Using senkos, killing fish? And spinning setup

[Ksam1234]

So I just started using senkos lately but the problem is I can't always detect the smaller bites or subtle bites and have killed two fish now.. they keep swallowing the hook  and I hate killing bass. So I'm wondering if anyone knows a decent spinning setup with a lot of sensitivity untill I get better. Rod and reel for under 250$ please .. I have access to cabelas and field and stream so anything from there is great. Don't wanna keep hurting these guys. Oh and I'll be using the spinning setup for mainly senkos and soft plastics probably 85% of the time. 

[WRB]

Use a finesse circle hook, both Owner and Gamakatsu makes them.

Tom

[RichF]

I'm a big proponent of just not using them.  

[Ksam1234]

19 minutes ago, WRB said:

Use a finesse circle hook, both Owner and Gamakatsu makes them.

Tom

That helps with the swallowing part ?

3 minutes ago, RichF said:

I'm a big proponent of just not using them.  

Yeah but there such a fish catcher. Just slay them 

[OnthePotomac]

You may have a hook setting timing problem, which will improve in time.  Personally, I started crunching down barbs years ago for easy deep hook removal when I fish plastics.  I don't lose fish because the barb is gone and simply reach in with this hook remover, grip it, turn it and lift it out.

 http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-squeeze-out-hook-remover

[RichF]

Eh, there are but I don't think I'd see a drastic difference in how many I catch if I replaced my jig with one.  

[Ksam1234]

2 minutes ago, OnthePotomac said:

You may have a hook setting timing problem, which will improve in time.  Personally, I started crunching down barbs years ago for easy deep hook removal when I fish plastics.  I don't lose fish because the barb is gone and simply reach in with this hook remover, grip it, turn it and lift it out.

 http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-squeeze-out-hook-remover

I never thought about de barbing the hook.  You don't loose hookups or lose fish at all? Since it doesn't stick as good. 

[Scott F]

With the barb pinched down, hooks bury deeper, more easily so they often are hooked better with no barb. Yes, you might lose a fish or two without a barb, but you generally don't land every fish even with a barb so if you keep good tension on the line, you shouldn't notice any more fish lost. Besides, the hooks come out so much more easily, you won't be killing any bass.

[Ksam1234]

Just now, Scott F said:

With the barb pinched down, hooks bury deeper, more easily so they often are hooked better with no barb. Yes, you might lose a fish or two without a barb, but you generally don't land every fish even with a barb so if you keep good tension on the line, you shouldn't notice any more fish lost. Besides, the hooks come out so much more easily, you won't be killing any bass.

I'll start doing that. You just take some pliers and squeeze the barb? 

[Scott F]

Just now, Ksam1234 said:

I'll start doing that. You just take some pliers and squeeze the barb? 

It's that easy.

[WRB]

Circle hooks like Gamakastu Octopus and Owner Mutu light or mosquitos prevent gut hooking the bass when wacky rigging Senko's.

Barbless hooks still gut hook fish tearing the gullet, depends what your goal is.

Tom

[Ksam1234]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

Circle hooks like Gamakastu Octopus and Owner Mutu light or mosquitos prevent gut hooking the bass when wacky rigging Senko's.

Barbless hooks still gut hook fish tearing the gullet, depends what your goal is.

Tom

I use the wacky rig and the bass don't bite really. As soon as I switch to the Weightless T rigged they go crazy for it. Any suggestion besides learning to feel the bite better so I don't let them inhale it

[WRB]

1 minute ago, Ksam1234 said:

I use the wacky rig and the bass don't bite really. As soon as I switch to the Weightless T rigged they go crazy for it. Any suggestion besides learning to feel the bite better so I don't let them inhale it

Wacky rig with a nail weight (Neko rig). Read the rod tip strike detection thread and watch Matt's video online.

Tom

[deep]

Just need to watch that rod tip.. duh!

[Further North]

2 hours ago, OnthePotomac said:

Personally, I started crunching down barbs years ago for easy deep hook removal when I fish plastics.  I don't lose fish because the barb is gone and simply reach in with this hook remover, grip it, turn it and lift it out.

I've been de-barbing my hooks for years.  I can live with the couple of fish a year I might* lose because of it.

 

Better for me if I get stuck, better for the fish.

 

*I doubt I'm losing any, but allow room for error.  I'd have to have it proven to me and I don't see a way to do that...

[Ksam1234]

6 minutes ago, deep said:

Just need to watch that rod tip.. duh!

Just keep killing them all till I learn to watch and feel better haha. Jk jk

[JustJames]

De-barb hook is a good option for you to be able to remove the hook easier but not gonna help gutted hook fish if you don't learn how to detect strike sooner.

I do the same with all my hooks for Fluke type since  those fish mostly strike and try to swallow them whole doesn't matter fish fast or slow. Yeah you would loose fish here and there but mostly smaller one where they trend to jump a lot.

There are ways to detect strike, as others mention watch the rod tip, but seem like you are as naive as me so watch the line and feel the line might be easier. I always has my finger touch the line to detect strike and watch line for any unusual movement. Also pay very close attention when you first cast lure out and let it fall on slack line where you might not feel the first initial bite. You should close the bail as soon as lure hit water start reeling the line and pop it once or twice. It is a lot easier to do this with bait casting tho.

[bigturtle]

If you are hooking them so deep that its killing them, circle hooks are not the way to go. Circle hooks are much harder to remove when hooked in the throat. Better off using a regular wacky hook and pinching the barb.

[Scott F]

2 hours ago, Ksam1234 said:

I use the wacky rig and the bass don't bite really. As soon as I switch to the Weightless T rigged they go crazy for it. Any suggestion besides learning to feel the bite better so I don't let them inhale it

I use braided line which for the most part will lay on the surface. I keep most of the slack out of the line and watch for the line to twitch that causes a disturbance on the surface. That tells me when a fish has picked up the bait. If I'd waited to feel him before setting the hook, he'd have swallowed it.

[WRB]

30 minutes ago, bigturtle said:

If you are hooking them so deep that its killing them, circle hooks are not the way to go. Circle hooks are much harder to remove when hooked in the throat. Better off using a regular wacky hook and pinching the barb.

I know it's possible to hook a bass inside it's mouth or in the throat wit a circle, in over 30 years of fishing live bait for Marlin this hasn't happened, always the corner of the mouth. With standard hooks Marlin are nearly always hooked in the throat using live bait. Today you must use circle hooks with live bait in catch and release Marlin tournements, standard hooks only allowed on lures.

I use circle hooks with Senko's when teaching freinds to fish a Senko and they haven't gut hook a bass yet. Pinching a barb down doesn't resolve gut hooking, that take a learning curve to detect strikes.

Agree a circle in the throat would be difficult to remove, they make barbless circle hooks or pinch the barb down on a circle hook.

Tom

 

[geo g]

I agree with Scott F, use braid and keep an eye on your line for the slightest twitch.  Braid is a lot more sensitive, and will float on the surface.  Its not the hook, as much as a late hook set!

[WRB]

11 minutes ago, geo g said:

I agree with Scott F, use braid and keep an eye on your line for the slightest twitch.  Braid is a lot more sensitive, and will float on the surface.  Its not the hook, as much as a late hook set!

And when it's windy with waves....? When the Senko is in the basses mouth set the hook!

Tom

[J Francho]

Braid and senkos are the worst in the wind.  Even with fluoro, I try to "snap" the line to the water at the end of the cast.  When it's really windy, I'll use a small pinch on weight.

[j_blaze14]

how do you know you killed a bass?  ive gut hooked several and always was able to flip the hook down the gills and pull it out with minimal blood loss.  the ones i worry about are the ones swimming around with a jig or swimbait stuck to their lip cuz they popped my line.

[tcbass]

I've used both EWG wide gap hooks and now Owner Mosquito hooks with this tube setup and cannot recall ever killing a fish. 

 

I also use Hi-Vis yellow Power Pro braid which is easy to see.