Struggles with Soft Body Top Hook Swimbaits

[Dorado]

Went bank fishing tonight and lost three decent bass consecutively. All fish were lost on the initial headshake. Used a Storm Wildeye Live Sunfish and removed  the bottom treble hook to make it weedless since the reeds are already starting to emerge. 

 

At at this point, I’m relying on a stout VMC top hook. Used a BPS cranking rod (medium pwr, fast action) and 12# fluoro. 

 

I’m new to soft swimbait fishing and hoping I can get some experienced anglers to assist with the troubleshooting. Was it because I was using a parabolic cranking stick that wasn’t stiff enough? Should cranking rods only be used with hard lures with treble hooks to load effectively? My hooksets were side sweeping, which is how I set on squarebills and do just fine, but should I set it like a jig?

[Bluebasser86]

Use a spinnerbait rod for that bait. That jig hook takes some power to drive home. 

[smalljaw67]

You don't want a cranking rod for those hooks, especially in a medium power. As Bluebasser86 already told you, a more stout rod, a MH fast action rod, and I know, the BPS cranking rod is listed as a fast but it is a fast action compsite rod for cranking. A fast action spinnerbait or jig and worm rod will be able to drive the hook in order to get full penetration so the fish can't shaky the bait free.

[Dorado]

3 hours ago, smalljaw67 said:

You don't want a cranking rod for those hooks, especially in a medium power. As Bluebasser86 already told you, a more stout rod, a MH fast action rod, and I know, the BPS cranking rod is listed as a fast but it is a fast action compsite rod for cranking. A fast action spinnerbait or jig and worm rod will be able to drive the hook in order to get full penetration so the fish can't shaky the bait free.

For my own edification, the term ‘fast action’ can be relative depending on various techniques i.e cranking rod vs. Spinnerbait rod? I always thought fast action referred to the flex in the tip and all manufacturers conformed to the same rating categories Now, it’s another nuance to add if technique is added to the equation?

[deep]

There's power, action, and then there's what I call softness of the tip- which is not quite the same as action. I have the same M power BPS cranking stick- an older maroon blank model. The tip is pretty soft. I use it for small treble hook baits and an occasional light wire single hook moving bait, but always with braid + leader.

 

Compare that to a *** I have; same length, same stated power and action. But the tip is a bit stiffer, and while I love fishing jerkbaits on it, it works extremely well with small plastics and jigs. I fish straight 10-12# Tatsu on it, which is a fairly stretchy line.

It works much better than the cranking stick with jigs/ plastics. (The Envy is also much lighter and crisper, being a more expensive and graphite rod and all that, but that's not my point.)

 

Then there are my Heliums and NRX's with even stiffer tips. True jig/ worm rods.

[smalljaw67]

2 hours ago, Dorado said:

For my own edification, the term ‘fast action’ can be relative depending on various techniques i.e cranking rod vs. Spinnerbait rod? I always thought fast action referred to the flex in the tip and all manufacturers conformed to the same rating categories Now, it’s another nuance to add if technique is added to the equation?

Bass Pro Shops Crankin' rod is probably the only crankbait specific rod you'll see labeled as a "fast" action. Your understanding of the term is right, fast action means the rod flexes through the upper section of the blank. The problem is that there isn't any industry standard so some fast action rods flex a little more or less than others. When it comes to techniques specific rods, most crankbait rods are going to be soft, especially medium power models and I don't know why but Bass Pro has always listed their cranking rods as a "fast" action and they aren't going to work trying to get a good hook set on heavier wire hooks, that medium power model is more suited to keeping pressure on fish hook with a size 6 or size 4 treble hook.

[Dorado]

3 hours ago, deep said:

There's power, action, and then there's what I call softness of the tip- which is not quite the same as action. I have the same M power BPS cranking stick- an older maroon blank model. The tip is pretty soft. I use it for small treble hook baits and an occasional light wire single hook moving bait, but always with braid + leader.

 

Compare that to a *** I have; same length, same stated power and action. But the tip is a bit stiffer, and while I love fishing jerkbaits on it, it works extremely well with small plastics and jigs. I fish straight 10-12# Tatsu on it, which is a fairly stretchy line.

It works much better than the cranking stick with jigs/ plastics. (The Envy is also much lighter and crisper, being a more expensive and graphite rod and all that, but that's not my point.)

 

Then there are my Heliums and NRX's with even stiffer tips. True jig/ worm rods.

That’s a very good example of contrasting the two. Thanks for chumming in!  Valuable lesson learned last night. I need to go back and stick em because they all had bluegills in their mind. 

@smalljaw67 That was such a well written response.  I owe you a crypto currency beer...... still pondering how that could work lol. Thank you 

[smalljaw67]

2 hours ago, Dorado said:

That’s a very good example of contrasting the two. Thanks for chumming in!  Valuable lesson learned last night. I need to go back and stick em because they all had bluegills in their mind. 

@smalljaw67 That was such a well written response.  I owe you a crypto currency beer...... still pondering how that could work lol. Thank you 

No problem my friend, and I'll gladly accept the crypto currency beer and I'll buy you a crypto currency shot as well!!!

[OkobojiEagle]

I believe the "stoutness" of your hook isn't as important as the amount of gap when using a relatively light swimbait.  I want to have at least twice the hook gap as I have depth of plastic bait.  A lighter gauge of wire will penetrate more easily... the hook barb will have a bigger impact upon keeping the bait hooked than the gauge of the hook.

 

oe

[BassB8Caster]

Drive it home and dont stop grinding her in until she is in the net. If you let her turn her head you increase your chances of a spit bait. The more you play with the fish the more time she has to use leverage to spit it. If she swims at you thats another challenge. Crank crank crank.