Hookpoints – Havoc Pit Boss

11/11/2011 – Story and Photos by Jason Duran / Advanced Angler.com

The Berkley Pit Boss bait is a great flipping bait. This bait was designed by Skeet Reese. It has great action that will trigger a strike in many conditions.

The Pit Boss is popular because it can be fished around heavy cover. It is the perfect size to match the most common forage like bait fish and crawfish. It is the perfect size flipping bait. Around heavy cover 14-17-pound-test fluorocarbon line, 4/0 to 5/0 wide gap hook. Here we see 17-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. The Berkley Havoc Pit Boss in colors from left to right June Bug, Plum, Green Pumpkin and Black-Blue. The hook is a 4/0 Lazer TroKar Mag Worm TK120-4/0. Also pictured is a Wright & McGill Co. Skeet Reese Flippin’/Pitchin’ rod.

When flipping in heavy cover a good sharp hook is a must, seen above is the 4/0 TK120 Mag Worm Hook. This hook, like all TroKar hooks is surgically sharpened. Trokar Hooks are twice as sharp as any hook on the market. Notice here the point is three sided and penetrates much faster than other point shapes, allowing for increased hook-up ratios

Attaching the hook to quality line like Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon using the knot of your choice; this particular knot is a Palomar Knot. Always when tying knots be sure to wet the knot before synching it up. This is very important when using Fluorocarbon when you wet the line it lubricates the line help prevent friction on the line causing heat and damage to the line at the knot.

Once you secure the hook to the line you are ready to start the bait on the hook. Be sure to start the hook in the center of the nose of the bait. See here how the hook is in the very center of the nose of the bait.

Continue thread the hook into the bait to the first bend of the hook. At the first bend of the hook expose the hook out the bottom of the bait. Continue to thread the hook all the way through the bait to the eye of the hook. Make sure to rotate the hook as you near the hook eye. Slide the line tie, or eye of the hook, all the way inside the bait so that the offset shank comes all of the way out of the bait.

See here how the nose of the bait rest perfectly in the hook offset shank. This help keep the bait from slipping down the hook shank. After bring the bait all the way up the shank of the hook, begin turning the hook so that the hook point faces the bottom of the bait. At this point you can take a measurement at the bottom of the hook shank where the hook would be reinserted into the bait. If you take a proper measurement this will help the bait to lie straight on the hook.

The Pit Boss has a nice straight line down the middle of the bait. Use this line to help you also judge where to insert your hook point. See here where the hook is inserted inside the bait. Lift the bait and insert the hook point at a 90-degree angle at the location you decided best fit your hook on the measuring step above.

Push the hook point all the way through to the top of the bait, stopping when the bait is straight. Be sure to expose the hook. After you expose the hook you can then pull it back down to the top of the bait. Once you have it there be sure to “Tex-pose” your hook. Using both hands, gently push the bait forward slightly, allow the hook point to slide just under the surface of the top of the worm, and release. This is called “Tex-posing” your hook, it allows for a largely weedless presentation, but helps avoid having to set the hook through too much plastic after you get a bite. The Pit Boss has unique ridges in the hook point area which allow you to neatly “Tex-pose” by inserting the point of the hook into one of those ridges.

See here a “Tex-posed” Berkley Havoc Pit Boss in plum and a 3/16 tungsten weight. See the the Pit Boss’ great feature that allows you hook to rest a little lower than the rest of the bait. This makes it even more weedless. Thus making it the perfect flipping bait for heavy cover. Also Notice how straight the bait is on the hook. You always need to be sure to keep your bait as straight as possible to reduce line twist.

Here is the finished Berkley Havoc Pit Boss, Cast or flip this bait around various cover, laydown logs, grass beds, under docks or anyplace bass live. Take your time on your retrieve and working the bait under the water to produce a strike. Lift your rod tip to move the bait and lower your rod tip while you reel in. You can bounce it along the bottom and work it in and over cover. When you feel a strike set the hook with a firm jerk. The Trokar hook will do its job and penetrate insuring a great hook set.

A 6.2:1 to 6.4:1 retrieve speed reel is perfect for the retrieve Pit Boss and for bringing in those fast moving fish as they attack this bait. This Wright & McGill Co. Victory 621 reel has a 6.2:1 retrieve speed that will allow for a good steady retrieve and power and speed during the fight.

A rod with a strong backbone to set the hook on these fish is a must. The action should be moderate to fast to help make that perfect pitch. A Wright & McGill Co. Skeet Reese Flippin/Pitchin’ rod provides enough action and enough backbone. At 8’ it is the right length for helping you pitch the bait in the tight cover, and provide the leverage you need to pull them out.