How to NOT hookset fish in practice

[zewski]

Hey guys, i am pre fishing for a tournament this weekend and i am looking for a way to not set the hook on any fish, i used the bend my hooks but this is not dollar efficient, how do you guys protect your hooks from accidentally hooking the fish? 

[ohboyitsrobby]

Usually just use a screw lock on my plastics. 

[Glaucus]

If you don't catch any how do you know the area holds good fish

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

If you don't catch any how do you know the area holds good fish

I was scratching my head over that too.

[TnRiver46]

37 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

If you don't catch any how do you know the area holds good fish

From what I've seen on YouTube of Scott Martin and Jacob wheeler, you just feel the bite and let the fish swim around with the bait and no resistance. Wheeler says he can somewhat tell how big they are by the way the bite feels 

[riverbasser]

13 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

you just feel the bite and let the fish swim around with the bait and no resistance.

That's a good way to let a fish swallow the bait.

 

I just make sure to leave em biting. Pull up and catch one or two and then move to the next spot. For whatever reason I do better in the tournaments I dont prefish

[TnRiver46]

7 minutes ago, riverbasser said:

That's a good way to let a fish swallow the bait.

 

I just make sure to leave em biting. Pull up and catch one or two and then move to the next spot. For whatever reason I do better in the tournaments I dont prefish

Ive never done it or even fished tournaments, just what I've seen on film

[zewski]

Its easy to know what size they are.. you would be amazed how long they keep the bait even on bait with no hook... i even set the hook with no hook on my bait this way i have a good idea of how heavy the fish is and even then they dont let go... Smallmouths jump and spit the bait and we have a good look at it

[BassNJake]

I spend more time graphing when prefishing than actual fishing.

If I can mark several areas that are holding fish, I can begin working on a pattern and strategy on how to fish those areas. Based on the time of year and how the fish are positioned I have the confidence we can get a couple of bites to further clue us in.

 

My tourney partner and I do not prefish together.

We both take on various sections of the lake and then we will compare notes and images to try and define some sort of similarities we can formulate a pattern and plan around.

 

I've been doing this quite a while and it is a system that works well for us.

That being said I do have some dedicated practice lures that have the hooks cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WRB]

Use cheap hooks and cut the points off on the lures for practice, replace with high quality sharp hooks during the tournament. With tip less hooks you would be surprised on long a bass holds onto the lure and you need to give it slack and shake some off.

I do more surveying with sonar then fishing, fish just to determine what is there.

I haven't ever fished a bass tournament that was free to enter and always fish to get my money back at a minimum. Modifying a few lures by cutting off hook points is inexpensive compared to donating your entry fee.

Tom

[CrankFate]

If you want to know how to not catch fish, come out with me a few times, I’ll bet money I’m the best at that on this site.

[MN Fisher]

19 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

If you want to know how to not catch fish, come out with me a few times, I’ll bet money I’m the best at that on this site.

Hold my beer.

[Log Catcher]

27 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

If you want to know how to not catch fish, come out with me a few times, I’ll bet money I’m the best at that on this site.

If he ever fished with me he would end up losing his money.

[CrankFate]

On 6/14/2019 at 7:53 PM, MN Fisher said:

Hold my beer.

I never drink when I fish. Stone cold sober.

On 6/14/2019 at 8:00 PM, Log Catcher said:

If he ever fished with me he would end up losing his money.

If you know my true cost per fish ? ? ? 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, CrankFate said:

If you know my true cost per fish ? ? ? 

Man, mine is through the roof.

1 minute ago, CrankFate said:

I never drink when I fish. Stone cold sober.

Coffee, ice-tea, water - those are my drinks on the water.

[CrankFate]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Man, mine is through the roof.

Coffee, ice-tea, water - those are my drinks on the water.

Everyone’s. Fishing is expensive now. Yes, I do coffee, monster drinks & water.

[J.Vincent]

With SpinnerBaits, Swimjigs, ChatterBaits, BuzzBaits any single hook (non Texas rig) , try sliding a piece of surgical tubing over the hookpoint. Make sure you cut the length long enough to curl or slightly bunch at the round bend of the hook, and leave enough tubing to extend past the hookpoint, you can epoxy or melt and form the open end of the tubing to prevent exposing the hook point on the strike. If you are using Hollow Frogs it also works but will catch a lot of vegetation. Also with topwaters , pull the treble hooks from split rings and add a few suspend-a-dots just below the hook holders to closely match the weight of the removed hooks. With T Rigs all you can do is shake the fish off until they spit the lure. Go pre-fishing and mark the areas where the bites are solid and plentiful. Good Luck !

[Log Catcher]

15 hours ago, CrankFate said:

I never drink when I fish. Stone cold sober.

If you know my true cost per fish ? ? ? 

My boat and most of my equipment is so old cost doesn't mean much anymore.