Gap
Also called hook gap, gape, extra wide gap
The distance between a hook's point and its shank. It sets the largest thing the hook can bite through.
Gap is the working measurement of a hook. When a fish closes on the bait, the hook has to rotate and drive its point through whatever sits between the point and the shank, which includes the plastic bait itself. If the gap is too narrow for the bait, the point never reaches flesh and you get bites that do not stick.
This is why soft plastic hooks are sold on having an extra wide gap, usually abbreviated EWG. A bulky creature bait needs far more clearance than a thin worm does.
Gap is not the same as hook size. Two hooks can be the same nominal size with quite different gaps depending on the bend pattern, so an EWG 4/0 and a straight-shank 4/0 fish quite differently.
Rig your plastic on the hook and look at it side on. If the bait fills the gap, go up a hook size or choose an EWG pattern.
Related terms
Where this comes up
The guides that use gap and show it on real gear.
Gap is one of 206 terms in the glossary.
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