooks.
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3
Insert the pointed end of the hook straight into the head of the Zoom Bait.
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4
Push the hook point one-quarter inch, lengthwise, into the Zoom Bait; turn the hook so the point comes out of the side of the bait.
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5
Slide the Zoom Bait up the shank of the hook until its head is touching the eye of the hook. The offset section of the hook should hold the bait in place against the eye, and the bait should hang straight down toward the point.
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6
As the bait rests naturally along the hook, find the spot along the bait where it crosses the bend in the hook. Push the point of the hook through the bait laterally, at this spot.
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7
Straighten the bait so it will swim naturally. When done correctly, the bend of the hook should form a capital letter "D" with the bait. You are ready to fish.
Carolina Rigging
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8
Thread the line through the hole of an egg weight and tie on a two-eyed swivel. The weight should slide freely along the line.
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9
Tie one to 4 feet of leader to the unused eye of your swivel. Different lengths of leader will impart different swimming actions to the various types of Zoom Bait. Experiment until you find a good combination for the area you are fishing.
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10
Repeat Steps 2 through 7 in, "Texas Rigging Zoom Bait," section to complete the rigging. You are ready to fish.
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1
Tips & Warnings
When choosing a Zoom Bait size, consider that a typical bass can eat prey as large as one-third its length. However, if bass are inactive, smaller bait sizes may be more effective.
Make sure the rigged Zoom Bait lies straight, otherwise it will spin and twist through the water, looking unnatural and creating tangles.
