Hookset troubles with a medium action?!

[Thomas Olson]

Good evening everyone. So I had an opinion question on some Texas rig fishing. So I went out and bought a 6’8” Medium Fast St. Croix Legend X and I’ve noticed that I’m not getting clean hooksets. Some days I’ll nail every fish that bites and then others I’ll miss half the fish that bite. My question is would it be better to switch up to a 7’1” Medium fast to get better hooksets? Or should I stick with the rod I have and just focus on the making sure I get good hooksets?

[FishinBuck07]

My opinion is medium is to light for Texas rigged baits.  I always use medium heavy, but again just my opinion.  I would think the medium is too light to drive the hook through the plastic of the bait and the jaw of the fish.

[Thomas Olson]

My only issue is that I’m fishing in Minnesota and the fish aren’t huge and I’m not all that used to fishing with a MH for anything I need to feel bites. 

 

[MN Fisher]

If you're fishing in the 'slop', then a MH would be the minimum I'd use. I use a H/F when tossing in the cabbage and I'm planning to get a MH rig this winter...and yes, I'm in MN as well.

 

Another thing to check is the sharpness of your hooks. Touching them up regularly isn't just a good idea, it's almost mandatory.

[Russ E]

A couple things to think about.

Are you losing fish once you hook them or never getting a hook in them?

Is the hook buried in the fish on the ones you do catch?

if you are never getting a hook in the fish. It is not necessarily the rod.

If the hook is not buried, your equipment and hooks are mismatched.

You have to match the hook to your equipment. A medium power fast action rod is enough for clean hooksets, if you are not using heavy wire hooks.

 

Another thing that helps with hooking a fish on Texas rigs is lowering the rod and reeling in slack before setting the hook.

 

 

[Deleted account]

As long as one isn't trying to set a large heavy gauge hook with a bulky bait, there is no reason a Med rod won't do the job , particularly if using braid, but even with mono it will work. The trick is to load the rod by winding tight before setting, and using the middle of the rod (as opposed to the upper portion) to do it without slack. (which is how all hooks should be set anyway)

[Matt_3479]

My first guess would be to say your rod might be a little light or even soft to be burying the hook. I fished a glx 852c with a t-rigged senko’s and wasn’t getting the most reliable hook set. Even when I was setting the hook hard, it just didn’t feel like I had them pinned. Majority of my catches, the hooks were really driven in. Now with wacky or tube it’s a perfect hook set. 

 

I fished the Texas rig on my 853c and my kistler medium heavy fast and what a difference. Both of these rods are a little on the lighter side of the medium heavy but a clear step up in power from the medium! No more questionable hook sets. Now to be completely honest I use to fish weightless t-rigs on a 7’ medium avid x and never had a problem. But they tend to fish heavier then loomis which is why I’m surprised by your experience.

[Kidflex]

I wouldn’t bother going to a 7’1” in the same power, really not much of a difference. If you do get another rod get it in medium/heavy.

Idk what kind of hook & soft plastic combo your having issues with, I’ll suggest using owner J light hooks or their all purpose hook. Minimal effort for the medium powered rod to penetrate with these lighter wire hooks. 

[JediAmoeba]

 

[LionHeart]

So you want to switch from a medium power to a medium power?  Or did you mean medium heavy?

 

A medium fast baitcasting rod should absolutely be able to bury your average EWG hook.  What line are you using?  Mono and flouro stretch alot so if you are trying to set the hook >30 yards away, good luck.

[waymont]

That rod isn't the issue. Make sure you have all your tackle matched/balanced, line , hook size and style, plastic bait size.

Those rods are rated 10-17lb line 1/4-5/8oz lures, and have plenty of backbone for what type of fishing you're wanting to do.

[FishingGeekTX]

On 7/21/2019 at 7:39 PM, Thomas Olson said:

Good evening everyone. So I had an opinion question on some Texas rig fishing. So I went out and bought a 6’8” Medium Fast St. Croix Legend X and I’ve noticed that I’m not getting clean hooksets. Some days I’ll nail every fish that bites and then others I’ll miss half the fish that bite. My question is would it be better to switch up to a 7’1” Medium fast to get better hooksets? Or should I stick with the rod I have and just focus on the making sure I get good hooksets?

Some missing data:

1. line type

2. line # test

3. cover

4. hook type

5. depth/distance fishing

 

Asking if moving from a 7'1 to a 6'8 rod will dramatically improve your trig hookset, I doubt it.  All of the above would likely be much bigger factors.

[WRB]

On July 21, 2019 at 5:39 PM, Thomas Olson said:

Good evening everyone. So I had an opinion question on some Texas rig fishing. So I went out and bought a 6’8” Medium Fast St. Croix Legend X and I’ve noticed that I’m not getting clean hooksets. Some days I’ll nail every fish that bites and then others I’ll miss half the fish that bite. My question is would it be better to switch up to a 7’1” Medium fast to get better hooksets? Or should I stick with the rod I have and just focus on the making sure I get good hooksets?

Describe your hook set technique, casting distance and line size /type?

Tom

[FishTank]

If memory serves me right, I believe that most of the rods in St. Croix's line up that are 6'8'' M Fast are designed with a softer tip for jerk baits.   IMHO, this would not be my first choice for soft plastic.  I have the 7' M fast Legend Elite and have no issues with hook sets.  

 

I tend to have better luck with x-fast rods for Texas Rigged soft plastic and jigs but it is not a rule for me.

[Looking for the big one]

On 7/23/2019 at 11:34 PM, FishTank said:

If memory serves me right, I believe that most of the rods in St. Croix's line up that are 6'8'' M Fast are designed with a softer tip for jerk baits.   IMHO, this would not be my first choice for soft plastic.  I have the 7' M fast Legend Elite and have no issues with hook sets.  

 

I tend to have better luck with x-fast rods for Texas Rigged soft plastic and jigs but it is not a rule for me.

^this- That model is probably designed as a jerk bait and topwater rod with a fast tip that may give way to less backbone deeper in the blank for treble hooked baits. I experienced similar issues trying to set the hook with a 6’10” M Shimano Curado Rod on Texas rigged plastics. Looked it up and that rod is designed for jerkbaits and topwaters which makes sense because it doesn’t have the backbone of a Jig or Worm rod. Now I found I could still use the rod for finesse jigs with light weedguards and lighter wire hooks, but I reel down and hit them hard with the hook set too. I think the extra length of the 7’1” M would be better suited for light Texas rigs, but you might want a MH if you’re going to be fishing heavier cover or with heavier hooks/weights.

 

edit: just checked St. Croix website and the 6’8” M is listed as a jerkbait rod while the 7’1” M is the plastics rod in the LTB series.