Don't be afraid try jig head hook also maybe start with a 1/16 oz. They are harder for a fish to swallow. A smaller lite wire will give quicker deeper penetration in the roof of the mouth. I great bait to give you confidence would be a "keystone minnow". They are so small and so deadly. Also try taking half of night crawler and run the hook through the tip of the worm and fish it with it just dangling.

Sent from my E6810 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app