I've recently begun to see great variance in hook-setting styles, e.g. snap set, sweep set, reel set, and standard powerhook setting. Keep in mind that today's hooks are incredibly sharp, you usually don't have to yank the moon from the sky to set the hook.
What sets do you you use for which baits; I tend to use:
Sweep set-slowest, reeling slack/loading rod, then sweeping sideways or lightly towards an 11 o'clock position
For crankbaits...or anything with trebles. Including lipless crank (a standard hookset can rip them out of the mouth)
Top water
Soft plastics
Reel set-Load rod with reel, (not so much that they can feel you) then set hook (not lightly, not powerfully, find a happy medium)
when using smaller, wire hooks, e.g. wacky rigs
football jigs/any jig not fished in heavy cover-Hard hooksets can pull the lure, causing that lead head to bust open a bass' mouth and swim away. This also compresses the weeguard before the set. This must be done quickly. Use a high speed reel.
soft plastics- Quality Wide gap/EWG hooks and wire hooks
Finesse lures (wacky rigs, shaky heads etc.)
Anything with circle hooks
Snap set- A regular hookset, but without having reeled in all the slack. It can pop a lure while in a bass' mouth instead of just yanking it out
Also used for jigs.
Good for T-rigged soft plastics when bottom bouncing; especially with heavier hooks
Soft standard Hookset-'Nuff said
T rigged soft plastics-wire hooks
O.K. for jigs with small hooks
Tex-posed Soft Plastics
Hard-'Nuff Said
Flipping and pitching
when using massive hooks
Swim jigs
Spinnerbaits
When a lot of line is between you and the bait/heavy cover
Thick soft plastics with large buried/weedless hooks
Topwater plastics like frog and eeliminators
weedless hollow frogs
