Fine-Tuning The Hook Gap

This past holiday season I was shopping with my wife and daughter when they both turned to me and said, "Let’s go to the Gap". I told them that I would sit outside in the mall and they could go shopping all they wanted.

As I sat there looking at the mall people running from store to store, it occurred to me that many anglers should be thinking a bit more about another gap–one that has nothing to do with khaki pants–and that is the hook gap on their jigs

Hook gap is overlooked, but if you want to catch more fish this season you should pay attention to this little detail.

Hook gap (sometimes referred to as gape) is the distance between the hook shank and the point of the hook.

Why is the hook gap so important? Take a glance at most jigs. The point of the hook is in line directly behind the line eye, especially on most round-head and bullet-head jigs. Some jigs even have the points below the line eye (which makes hooking fish even harder).

Watch a walleye feed. The fish will suck in the bait and expel the water through its gills. If the walleye feels anything foreign in the meal it has consumed, it will quickly spit out the jig. If the walleye has only the bait in its mouth, you still have a pretty good chance of hooking the fish. But if the walleye has inhaled the bait and the whole jig, much of the time the fish will not be hooked.

The point of the jig hook should be bent up to increase the hook gap. With the hook pointing upward and a little to one side, the chance for a solid hookset is increased considerably; instead of the hook point just scraping the top of the walleye’s mouth, it will cut and burrow in. I refer to this many times in my seminars as making the jig have a "cam action." In essence, this alteration of the hook gap causes fish to hook themselves.

Don’t forget to check the sharpness of the hook as you improve your hook gap. Hook sharpness is extremely important and many walleyes are missed because of dull hooks. Many anglers touch up the hook on their jigs every time they put them in the water. With winter gripping most of the land it might be a good time to get out the tackle box and touch up some of your hooks as you watch TV.

The vast majority of the quality jigs on the market today have excellent hooks, but it’s a good idea to check the hook before a walleye latches on to it. When we are on the water we often don’t realize that our hooks are put away wet. Rust will form on these wet hooks, and a rust spot will grow and make your hooks dull and blunt.

Snags, however, are the greatest cause of dull hooks. Bang the jig a few times off wood or rocks and a hook that was razor sharp can become blunt enough to miss a trophy fish.

Carry a file or hook hone in your tackle box and inspect your hooks frequently, especially after every snag. If the hook appears to be a little dull, run the file quickly along its sides.

When your wife tells you that she is going to the Gap, wish her well and take the time to stay home and take care of your own gaps.

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