Battlestar Xtra Long Shank (XLS) Weighted Swimbait Hook

Sold in packs of Three.

Available in 1/4oz, 3/8oz, and 1/2oz.

Designed for Texas Rig Surf Fishing with 5" Ribbed Swimbaits. 

• DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE
• IMPROVED HOOKSETS & INCREASED LANDING RATIO
• HALIBUT, WHITE SEA BASS, CALICO BASS, ROCK FISH
• HYDRODYNAMIC FOR MAXIMUM WEEDLESS
• AERODYNAMIC FOR IMPROVED CASTING
• FEATURING VMC 5/0 HEAVY-DUTY HOOK
• SALT WATER CORROSION RESISTANT
• MAXIMUM SNAGLESS DESIGN
• SPRING BAIT HOLDER
• BLACK NICKEL COATING
• XTRA LONG SHANK
• SLOW SINK DESIGN

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of precious time, cast after cast, searching for that one special bite. A monster Halibut. A big White Sea Bass. And when that fish bites, you better get that hookset! And when you hook that fish, it better stay on!

When I started halibut fishing with Texas rig, I bought every swimbait hook I could find and tried them all. The best was a VMC hook with a extra long shank. I discovered it got the best hooksets and landing ratio. The problem was, it was not heavy enough for surf fishing. I had to use a bigger bullet weight, and that meant I was snagging more because all the weight was up front. I needed a extra long shank VMC hook, but with more weight on the hook.

So, over a year later of research and development, Here it is! I’ve been through the wringer to produce these... Worth it!

Now it's time to do YOUR part; GO FISHING! Catch fish! Post pics, and videos, and tell everyone how truly awesome this weighted swimbait hook is. We are making fishing history together! This hook is a game-changer. We need these hooks!

With much love and fishing, your bro - Vincent Alexander 👽

HOW TO; HALIBUT SURF FISHING WITH TEXAS RIG SWIMBAITS

Our biggest challenge in surf fishing is dirty water; loose bits of kelp and eelgrass floating around, fouling our baits. The second biggest challenge is snagging on rocks when fishing heavy structure. This is why we fish Texas Rig.

The Battlestar XLS Weighted Swimbait Hook is to be used with ribbed swimbaits like the Battlestar 5” Rib Bait. Bury the hook tip in one or two of the small ribs. This renders your bait extremely weedless, and you still get a good hook set!

The best presentation is light weight, slow, low, and steady, with a pop and a pause now and then. Aim to swim your bait just over the bottom, or gently drag on bottom; as slow as you can without getting snagged.

• The slower you retrieve your bait, the more likely it will get fully inhaled, for a deep hookset.

• The more current or wind, the more weight you will need to use.

• The more weight you use, or the slower you retrieve, the more you may snag on bottom.

• The less weight you use, or the faster the retrieve, the less you will snag on bottom.

Finding the perfect balance of weight and retrieve rate is an art, and very rewarding. Consider the amount of current, the depth, and how snaggy the bottom is. That will help you decide how much weight to use, and how fast to retrieve. Use the lightest weight possible, and retrieve as slowly as possible. If you are snagging bottom, increase your retrieve rate a little, or reduce the weight.

I love fishing with the 1/4oz hook all by itself. This is extremely light and sinks slowly. You can swim it slowly and it gently glides over everything on bottom. It’s a deadly presentation. You’ll probably never snag, and you’ll get good hook sets. But, fishing such light weight requires very little current.

When there’s moderate current, increase the weight to 3/8oz. You can fish the 3/8oz hook as it is for a very snagless option. Or in dirty water, for a more weedless design, use the 1/4oz hook and add a 1/8oz bullet weight on top. This is my go-to! It is also very snagless because more weight is positioned back on the hook, yet there’s enough weight up front to feel the bottom, which helps sense bottom structure and manage your retrieve rate. And yet, it’s still light enough that you can swim it slowly while just bouncing the bottom here and there.

If you ever feel uncertain about how much weight to use, I recommend you start with 3/8oz, make observations, and then adjust from there. I fish 3/8oz, 90% of the time. Keep in mind, bigger swimbaits require more weight. Smaller swimbaits require less weight.

When there’s a lot of current or wind or depth, fish 1/2oz. When the water is clean enough, you can fish the 1/2oz hook with no bullet weight added, and this is very snagless because all the weight is positioned back on the hook. Another way to fish half ounce is to use the 3/8oz hook and add a 1/8oz bullet weight. Or, you can use a 1/4oz hook and add a 1/4oz bullet weight to feel the bottom more. You can’t go wrong with any of these configurations. Experiment and you’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages of each option.