Missing Topwater Hooksets. What Can I Do?

[ogbfishing]

For baits with trebles, like torpedoes and spooks, if you miss the hookset, odds are you waited too long, or jumped the gun. If it's a slurp I just rip it. However, if it's a blowup I wait to feel the fishes weight and then set the hook.

 

For topwater frogs, you want to take a second or two so as to be able to tell if the fish brought it under, in the case that it has, again, just rip it.

 

Most of the fish you'll lose on topwater are gonna be small, if you hook into a big one, you won't have to worry about timing, they'll just run with it. I consider myself as being pretty good at keeping  'em on, not just some amateur.

[Bluebasser86]

With walking baits like a Spook, I walk the bait until the fish loads up, kind of like a buzzbait hookset. Smallmouth are the worst, sometimes missing a bait half a dozen times before they connect. If you're patient and don't set the hook until you feel them though, they'll keep coming back until they get it a lot of the time. 

[NEBasser101]

Thank you all, I think I will switch out the hooks on my walking baits.

[68camaro]

And yet -  I always use Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; and it performs perfectly.

 

Interesting.

 

A-Jay

 

A-Jay, newbie question, but does a mono leader tied to braid create a weak point and what knot do you use to attach mono to braid and how long of a mono leader?

 

This sounds like a good idea when using same rod/reel for topwater and heavy pitch/jigging. I can put mono leader on for topwater and take off for jigs in heavy stuff or frogs. Does this make sense?

 

BTW I was thinking to spool my reel with 40 braid so what ln mono would you use? Nee rod is Dobyns 735C.

 

Thanks

[A-Jay]

A-Jay, newbie question, but does a mono leader tied to braid create a weak point and what knot do you use to attach mono to braid and how long of a mono leader?

 

This sounds like a good idea when using same rod/reel for topwater and heavy pitch/jigging. I can put mono leader on for topwater and take off for jigs in heavy stuff or frogs. Does this make sense?

 

BTW I was thinking to spool my reel with 40 braid so what ln mono would you use? Nee rod is Dobyns 735C.

 

Thanks

 

 Every Knot is a "Weak Point" ~ that's just the way it goes. However that's a relative term.

 

Remember the OP is discussing the use of Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; this is not a situation where I'm ever applying Max Pressure during the fight.  This does not mean knots & terminal tackle are not tested.  They are, just not to the point of failure.

 

 

40 lb braid sounds fine.   For me, the mono leader size for that would be something between 12 - 15 lb. depending on the baited & technique used.

 

I use back to back uni-knots when connecting braid to mono.  There are several options when it comes to knots there.  The uni-knot works fine for me.

 

Finally, I do not own any of Gary Dobyns sticks, but according to Tackle Tour "The 735C is a very versatile stick and can be used for the full range of retrieve styles independent of what lure you have tied to the end of your line. The rod's tip is soft enough allowing you to rip your baits through the water, yet stout enough to respond in slower presentations when you're lifting and dropping your bait. One of Gary Dobyns's favorite lures is a topwater frog and the 735C is an excellent stick with which to cast these baits and twitch them back along the surface.​"

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[the reel ess]

NM

[JOBU1967]

I replaced the rear hooks on all my Sammy's & chug bug's with feathered gamakatsu trebles. Hookup ratio is a lot better now.

[J Francho]

Maybe this will help.

https://youtu.be/AVZT2im0dhA