Hoss Helix Hooks VS. Football Jigheads [When To Use Each Hook Style]
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
Hoss Helix Hooks VS. Football Jigheads – when should you use either hook style?
These are two of the most common hook styles to use while inshore saltwater fishing.
But when are the best times to use one style over the other?
Find out all the answers below!!
Hoss Helix Hooks VS. Football Jigheads [VIDEO]
Find NEW Saltwater Fishing Spots In Your Area In 60 Seconds or Less!!!
Hoss Hooks:
Rigging hooks have small twist-pins attached to the eye of the hook to help secure your lures to the hook.
The pin screws into your soft plastic lure and the hook gets buried in the body.
These hooks are belly weighted so the fall is more diagonal than straight up and down.
Jigheads typically have all the weight near the front of the hook shank paired with barbs to secure your lures.
The hook is fully exposed on open-faced jigheads and the weight is all the way at the nose of the lure.
This causes the lure to fall straight up and down instead of in a diagonal pattern.
So when should you use one over the other?
That all depends on the style of fishing you’re doing.
Most of the time, you should turn to the weedless weighted rigging hook.
The main reason is to avoid getting hung up in grass, rocks, or other invasive structure.
Something else to keep in mind is the weedless weighted hooks fall slower to the bottom than weighted jigheads.
If you are fishing on a super windy day, you’ll want to fish with the weighted jighead.
If you stick with a weedless weighted hook, the wind will grab your line and make your lure fall even slower.
It might not even reach down to the bottom where the fish are holding.
In this situation, jigheads will get down to the bottom faster with less resistance.
Pros & Cons
Hoss Helix Hooks are the ideal weedless presentation when fishing grasslines, oyster beds, or similar structure.
You’ll spend more time fishing and less time fighting snags.
Hoss Football Jigheads are best when there is little to no risk of getting hung up or you want to fish super close to structure.
Keep in mind, Hoss Football Jigheads fall faster.
If you are fishing close to a dock piling, this hook will land and fall fast to the bottom.
If you continue to fish with a Hoss Helix Hook in this situation, it will glide further away from the dock piling than you intended.
However, you will be able to cover more ground in less time using Hoss Helix Hooks.
If you’re trying to cover a ton of ground in shallow water areas, go with the Hoss Helix Hooks.
If you’re fishing tight to structure, rely on the Hoss Football Jigheads.
Hoss Hooks:
Finding The Fish Help
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I love the Football Jig heads – I bought them we they frist came out and wether i’m inshore or walking rthe beach they are my go to Jigheads period- Not that I don’t use the Hoss hooks which arfe great as well, .But I love the Football jigheds, as I said!
GW
Thanks Pat. Excellent pointers on the different in the hooks with the fall resulting more diagonal v/s straight up and down. Overall good information.
Thanks Danny!
Thank Pat…great lesson
Glad you liked it!
Great info. Thanks, Pat. Where were you fishing during this video? Kind of looks familiar.
Thanks Steve! This was in Bay St Louis, Mississippi
Will the Texas Eye Jighead give you the more vertical fall along with weedless rigging?
Yes it will! Any of the jig heads that have the weight in front of the lure will make it fall faster. Just make sure and pop the chin lock feature if you’re not using the Z man products.
What you mean by “pop the chin lock?” Thanks; that’s a very good little video.
Thanks Dave! The little lead keeper that holds the lure from sliding down will tear up a non Z man product. If you take a pair of pliers you can grab it and pull it off. That way normal plastic lures can be used on them
Lots of good info, to the point. Great presentation.
Thank you Harold!! Glad you liked it
I like your presentation, Pat. I gave the football jigs but I don’t use them very much. Your lesson tells me that I should consider to using the jig. Thanks.
I always want to use the lightest weight possible so keeping the 1/8 oz and switching to a weight forward jig head extends the range a little.
Thanks for the great advice Pat Your explanation of each makes me think that I should be making some changes to my presentations Thanks Pat
You really need both to cover as many situations as you can.
Thank you Pat. I fish in deeper water with a little heavier current. Personally, 3/8 oz. I find is the ideal weight for jigs. 1/2 is too heavy and breaks my leader but 1/4 is too light. Can you get 3/8 oz. for the football size jigs in your store?
That’s a great idea! I’ll pass it along.