I need help with hooks!

 hey folks!
 I lost two big bass this week! I am using homemade spinners with a 3/0 hooks left over from my rock cod jigs. I think they are to thick to penetrate the hard head bass. Can you give me a suggestion on what brand/style hook to use for LMB. Yesterday I lost a BIG one! My 7' ugly stick was bent into a U! When she spit the hook it ricocheted off my paddle just missing my face. I know where she lives, I'll be back..........

 Thanks
 Steve

Get rid of the ugly stick and use a good quality graphite rod and keep the hook sharp. bass don't have a hard mouth. You Need a rod with a heavy butt section and a fast tip. And maybe you should use a trailer hook as well, couldn't hurt. How heavy is your line. Is it mono? lots of stretch with mono. Try a braided line. This is just a few things I would do.

Get rid of the ugly stick and use a good quality graphite rod and keep the hook sharp. bass don't have a hard mouth. You Need a rod with a heavy butt section and a fast tip. And maybe you should use a trailer hook as well, couldn't hurt. How heavy is your line. Is it mono? lots of stretch with mono. Try a braided line. This is just a few things I would do.

Thank you reelfish.

What I do, especially with top water or spinners is add a trailer hook. It's easy to do on the fly if you notice fish are hitting behind your lure. Find some hooks with eyes that will fit over the hook on the lure. A tight fit is good, just enough to get passed the barb. The cut a small piece of surgical tubing and put it on the trailer hook, covering the eye. Place hook on the lure piercing the tubing. It will hold it in place.

Keep the Ugly Stik. Just haul that hog out of the cover she is in and keep the line tight. Go with a braid. Remember big hooks make big holes. Switch it out to a wire hook. My two cents.

+1 you need a stiff enough rod to drive the hook,when your fiberglass rod is bent over like that you won't hold the fish,your lucky you didn't loose an eye.my friend did the same thing with his surf rod an ugly stik sent a 6oz pyramid sinker flying inches away from his wife's head.i rarely use braid when fishing for bass and I land almost every fish,also depends on where your fishing and what's in the water.too thin and the hook can get straighten,too thick and it won't go all the way thru

Yeah, are your hooks sharp?

too thin and the hook can get straighten,too thick and it won't go all the way thru

+1.  I'd think that the hooks on rockcod jigs are a bit too thick.  I would guess either its too thick and its not going all the way through, or it does go all the way through but creating such a big hole in mouth for the hook to pop out.  Whatever it is, hope you get that big mamma when you go back.  Good luck!

Thanks to everyone who posted up help.  I cant get rid of the ugly stick. Last week I landed at least a dozen 3 pounders with that stick. I definitely wasn't ready when the big girls came to play. I am using mono line but I only had about 10 feet out when the hit came. I am going to switch to a wire hook like Vermillion suggested. I am going back to get her. Then there is the dilemma, do I hang her on my wall if she is over 10 pounds or do I turn her loose like all the others.............................

If you get the 10 pounder, take a photo.on a hog trough. Most trophy places have pre-made fish of many sizes. They can look at your photo and find one that matches, so you can throw it back and still have your trophy!

Just take good pictures and measurements and you can have it "mounted" and she can live to excite another angler, maybe a kid on their first time fishing... who knows. No reason to kill it. They make very high quality RE creations from good digital photos.

Thanks to everyone who posted up help.  I cant get rid of the ugly stick. Last week I landed at least a dozen 3 pounders with that stick. I definitely wasn't ready when the big girls came to play. I am using mono line but I only had about 10 feet out when the hit came. I am going to switch to a wire hook like Vermillion suggested. I am going back to get her. Then there is the dilemma, do I hang her on my wall if she is over 10 pounds or do I turn her loose like all the others.............................

Just take good pictures and measurements and you can have it "mounted" and she can live to excite another angler, maybe a kid on their first time fishing... who knows. No reason to kill it. They make very high quality RE creations from good digital photos.

+1
PLEASE DO NOT KEEP THE FISH. Bass that size are breeders most bass in the 5 pound range are females ready to make more bass to catch at a later time.
Take good photos and measurement, length, girth and any other features on the fish you think are special and have a fiberglass model made they last forever and you have the satisfaction of knowing she is out there making babies. Good luck You don't need to get rid of the Ugly stick but you do need a good rod with a better hook setting ability.

have your cake....and eat it release it too!!
Hope you hook her,,,then let her free! 

It's a shame you missed that fish, but I wouldn't read into it too much. If three pounders are sticking to your hooks, they're working just fine.

I don't think it was your gear, or your technique that lost the fish. Sometimes it just happens...

Tools are everything and if you are not using the right equipment for the application then that's where you can have mishaps like you did.  Get a 723 Powell Rod.  It's a Medium Heavy action rod.  It doesn't matter if it's the Diesel or Max 3D rod for that's up to your budget.  Another thing to mention with the rod is that it's the most versatile rod you can use for anything from 1/4 -3/4 oz.   

As far as hooks.  They matter also.  I would say do a comparison with other spinners at the stores to see how your hook size up.  If your 3/0 hooks are thicker then I suggest getting thinner ones or similar size hooks to get the best penetration when hooking up on a black bass.