Bad Hook Set

[RanndomUndead]

youre probably getting the tails bit off by bluegills, theyre notorious for that. and myself, id have a hard time questioning catt's experience, not saying he is always right, but he is one of the more knowledgeable and respected members here. just like frog fishing, some people say when the bass hits the frog, count to 3 before setting the hook, i set the hook as soon as the frog disappears. i figure by the time i count to 3 the fish will have spit the bait. when you feel a bite, you set the hook. only time i would wait is if i can physically see the bass doesnt have the hook in his mouth...perhaps you should learn to distinguish a bluegill bite from a bass bite, because more than likely thats whats taking the tails off youre lizards, they do it to worms too

i spend 8+ hours on the water weekly, have for 4 years. I can more than distinguish between a bass and bluegill.

Like ive said, ive watched them constantly snap at the tail, then attack the head.

[Cameron211]

I mean why is everyone saying that ranndomundead is wrong??? I mean if he says he has witnessed this happening to him why can't we take his word for it?? Not saying he is wrong or right, but just cause it has never happened personally to you doesn't mean it cant happen. Just had to weigh in

[Choporoz]

I can't speak for anyone else, but the RU credibility train went off the tracks slightly when he tried to shout down Catt and dismissed Glen Lau for no apparent reason, IMHO. 

[ClackerBuzz]

If you are gut hooking small fish it means you're missing the big ones.

[Catt]

I had a tournament today and all I caught was short fish and catfish. I had a few quality hits but my hook sets just were not up to par. Is there a way to tell if it is me or my line? I am using Seaguar Red Label and fishing a jig. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Operator error due to timing being off

[Bankbeater]

Run a file over the hooks to make sure they are sharp.  It will make the hookset easier.

[Ben Eipert]

My rod was a heavy flippin stick. It has a pretty stout tip. It feels like a bum-bum, like they are sucking it in then spitting it out

[DrKnew]

Fight! , Fight!........Dont know if I should put in my 2 pennies worth?....Oh well......Usually the rat ah tat tat is a sunfish from my view.......When I get a firm bite , dont really wait, but lower rod tip to the water surface , and a quick upward lift to the sky. Don't miss too many that way. Of course, frequently check hook sharpness , and frayed line....I've mostly abandoned the cross their eyes method of hook setting, but , yes there are a few times when I revert to the rip their lips off style , such as frogs in heavy cover and flipping in the jungle.I can tell when a Northern Pike hits the lure, it's a solid WHACK, followed by a lightning quick run that will test your drag settings.

[Matthew2000]

I always wait until i feel atleast 2 small taps, sometimes even 3 if theyre weak.

More hookups, but also more "foul" hooks (aka swallowed)

Was patrolling a rocky bank for about 2 hours for smallies and out of 9 sets, 7 were successful, with 2 gutters. Both lived, atleast for now.

I don't even gut two fish a year. You sound like me when I was seven waiting for the bluegill to swallow the worm before setting the hook. I think you might need to figure out the bites for you're area if your gutting two fish in a day. The fish in the pond I fish the most do a 1tap,quick second, and then a full choke on the third. Haven't killed a fish in that pond in two years. Guess what two years ago I figured out the bite thing.

[RanndomUndead]

I don't even gut two fish a year. You sound like me when I was seven waiting for the bluegill to swallow the worm before setting the hook. I think you might need to figure out the bites for you're area if your gutting two fish in a day. The fish in the pond I fish the most do a 1tap,quick second, and then a full choke on the third. Haven't killed a fish in that pond in two years. Guess what two years ago I figured out the bite thing.

They dont die, and i fish small lizards with long tails with small hooks. My baits are rarely spit out.

Ill say it for the 50th time, from MY EXPERIENCE, they snap the tail, then attack the head.

Keep in mind, im saying this for one particular style that i prefer almost year round, and thats dragging lizards on the bottom. I dont do this with worms, i dont even fish creatures.

I'm starting to think this forum is less fisherman and more "fishees" that just believe anything some guy gets paid to say.

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

[Matthew2000]

They dont die, and i fish small lizards with long tails with small hooks. My baits are rarely spit out.

Ill say it for the 50th time, from MY EXPERIENCE, they snap the tail, then attack the head.

Keep in mind, im saying this for one particular style that i prefer almost year round, and thats dragging lizards on the bottom. I dont do this with worms, i dont even fish creatures.

I'm starting to think this forum is less fisherman and more "fishees" that just believe anything some guy gets paid to say.

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

I didn't realize I used invisible ink when I said I figured out their bite pattern by myself.

[Catt]

They dont die, and i fish small lizards with long tails with small hooks. My baits are rarely spit out.

Ill say it for the 50th time, from MY EXPERIENCE, they snap the tail, then attack the head.

Keep in mind, im saying this for one particular style that i prefer almost year round, and thats dragging lizards on the bottom. I dont do this with worms, i dont even fish creatures.

I'm starting to think this forum is less fisherman and more "fishees" that just believe anything some guy gets paid to say.

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

First from the first post we have been talking jig bite not lizzards!

Second I'll give you my front deck & still show you what "fishees" are capable of!

[F14A-B]

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

Apparently your the "Only" one left on the earth.

[Matthew2000]

They dont die, and i fish small lizards with long tails with small hooks. My baits are rarely spit out.

Ill say it for the 50th time, from MY EXPERIENCE, they snap the tail, then attack the head.

Keep in mind, im saying this for one particular style that i prefer almost year round, and thats dragging lizards on the bottom. I dont do this with worms, i dont even fish creatures.

I'm starting to think this forum is less fisherman and more "fishees" that just believe anything some guy gets paid to say.

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

In your first post you said they were alive.. For now, so which one is it. Snap the tail then attack the head huh? I wish half the people in the world were as smart as the bass in your spots. I never knew you invented every lure in you're tackle box. No creative fishermen these days...

[ThatZX14Fella]

In your first post you said they were alive.. For now, so which one is it. Snap the tail then attack the head huh? I wish half the people in the world were as smart as the bass in your spots. I never knew you invented every lure in you're tackle box. No creative fishermen these days...

Not to mention all the techniques he came up with. Plus the rods and reels he invented...

[masterbass]

Watching "bigmouth forever," was educational and changed my perception about hook sets.  I used to wait for confirmation, but now I set ASAP.  Bass don't feed like goldfish, they inhale.  My landing percentage has gone up dramatically and I haven't foul hooked a fish since.  Like they say, "the first tap is the fish inhaling the bait and the second is him spitting it out."

[Cameron211]

This is strictly amazing... why do we keep bashing the guy? Can someone answer why it's impossible about when he says them hitting the tail first then the head??? Like I said just because it doesn't happen to you does it automatically mean it can't happen? Give the guy a break. Hes just saying his experiences. This is supposed to be a community to gain knowledge and give your experiences. Not beat the guy down for it and say hes wrong. Never once have I heard him say anything about criticizing anyones comments. Just him saying his own. Can we not respect that??

[corn-on-the-rob]

They dont die, and i fish small lizards with long tails with small hooks. My baits are rarely spit out.

Ill say it for the 50th time, from MY EXPERIENCE, they snap the tail, then attack the head.

Keep in mind, im saying this for one particular style that i prefer almost year round, and thats dragging lizards on the bottom. I dont do this with worms, i dont even fish creatures.

I'm starting to think this forum is less fisherman and more "fishees" that just believe anything some guy gets paid to say.

Whered all the creative fisherman go?

 

Anyone denying that bass don't do what you described is in denial. With many factors involved bass hit in many number of ways and it can change with the environment/conditions. I have seen it plenty of times as well especially with longer plastics like worms and lizards. Sometimes they grab tail, then inhale, sometimes they inhale but don't get it all the way in their mouth so they inhale again. If bass slammed our lures every time with a full inhale, this game would be much easier.

 

That being said I never wait once I detect a fish. Not worth the risk of getting spit.

 

THAT being said, with lighter/weightless soft plastics you typically have more time (not always) before they spit so this approach can work really well as you have mentioned. The only time I ever wait to set the hook is if I miss more than a handful of hook sets and decide I need to wait a second more and even then it isn't much longer, still relatively quick.

 

But with jigs, most of the time, you would be remiss if you felt a tap and didn't set immediately.

[Ozark_Basser]

Bass will grab the bait tail first sometimes, especially with longer baits. If you really are trying to get one to bite while sight fishing, after some time spent without getting the fish to commit, when they finally do they usually will just grab the bait instead of inhaling it.

[Matthew2000]

This is strictly amazing... why do we keep bashing the guy? Can someone answer why it's impossible about when he says them hitting the tail first then the head??? Like I said just because it doesn't happen to you does it automatically mean it can't happen? Give the guy a break. Hes just saying his experiences. This is supposed to be a community to gain knowledge and give your experiences. Not beat the guy down for it and say hes wrong. Never once have I heard him say anything about criticizing anyones comments. Just him saying his own. Can we not respect that??

Go read the first two pages again.

[RanndomUndead]

Anyone denying that bass don't do what you described is in denial. With many factors involved bass hit in many number of ways and it can change with the environment/conditions. I have seen it plenty of times as well especially with longer plastics like worms and lizards. Sometimes they grab tail, then inhale, sometimes they inhale but don't get it all the way in their mouth so they inhale again. If bass slammed our lures every time with a full inhale, this game would be much easier.

 

That being said I never wait once I detect a fish. Not worth the risk of getting spit.

 

THAT being said, with lighter/weightless soft plastics you typically have more time (not always) before they spit so this approach can work really well as you have mentioned. The only time I ever wait to set the hook is if I miss more than a handful of hook sets and decide I need to wait a second more and even then it isn't much longer, still relatively quick.

 

But with jigs, most of the time, you would be remiss if you felt a tap and didn't set immediately.

Glad there's at least someone here that realizes a bass nor its body of water is universal.

[RoLo]

My wife & I watched the Glenn Lau series of bass videos.
As you'd expect, bass would inhale the lure head-first...but not invariably.
In fact, I found it quite disturbing to see a few bass whack the tail or the side of the lure!
In any case, I will sacrifice the short-strikers and continue to strike the instant I perceive a strike.

On the upside, that might help to explain some missed hook-sets that we blame on ourselves 

 

Roger

[Hyrule Bass]

while i agree with setting the hook right away, bass will "double strike" a bait. fishing a live crawdad last year off a dock in shallow clear water i witnessed it. bass hit the crawdad head first but didnt have the whole thing or hook in its mouth, i watched this, it the second strike was to inhale the rest of the crawfish, and thats when i set the hook. but the only way to truely know is if you can actually see the fish biting your bite

[F14A-B]

Small bass ( lmb ) seem to be culprits at striking at the claws of a crawfish ( plastic ) quick double taps.. Bigger fish? Not so much.. In my experience, seems they are more capable

& inhale the bait more readily. Bigger crushers?

I understand smallmouth are really keen on biting the pinchers off crawfish.. We don't have good numbers of smallies so I'm not positive on it, but I've read much from these forums and smallmouth fisherman that say this. I have no reason to doubt them.

[RoLo]

Small bass ( lmb ) seem to be culprits at striking at the claws of a crawfish ( plastic ) quick double taps.. Bigger fish? Not so much.. In my experience, seems they are more capable

& inhale the bait more readily. Bigger crushers?

I understand smallmouth are really keen on biting the pinchers off crawfish.. We don't have good numbers of smallies so I'm not positive on it, but I've read much from these forums and smallmouth fisherman that say this. I have no reason to doubt them.

 

Totally agree.

The larger the bass, the higher the odds of an instant wolf-down