Slack vs Tight line bites

[RDB]

19 hours ago, Catt said:

Feeling a worm/jig bite requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.

 

This^^^
Another way to think about it is controlled or semi-slack (slight bow).  On a bottom contact baits, I never set on a truly slack line and the only time I am truly tight is when moving the bait.  Unless the tip is already low, I always do a quick reel down to get a good swing.  If I am unsure of the bite, I may do a feel test but usually before I reel down because I don’t have to reestablish feel after reeling down.  Otherwise, if I’m pretty confident of the bite, I cross their eyes.

 

On a moving bait, the majority of time I want to feel some loading.  If the fish hits from behind, I will still speed up until I get some load.

[Fishing_Rod]

Hi Mike L. and all,

Yeah, interesting question on “Slack vs Tight line bites” posed to the forum. I use plastic baits often too. My fishing style typically uses four pound line with baits, 1/16 oz or less (many times weightless), worked low and slow. This pretty much makes it a minimum tension line angling technique, sort of slack. That small amount (or no weight) really doesn’t pin the bait at the distant end to create much tension at all. Most of the time unless I’m actively moving the bait there is only a bow in the line for me to work with.

 

Bite detection is a challenge. Using lite line along with lite fishing rod helps with this, a bit. I have to focus on the line movement or the rod tip for that subtle feedback as many times when the fish take the bait there is only a gentle indication.

 

When I do realize something needs to be done, my response is similar to that when fly fishing, just a measured rapid loading up and holding tension. Many have described that as what I understand to be a sweeping hook set.

 

A couple of observations over time with experience to share. How you get the tension built up is personal preference, by quickly reeling or simply sweeping to bowing the rod. I find it doesn’t matter as the desired result is a smooth acceleration increasing and ‘holding’ reasonable tension from the point you respond till time you are ready to unhook.

 

I have found this successful with my style of fishing using ten pound line or less. In the past when trying to shock load a hook set my results were not consistent or as successful. I admit there are those times where it is really gratifying to “rock the Casbah” hook set with an excited response.

 

I realized I created a bounce response affiliated to an aggressive hook set. When I snapped at a hook set I didn’t always manage to keep the tension on as well as I would prefer. Then there is the overwhelming risk of easily over loading with that type rapid dramatic intense hook set. The smooth sweep allows me time to respond appropriately as I can feel if the fish is actively contributing to loading or simply passive throughout the process. I can provide a measured response by feeling and see my fishing rig load on my end. Fewer break offs and more success, how good is that, aye? Be well, cheers.

[PressuredFishing]

On 1/5/2022 at 10:28 AM, Mike L said:

What do you prefer, or does it matter?

 

We’ve all had them…

You’re bottom fishing a plastic, you see or feel the line get tight or move off and instinct takes over.. You hit ‘em hard hoping you didn’t swing and miss or not get penetration. 
 

Then you have the hit where you don’t hardly feel anything especially on a moving bait. 
You’re reeling a crank, spinner or chatter bait feeling the vibration and watching the rod tip vibrate all the way through the cast.
All of sudden everything stops, you don’t feel the thumping or see the tip vibrating anymore then you set. 
 

Personally I’d rather set on a slack line as I’ll “weigh” it first which helps me get a better hook set regardless if it’s a single or treble hook set up. 
 

How about you?

 

 

Mike
 

 

Don't really worry about it because if treble hooks on mono I don't need to do anything the fish just hooks themselves, for trigs/jigs mono+composite rods delays the bite detection and hook set a bit and has helped build a very good hookup ratio. I hear about guys setting the hook too fast with braid/floro and graphite fast action rods, with mono and a medium heavy moderate/fast action composite rod just sticks em and pegs em. Sure I may miss those "subtle" bites from time to time, but I loose alot less fish once the hook is in compared to other people. I'd say I have a 90% hookup rate using this setup, and half the ones I miss are usually smaller bass. The only con to this is with heavy wire jigs, swimjigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits, the combo just can't drive the heavier gage wires into their mouth