Improper “form” when I set the hook

[TOXIC]

Bottom line still is that there are numerous types of hooksets that work best with different baits and techniques.  Spawning fish on the beds are a totally different situation.  They are not trying to "eat" the bait, they are annoyed or defensive of it.  

[BoatSquirrel]

Many years ago, the great bass fishing sage Bill Dance explained setting the hook with single hook baits such as worms and jigs to imagine you are opening a jar.  In order to to maximize your power, you hold that jar against your chest, not out from you or over your head, and thats how Bill said to set the hook.   Example, Greg Hackney’s flipping hookset.  On the other hand, treble hook baits require a side sweep then crank the heck out of your reel handles.  Example, KVD working his 1.5 crankbait.  Believe it or not, a student of the game can actually learn by watching all of those hours of fishing on TV!  

[Paul Roberts]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

Couple years ago I was showed my grandson this little trick on bedding bass. After several attempts at a 4# female we came back that evening but this time I told Aiden flip your bait out there & close you eyes... instant hookup!

 

 

Ya need to quit comparing swim jigs to regular jigs!

 

Aint the same other than looks!

 

One is still on the bottom, the other is constantly moving!

Exactly. If you can't wait... close your eyes!

 

Yeah, swim jigs are fished more like spinnerbaits. And a lot of jigs are swum: various grubs, swimbaits, hair jigs, .... IME, you can't give those bites much time. Of course, I never do! But when I have, they're gone. Line tension perhaps, compared to a jig picked up on slack line on bottom?

[TBAG]

Everyday I'm amazed at the wealth of knowledge I gain from the contributors to this forum.

 

Thanks to all!

[WRB]

Improper form is falling out of the boat.

Tom

[Mike F]

Not trying to hijack my own thread, but do any of you guys manage to get a decent hook set with mono or a mono leader (15lb) on a jig with a “standard wire” hook? I feel like the only time I can really stick them with my setup is on a finesse jig with a narrower hook. As in narrower gauge 

[Fairtax4me]

What rod are you using? What is the length, action, and weight? 

No matter how hard you swing, you probably won't ever set a "regular jig" hook with a medium rod. 

 

On the converse, if you set the hook on a finesse jig with a 8' extra heavy rod with 65lb braid, probably gonna break the hook, or send the fish flying at the very least. 

 

For smaller jigs, 1/4 to 3/8 oz with a small hook, I use no less than a medium heavy fast 7' rod with 15lb flourocarbon, even then, it takes a good solid swing to get a proper hook set. 

 

I do use 20lb mono leader with 65lb braid main line for certain presentations, depending on water clarity. Usually for larger jigs I use straight braid. Finesse jigs I use 15-17lb flouro.

 

 

[Mike F]

That’s pretty consistent with my set up for jigs, 7ft MH-F, 30lb braid to 15lb mono leader, jigs no heavier than 3/8oz and generally I buy finesse style because I have more confidence in the hooks. 

 

I was just wondering if someone would consider that combo overkill for a finesse jig, and if people manage to get a solid set on a heavy wire hook with a med. heavy and middle of the road line.

[Catt]

8 hours ago, Mike F said:

Not trying to hijack my own thread, but do any of you guys manage to get a decent hook set with mono or a mono leader (15lb) on a jig with a “standard wire” hook? I feel like the only time I can really stick them with my setup is on a finesse jig with a narrower hook. As in narrower gauge 

 

My worm & jig rods are spooled with Berkley Big Game 15#.

 

Both rods are Shimano Crucial CRC-X610MHXF & I'm throwing Terry Oldham's Trailer Hitch Jigs with a special 5/0 Gamakatsu Flipping Hook (Black/Chrome) specifically designed & produced for Oldham Jigs.

[Mike F]

So when you feel a bite you really let em have it eh? I started throwing my tx-rigs on 15lb big game as per your recommendation and really like it, but still have it in my head I need more sensitivity for a jig than straight mono can offer. Especially considering my rods aren’t what most would consider sensitive (mojo bass and lightning rods)

[Mobasser]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

My worm & jig rods are spooled with Berkley Big Game 15#.

 

Both rods are Shimano Crucial CRC-X610MHXF & I'm throwing Terry Oldham's Trailer Hitch Jigs with a special 5/0 Gamakatsu Flipping Hook (Black/Chrome) specifically designed & produced for Oldham Jigs.

I like Trilene Big Game mono also.I use between 12 and 15 lb test. Never have a problem setting the hook due to line issues.Braid an d braid/leader can be good, but I like one knot directly to the jig.

2 minutes ago, Mike F said:

So when you feel a bite you really let em have it eh? I started throwing my tx-rigs on 15lb big game as per your recommendation and really like it, but still have it in my head I need more sensitivity for a jig than straight mono can offer. Especially considering my rods aren’t what most would consider sensitive (mojo bass and lightning rods)

Mike F, try this. Keep you finger under the line, especially when your working slow moving jigs or plastics. Your finger touching the line can feel more than the most expensive rod.Also, be a keen line watcher, right where your line enters the water. Most guys develop their hooksetting style over time, but it really is this: sense the strike, drop the rod, quickly take up slack, and set the hook with force. 

[J Francho]

11 hours ago, Mike F said:

Not trying to hijack my own thread, but do any of you guys manage to get a decent hook set with mono or a mono leader (15lb) on a jig with a “standard wire” hook? I feel like the only time I can really stick them with my setup is on a finesse jig with a narrower hook. As in narrower gauge 

Been sticking bass with 3x worm hooks and jigs using mono since the 80s.  Rods were not really fast by today's standards, and we were using "high speed" 5:1 reels.  Dip the tip, reel down, and cross their eyes.

[Todd2]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Been sticking bass with 3x worm hooks and jigs using mono since the 80s.  Rods were not really fast by today's standards, and we were using "high speed" 5:1 reels.  Dip the tip, reel down, and cross their eyes.

This...the only thing I do a little different is reel into the fish a little more on long casts and then swing.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, Mike F said:

So when you feel a bite you really let em have it eh? I started throwing my tx-rigs on 15lb big game as per your recommendation and really like it, but still have it in my head I need more sensitivity for a jig than straight mono can offer. Especially considering my rods aren’t what most would consider sensitive (mojo bass and lightning rods)

 

OK first off this my personal opinion on monofilament, line stretch, & sensitivity.

 

There's absolutely not doubt mono stretches but what makes me scratch my head is how the test are do. One end of the line is attached to a stationary object & the other end is attached to an apparatus that is capable of applying far more pressure than a hookset.

 

When we set hook the bass moves & your rod flexes, how much pressure do you think you applied? 

 

Another notion about mono is some how when the bass picks up your jig it's less sensitive because of stretch. Stretching can not take place until pressure is applied, when a bass inhales your jig there's no pressure being applied to your line. There maybe line movement if the bass is swimming away from you. Now pressure is being applied but not near to cause line stretch.

 

Does monofilament stretch?

Yes sir!

 

Does stretch effect any part of feeling the bite, hook penetration, or the fight?

Not in my opinion!

Edited September 20, 2018 by Catt
Operator Error

[Mobasser]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

OK first off this my personal opinion on monofilament, line stretch, & sensitivity.

 

There's absolutely not doubt mono stretches but what makes me scratch my head is how the test are do. One end of the line is attached to a stationary object & the other end is attached to an apparatus that is capable of applying far more pressure than a hookset.

 

When we set hook the bass moves & your rod flexes, how much pressure do you think you applied? 

 

Another notion about mono is some how when the bass picks up your jig it's less sensitive because of stretch. Stretching can not take place until pressure is applied, when a bass inhales your jig there's no pressure being applied to your line. There maybe line movement if the bass is swimming away from you. Now pressure is being applied but not near to cause line stretch.

 

Does monofilament stretch?

Yes sir!

 

Does stretch effect any part of feeling the bite, hook penetration, or the fight?

Not in my opinion!

I agree completely Catt. Too much emphasis put on various lines these days. They all can have their time and place, but for all around fishing mono is still hard to beat

[WRB]

All the bass listed as my top were caught using either Berkley XT or Big Game 10 and 12 lb mono and the bass were over 90' away when I set the hook. I was using Lamiglas custom graphite 6'10", 5 power rods during that time period.

Strike detection comes before hook sets!

Tom

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

All the bass listed as my top were caught using either Berkley XT or Big Game 10 and 12 lb mono and the bass were over 90' away when I set the hook. I was using Lamiglas custom graphite 6'10", 5 power rods during that time period.

Strike detection comes before hook sets!

Tom

Agree 100% Tom. 

[WRB]

The mono line stretch is nonsense compared to Fluorocarbon line, both "stretch" equally and it requires at least 1/3rd of the lb test to start to stretch mono or FC line. When you considered a 5 power or heavy power typical 6'6" to 7' bass baitcasting rod maximum lifting power is 5 lbs weight or force applied. What this means is the rod bottoms out and stops bending from the first guide near the reel to the rod tip. High force you start to bend the rods butt section before the rod fails and breaks at a few lbs more force.

It takes 5 lbs of pulling force to stretch 15 lb mono, that is a lot of force!

It's difficult to apply 5 lbs of force to your hook set using a standard baitcasting jig or worm rod. The short line snap set applies instant impact force which is different then load force that is applied over longer time of several seconds vs impact force in milliseconds. Impact strength usually show up as knot failure.

Getting off topic but this all applies to hook sets, the goal is to penetrate the hook point past it's barb without breaking the line.

Tom

 

[Catt]

@WRB Exactly ?

 

Plus we have to factor in somewhere the bass is moving hopefully towards you.

 

If the hook set is done correctly the line, rod, & reel drag work in unison resulting in landed fish.

[Rahlow]

If they don’t weigh better than 2 lbs they get thrown over the boat on the hook set,,,, hook usually is thru their head right between the eyes, proper form will be there if you have the intent to hit em hard

[Mike F]

Update: I started palming my reel this week, I hadn’t really held it like that before, I’ve noticed when I set the hook with my hand in the “palming position” around the rod and reel, I’ve been flailing my arms less and getting more solid sets! Anyone else experience this too? I was worried when I started palming I wouldn’t have enough power because half my hand was above what I viewed as the fulcrum of the rod, but it’s helped substantially!