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The Split Shot Technique: The Advantage
By Jerry Puckett

May/June 1995

When Gary went looking for the perfect split shot hook he took a page from ancient Hawaiian history and found that by applying what worked on the coral reefs for centuries, he was able to develop a hook that did wonders in the modern world.

Enter the Yamamoto Split Shot Hook that is produced exclusively for us by Gamakatsu. Fashioned after the Hawaiian 'O'io hook that was originally carved from bone or coral, the new hook has brought a new look and a new style to finesse fishing grubs and worms. While there are numerous copies on the market, none incorporates all the features for which Gary's little hook is known.

At first glance the hook would seem to be suited only to panfish and the like, nothing could be farther from the truth. This little high carbon steel beauty is perfectly sized for taming even the largest bass. The key is in what the hook is designed to do.

With its in-turned point, a quick inspection reveals that the hook is designed not to bite or set on a flat surface but rather to slide until it encounters an edge - an edge such as a bass's lip or the hinged area of the jaw. When the needle-sharp hook encounters such an edge it will rotate with near 100% reliability and penetrate fully - even in the bone and gristle area of the jaw hinge.

You see, the essence of split-shotting is to present the bait in the most natural manner possible - gliding and darting there along the bottom, unhindered by a weight or heavy hook. This the diminutive hook does flawlessly. When the fish flares its gills and inhales the bait there are no alarming factors to alert the fish that the offering is not natural. The bait looks right, feels right, and in the case of Yamamoto baits, tastes right.

The fish will begin to work its crushers as he "chews" the salt out of the bait. As the fish moves off the little hook slides easily from the gullet area (remember the in-turned point) and lodges in the jaw or hinge of the jaw with only the slightest pressure required.

What all this means is the fish essentially set the hook on themselves by their natural movement. Any steady pressure from the angler is all that is required to complete the hook's penetration. The angler has only to continue to reel or slow drag the bait in order to guarantee no more deeply hooked (injured) fish, but with reliable penetration every time. No more need for a Herculean hook-set, no more need to detect the near impossible deep water light-line pressure bite, no more lost fish due to the worm balling up on a fine wire sproat-style hook, just a reliable soft-set initiated by the fish, time after time.

In the past five years of utilizing this hook for my guide customers I can say that this is without a doubt the finest thing that ever happened for deep-water grub fishing. Without exception the novices can out-fish the pros because the hook does the work for them. For the experienced angler it requires a period of relearning to overcome the urge to rear back and "cross their eyes". With this hook a heavy hook-set tempts failure while steadily reeling to increase the pressure results in a securely hooked fish in nearly all cases.

And, as is the case in all split shot styles, the lack of any weight at the hook robs the fish of any leverage that they might use to assist them in throwing the hook. They can jump to their heart's content but the little hook is staying put.

On the subject of weight, the amount you choose to slide on above the tiny crane swivel that is supplied with the hook is determined by what amount is required to maintain bottom contact as you make a moderate to slow retrieve. You only need to choose enough so that you have occasional contact with the bottom, but your weight must be ticking the bottom. On the other extreme I have rigged my clients with as much as 1/2 to 3/4-ounce in windy conditions. The amount is not a factor so long as it affords that occasional or intermittent bottom contact.

As you can see by examining the diagram, the little hook is rigged exposed in such a manner that the bait hangs down below the hook. Contrary to what it looks like this is a very snag-resistant set up - in most cases a hang-up is a result of the weight wedging in a rock, not the hook. Except, that is, for brushy cover. Don't try this hook in the brush unless you enjoy re-tying hooks. The little hook will just as reliably rotate to snare a small branch as it will to catch the edge of the jaw on a bass.

You owe it to yourself to give this hook a try. It is available in sizes four through eight in packs of fifteen with swivels supplied. I use size six on four-inch worms and grubs and size five for five-inch grubs and all skirted grubs. Just remember - don't pull the trigger!

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