We have all done it, bought pre-rigged or rigged our own softies perfectly straight where they look amazing, then after one or two fish the top has ripped and you have to either turn the tail over, glue it back together or simply dump it!
Well many anglers just don't realise you can avoid the ripping simply by just keeping the bend of the hook out. This allows the hook to penetrate the fish more and does not mean the hook will rip the top of the lure.
This is how many are rigged, either by companies or ourselves:
But the hook is too far inside the lure and this ends up happening after a fish or two:
So when you can, try to show more of the hook. Yes, it might not look right, but with more hook showing (as in picture below) you should be able to sit your finger in the bend, like a fish would be, and the lure will not rip. Having the head slightly down also makes the lure roll a little more on the retrieve!
This method of rigging is easier when you are using a curved jig head and softie, but you can get the effect with straight heads and bodies too, to some extent. Weedless of course is not an option.
In the picture below you can see how more of the hook is showing, don't be afraid to get it right out until you can see the complete bend of the hook. So it looks a bit odd, but the benifits outweight the problems you get with straight rigging. Give it a go!
