Fishing plastics, why the long pause

[dtag31]

When watching videos online of people dragging baits, mainly texas rigged plastics and jigs, there is often an extremely long pause from the time they detect the bite to the time they set the hook. By long, I mean anywhere from 3-6 seconds. I imagine we've all seen the video that plays out like this, "Uh... he's got it (sits still for 2 seconds), okay okay here we go (barely wiggling rod tip for another 2 seconds ), reel down and hookset"

 

If I feel a bump or what I detect as a bite, I take the time to calmly reel down and set the hook, but this can't be longer than 1 second. I am trying to understand why such a long time from detection to hook set. What are they feeling for in that period of time, is there no concern about the bass spitting the bait? This is my second year taking bass fishing serious, and I am starting to detect bites and catch fish that I realized I missed last year. So this has me thinking, what am I not doing/feeling for that these pros are?

 

Thanks

[JFlynn97]

I tend to wait and feel for a second tug or to see if my line moves before setting the hook to make sure they really have it in their mouth. That pause lets me feel the fish out - if I feel one tap the fish could have picked it up and dropped it real quick, in which case I want to be able to impart more action to the bait and try to get them to bite again. If i set the hook after that initial tap but the bait is already out of the fishes mouth then I've lost a fish and likely spooked it from biting again.

[Todd2]

It's a good question. I've noticed that too sometimes. I had an old buddy that would talk about it forever before swinging. When I feel the bite, tic, line jump..I drop the rod and reel the slack and as the line starts coming up off the water and I start feeling the slightest tension I swing. If it's a long cast, same thing except I reel into the fish a little more before swinging to help with stretch.

[scaleface]

I know what you mean . I was watching a scott Martin video and he took a long time to set the hook . I waste no time .

[Mobasser]

Years ago, many fishing books taught to wait several seconds after you feel.a strike. Now, most guys don wait too long. Feel the fish, take up slack line, and set the hook, seems to be the better way.

[Log Catcher]

I usually try to set the hook in 2 to 3 seconds after the bite. Some times depending on the mood the fish are in I have to wait several more seconds to make sure they have it. If I am fishing an Ol Monster worm I wait several seconds anyway. I have missed too many fish hitting them too soon on the big baits.

[KYRANGERMAN]

I'm pretty much like Log Catcher in that it is probably 2 to 3 seconds after feeling the hit that I set the hook.  That's a general rule for me.  Sometimes you have to wait longer based on what the fish are doing with it.  I think a lot of the missed fish are when they hit the tail of the worm and we feel that and set the hook.  Would they have stopped and engulfed the entire worm, who knows.  I think my hook up rate is pretty good so I plan to stay with the 2 to 3 second rule, which is basically long enough for me to reel up the slack while lowering my rod tip.

[Dens228]

If I feel a fish take it, or THINK I feel a fish take it I set the hook, I'm a firm believer that often times the second thump you feel is the fish spitting it out.  If I set the hook and miss, I still work it and often times the bass comes and takes it again. 

[jimmyjoe]

1 minute ago, KYRANGERMAN said:

  I think a lot of the missed fish are when they hit the tail of the worm and we feel that and set the hook

 

   Exactly. I wait until I see a second movement (usually 2-3 seconds) and then WHAMMO!  The way I look at it is this: if you have a steady-retrieve lure, like a swim jig or crankbait, the bass hit the front end. Set the hook right away.

   But creatures, senkos and worms aren't (usually) retrieved that way. You let them drop. If there's any discontinuity to the bottom, any at all, the tail is the part that the bass tends to see first and grab first. Does he have the hook yet? No, he probably doesn't. Wait a second or two for the bass to take the WHOLE worm or bait, and then yes, he DOES have the hook.

   That's when you hit'em hard!     jj

[Dirtyeggroll]

Usually if I am dragging bottom, I am dragging over things that feel similar (not exactly the same, but similar) to a bite. Thus, sometimes I pause after an unusual bump to be sure its a fish. Additionally, many times a fish will inhale and immediately spit a bait. You can't set the hook fast enough to beat them on this, but they will often times also pick it up again and when the do... WHAM!

[Catt]

Three Tap Theory as explained to me by Shaw Grigsby 

 

The first tap the bass has inhaled your lure

 

The second tap the bass has expelled your lure

 

The third tap is me tapping you on the shoulder asking way you didn't set hook!

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, dtag31 said:

When watching videos online of people dragging baits, mainly texas rigged plastics and jigs, there is often an extremely long pause from the time they detect the bite to the time they set the hook. By long, I mean anywhere from 3-6 seconds. I imagine we've all seen the video that plays out like this, "Uh... he's got it (sits still for 2 seconds), okay okay here we go (barely wiggling rod tip for another 2 seconds ), reel down and hookset"

 

If I feel a bump or what I detect as a bite, I take the time to calmly reel down and set the hook, but this can't be longer than 1 second. I am trying to understand why such a long time from detection to hook set. What are they feeling for in that period of time, is there no concern about the bass spitting the bait? This is my second year taking bass fishing serious, and I am starting to detect bites and catch fish that I realized I missed last year. So this has me thinking, what am I not doing/feeling for that these pros are?

 

Thanks

 In a moderate to heavy cover deal, which is where Texas rigged plastics do some of their best work, there can be occasions where having a bass take a bait can 'feel' similar to having the bait getting slightly hung up in the cover.

Especially if there's not that discernible Tap-Tap.  May mean a really big fish just inhaled the bait. 

So some bassheads, like to pause & feel for something more than just 'pressure'.

Sort of a 'proof of life' type of thing. 

I have a couple of thoughts on it.

 

1. After teaching & watching others fish- very closely, it does surprise me just how long a bass will hold onto a bait sometimes.  The times where I can see that there's a bass on there persons line, but they don't know it . . .yet.

The bass may be just sitting there or could even be swimming off with it. 

Once they finally detect the take, sometimes it's too late, but most times it's not; fish may have swallowed the rig by then however.

 

2.  Don't wait - Sink the Steel at the earliest opportunity. 

Hooksets Are Free. 

 

 

A-Jay

 

 

[BigAngus752]

I have two different responses to this:

 

1. If my line is moving and there is no current then the fish has the lure and it’s an immediate hookset. 
 

2. Any other time I’m on the “pause and be sure” bandwagon. I missed a LOT of fish by pulling the tail of the plastic out of their mouths until I slowed down a beat or two. And sometimes, rarely but sometimes, even when my line is moving they may still not have it fully in their mouth. 
 

I’ve more than doubled my T-rig and wacky rig catches by pausing on the swing. 

[scaleface]

If I'm in heavy brush and feel a tap, at times I will  weigh the line momentarily  too see if there is something on there but not play tug of war . Setting hooks in brush are not free with  a two dollar tungsten weight , 1 dollar hook and fifty cent worm . Plus scaring the fish in the brush with  a phantom hookset  . They will usually hit again if not spooked . Thats one of the nice things about worms . 

[Dens228]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

 In a moderate to heavy cover deal, which is where Texas rigged plastics do some of their best work, there can be occasions where having a bass take a bait can 'feel' similar to having the bait getting slightly hung up in the cover.

 

And this is where I learned that a better, more sensitive, rod can make a world of difference in having a better idea of what you're feeling. 

 

[the reel ess]

IDK, because when you feel the strike and the fish swims away, it probably isn't going directly away from you. So the fish is probably putting a bend in the line that you have to overcome to get a hookset. I'll usually just lower my rod and try to get the slack out, then set it. But on a C-rig, you yank the line through the sinker. So there's some weight for you to set the hook against. 

 

When I think I have a strike on a jig, I set it right away. But sometimes I only detect that strike when the fish is swimming away or I move the jig and the fish yanks back.

[WRB]

Back in the 60's-70's we were taught to let the bass swim off with the plastic worm before setting the hook and it worked....until it didn't.

Worms are worms and bass are bass, however they are not all the same.

Since bass don't have hands the only way they can check out any lure is commit to striking it. Smallmouth bass striking a worm is different from a Largemouth bass engulfing a worm. Small LMB trying to engulf a big worm is different from a adult size bass easily engulfing a big worm. 

Very active bass committed to eating a worm is different from a less aggressive bass checking out the worm by biting and rejecting it.

How do you know what is going on under water? You don't so error on the side of hook setting the moment you detect a strike. You get a bunched up worm on the hook and missed the bass wait a second next time. Timing the hook set can defer every hour.

Tom

 

[Black Hawk Basser]

I set as soon as I 'think' I feel something, which may be between 1 and 6 seconds. ?

[garroyo130]

3 hours ago, dtag31 said:

When watching videos online of people dragging baits, mainly texas rigged plastics and jigs, there is often an extremely long pause from the time they detect the bite to the time they set the hook. By long, I mean anywhere from 3-6 seconds. I imagine we've all seen the video that plays out like this, "Uh... he's got it (sits still for 2 seconds), okay okay here we go (barely wiggling rod tip for another 2 seconds ), reel down and hookset"

Theyre probably just making sure they have enough footage to hit the 10 min mark on YouTube so that they can make that money. Seriously though a lot of those videos are edited and you're not seeing one continuous sequence from cast to catch.

[Armtx77]

Feel..drop...reel...set the hook.

 

With moving baits, just set the hook.

[BrianMDTX]

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 In a moderate to heavy cover deal, which is where Texas rigged plastics do some of their best work, there can be occasions where having a bass take a bait can 'feel' similar to having the bait getting slightly hung up in the cover.

Especially if there's not that discernible Tap-Tap.  May mean a really big fish just inhaled the bait. 

So some bassheads, like to pause & feel for something more than just 'pressure'.

Sort of a 'proof of life' type of thing. 

I have a couple of thoughts on it.

 

1. After teaching & watching others fish- very closely, it does surprise me just how long a bass will hold onto a bait sometimes.  The times where I can see that there's a bass on there persons line, but they don't know it . . .yet.

The bass may be just sitting there or could even be swimming off with it. 

Once they finally detect the take, sometimes it's too late, but most times it's not; fish may have swallowed the rig by then however.

 

2.  Don't wait - Sink the Steel at the earliest opportunity. 

Hooksets Are Free. 

 

 

A-Jay

 

 

Just my take. After fishing for a while and gaining experience , you pretty much can discern the “tap-tap” of a strike vs the feel of a T rig hanging up on structure. If I feel what I believe is a strike, I set the hook. Like you said, hooksets are free. 

 

When I was inexperienced I thought every hang-up was a strike lol. But I think after you’ve reeled in several fish on a TR, you can tell the difference between a strike and a hang-up the vast majority of the time. Maybe not 100%, but most of the time. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

Hooksets Are Free. 

 

Until you set it into a rock/log then have to go blow up your spot to get unsnagged.

 

Until you swing on a fish after they spit it out and spook them.

 

Until you swing on the edge of a rock and break off your rig including, plastic, hook and tung$ten.

 

It’s more of a “one in hand is worth two in the bush” statement, and it’s probably better to set the hook on something that might be a bite now versus a bite that might happen in the future. But I will oppose that “hooksets are free” and that with skill an angler can make the most use of the cost.

[MassYak85]

I don't intentionally pause but if I think I felt a bite I reel down until I feel weight then swing on them. It's all in a pretty fluid sequence, maybe 2 seconds max. 

[RoLo]

 

Like every other phase of bass fishing, there's really no fixed answer regarding ideal hook-set timing.

It takes me about one full-second to prepare for a hook-set.

On other hand, my wife has a more calculated hook-set reaction than me.

When she gets a strike, she'll usually say something like: "Someone's knocking" or "There she is".

Still, I'll usually have enough time to turn my head and watch her set the hook.

Some days my wife has a higher hook-up ratio than me, and other days I'll have a higher percentage.

There are many variables at work though, like the fish's angle of attack, the fish's temperament ~ ~

 

Roger

[Catt]

What opened my eyes was back in the 70s at a fishing seminar that featured the Hawg Trough (huge aquarium on wheels).

I was standing right up against the glass eyeing a 4# bass when the Pro flipped a worm in front of the bass & it flared it gills sucking the worm in & spit out before I knew what happened.

 

After what happened sunk in my pea brain I thought...dude ya better set hook faster & don't wait on nothing!