How to stop losing fish.

[Glenn]

Here's the reason why, and how to prevent fish from coming off the hook.  What are your thoughts?

 

 

[Hog Basser]

I agree, I will always remember my older brother setting the hook on a T-Rigged plastic when we were younger, he would almost fall out of the boat backwards and you had to be careful if you were standing up too.  I thought it was way too much power, but you know what, he caught the heck out of the fish!

[roadwarrior]

Outstanding!

 

[senile1]

This is a very helpful video and does cover one of the major reasons for losing fish.

The attached links cover some others, especially with respect to larger fish.  Check out the size of the fish that Mike Long lost in the first link.  

http://www.mikelongoutdoors.com/jumping-bass-agony/

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/bass/pro-advice-playing-big-bass-at-the-boat/

[Missourifishin]

Great advice! And hooksets don't cost a nickel. 

[bassinhole]

I've used EWG hooks for at least 15 years, and never had an issue loosing fish. Then again my co-anglers look at me strange when they watch me set the hook hard enough to send a 2 pounder flying...  Coincidence? likely not...  Don't be afraid to hit them hard enough to cross their eyes, especially with heavy gauge hooks. Just make sure your line isn't frayed and don't let your rods sit in the sun while your boat is parked days on end otherwise you'll end up breaking off due to the weakened line... 

[N Florida Mike]

I used to do a very hard,nearly straight up hookset.I lost a lot of fish because it would usually pull the fish toward you and he would take off and get slack(as you're frantically reeling to catch up).Years ago I started doing  a"sweep set"where you set the hook in a wide sweep horizontally and back.I rarely lose many that way and when I do they're usually Dink's.I use that wide angle hook and get great results .One reason is because I make sure the hook protrudes slightly out of the bait.And I like the dropping the rod thing too.I do that but never really thought about it.

[jc68]

great advice

[Cgolf]

I agree about the hard Hooksets, except for the time of the year when their mouths  get soft and they tear a hole allowing the baits to just drop out when you land them, if you land them. That time of year I just accept that I will lose fish.

Being primarily a river guy I have switched to a hit it as soon as you feel it as hard as you can and as you are reeling in, reel the tip down and give a good secondary set. This seems to work well too and a vast majority of the fish are stuck in the tough meaty upper lip, needing a pliers to release them. I just worry about giving a fish too long with a bait and deep hooking them, has happened to me when learning the Ned rig and stick baits. So I do drop the tip, if is just in the secondary set. 

[0119]

I agree, great tip!

[Darren.]

Good tip, Glenn.

I've used the smaller EWG (1-1/0) and have 
had no problem setting the hook. Of course
it's a light wire hook...but still an EWG that 
needs to be set.

[paul.]

good vid.  bending shank of the hook just a hair so that the hook point comes both up and out (off center) very slightly doesn't hurt anything either.  some manufacturers are even making their hooks with an offset built in now.  another key point is setting so that the rod butt stays in your ribs rather than off to the side or above your head so that you have absolutely no leverage.

my problem has never been with single hook lures.  i always sweat bullets when i hook a good fish on a treble hook bait.  i have always been too cheap to buy a specialized crankbait rod and i know that would help immensely. 

[smr_hga]

I agree. I have been losing a good amount of fish lately and i think this is part of the reason. The bigger the hook(s) the bigger the hookset (i.e Frog). 

[Airman4754]

I think having the correct rod action for the hook size is as important as any other factor.