Your Ideal Hookset For T-Rigs & Jigs

[ec1]

When fishing Jigs and T-Rigs, how are you guys setting the hook?

 

My ideal situation would be to feel or watch the line jump, give it about a fraction of a second, drop the tip and make a big snap set. Many of my friends claim that I have the most exaggerated hookset, and I don't think I'm the best fisherman out there - so there might just be a better way to do it.

 

Let's hear how you guys do it.

[Loop_Dad]

I do sweeping set. I have toned down since I switched to all braid. 

[rockchalk06]

Depends on my hook. If its a light wire hook and in running braid, I will give a slow sweep at 3 o'clock. Heavy duty hook, 1-2 o'clock, a little faster sweep. I don't miss to many fish that way.

[Bankbeater]

It depends on how the fish hits.  If the bite is like a freight train I'll pull straight up, but if the bite is very light I'll sweep it to the side.

[Montanaro]

if im fishing timber i reel down and set at about 1 pretty hard to get them over the cover

[wngan9447]

i use to set the hook just like you... then when i tried the sweeping hookset and it worked very well, i switched. Mainly because I can use the sweep going to 3 or 9 o'clock, depending on where i casted.

[Todd2]

Short line out - snap set

Long line out - reel set with a tug right as the tip loads.

It's been working good.

[Catt]

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook like I'm trying to break something!

How far I drop the rod & how much slack I reel depends on if it's a cast, flip, pitch, or punch.

The hook set is the same, snap the rod up while leaning back with authority!

Aint no whimpy hook sets allowed in my boat

[00 mod]

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook like I'm trying to break something!

How far I drop the rod & how much slack I reel depends on if it's a cast, flip, pitch, or punch.

The hook set is the same, snap the rod up while leaning back with authority!

Aint no whimpy hook sets allowed in my boat

 

 

This for me!

 

Jeff

[Fish Murderer 71]

TAP.......  TAP TAP.... SET THE HOOK LIKE I'M TRYING TO PULL THE FISHES SOUL OUT OF ITS BODY!

[mnbassman23]

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook like I'm trying to break something!

How far I drop the rod & how much slack I reel depends on if it's a cast, flip, pitch, or punch.

The hook set is the same, snap the rod up while leaning back with authority!

Aint no whimpy hook sets allowed in my boat

<< see avatar picture, same rule in my boat! 

 

I've converted a lot of crankbait/spinnerbait fisherman into jig fanatics in my boat. #1 thing they get out of it is how to set the hook like they got a pair. 

[Naterwedge]

I snap the rod upward, hard enough to cross their eyes

[5dollarsplash]

TAP.......  TAP TAP.... SET THE HOOK LIKE I'M TRYING TO PULL THE FISHES SOUL OUT OF ITS BODY!

 

 

I love this.  I've been trying to get people in the boat to set the hook harder, see so many fish get away on bad hooksets.  From now on this will be how I explain it to them!

[Grizzn N Bassin]

I just started gaining confidence with a t-rigged worrm its not my favorite. Way to fish I I do some times but that's few times I used it and caught fish by sweeping my hookset... I think I've tried to go straight up whenever I got a hit but now I get them when they bite..

[A-Jay]

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook like I'm trying to break something!

How far I drop the rod & how much slack I reel depends on if it's a cast, flip, pitch, or punch.

The hook set is the same, snap the rod up while leaning back with authority!

Aint no whimpy hook sets allowed in my boat

 

Catt, I like your style.

 

Of course there is a price to pay for the Primal Hook set and it come where you're setting up on a non-fish induced  "strike".

 

When the presentation is made in close quarters, one must learn the Strike - Duck & Cover move - purely as a means of self defense from the tungsten weight's approach at the speed of light usually at ones face 

 

 Additionally, fishing from a canoe (and standing) I had to learn to do that without launching myself over the side, especially on the swing and miss maneuver.

 

 

A-Jay

[jeremyryanwebb]

Yea my friends kind of make fun of me and say ive got a "violent" hookset.  But with all jokes aside.....I dont let many fish get away from me ha. Rip Lips!

[CapitolP]

TAP.......  TAP TAP.... SET THE HOOK LIKE I'M TRYING TO PULL THE FISHES SOUL OUT OF ITS BODY!

i'm ******* dying here hahahahahaa

[WRB]

I use 2 different hook sets for T-rigs and jigs depending on how close to the boat I am fishing and if the line is vertical or horizontal. By vertical I mean straight down or out to about a 45 degree angle. Horizontal I mean a cast away from the boat more than 30' or 30 degree angle or less.

The vertical hook set is a snap set by dropping the rod tip down a whipping it back into slightly slack line. The snap set will drive the hook through any basses mouth if they are not too far away from you.

The horizontal hook set uses the reel to take up all the slack line, my rod tip is pointed at the jig ( I usually use this hook set with jigs) I crank the reel fast and when I feel some slight resistance then make a hard sweep set. Rarely miss getting a good with the 2 hook sets.

I missed a lot of big bass using the snap set when casting a jig over 30 feet until developing the reel/ sweep set several decades ago and contribute the horizontal hook set for whatever giant bass I've caught casting jigs.

Hook setting has a lot to do with sharp hooks, rod power and line strength.

When using finesse tackle the rod, reel drag and line are selected for lighter wire hooks, it's balanced to put the force needed to drive the hook home. When fishing baitcasting tackle with 4 to 5 power rods, heavier line and hooks, the same hook set force works so I don't change hook setting motion because the tackle is balanced to get a good hook set.

[Bluebasser86]

I set the hook fast, pretty much as soon as I feel a bite, and I try to do more of a fast sweep set than a really hard, snap set. 

[Bass_Fanatic]

First 2 hooksets with braid I reeled in the top lip of the fish.  Had to tone down the braid hooksets, but other than that, with floro, Im setting that thing as hard as I possibly can.  Ive jerked 2lb fish out of the water and watched them fly over my head into the water on the other side of the boat with my hook through his eyes!

[ec1]

Wow, all these different hooksets.

Guys that don't snap set, you've got to try it a few times!

[Brian Needham]

<< see avatar picture, same rule in my boat! 

 

 

 

I powerbomb a hookset too.......but looking at your avatar picture, I see broken rods in your future.

[rockchalk06]

Check this hookset out! This is how hard I want to set the hook! BOOM

If I set the hook that hard in my little boat, the boat moves 3 feet forward lol

[pbizzle]

A hard one.

[Big Jon]

I love this.  I've been trying to get people in the boat to set the hook harder, see so many fish get away on bad hooksets.  From now on this will be how I explain it to them!

 

I second that, not that I have a boat.

 

I fish a lot of fallen timber since that is all I have and primarily use the T-rig. I set whichever way I am retrieving. If I am retrieving to the side, I set that way. If my tip is up on the retrieve I set that way. Mostly because of not wanting to get the line or fish caught up coming out of the timber. I learned this by setting the hook in the fish and then into a submerged tree limb at the same time, pinning the fish to the tree with my line and the hook. However, if you let out a couple inches of slack, the fish can get your hook free. I stood there for a minute wondering what to do since I could see the fish and realized the hook was in a tree limb. After a minute of wondering, the fish popped the hook free and I brought him in.

 

Sorry, that was a bit of a side track.