Massive Hooksets

[BigLeagueFishing]

I keep seeing bass fishermen acting like they're swinging a baseball bat during a hookset. How many of you guys actually do this? I'm honestly just curious as the vast majority of the time I just angle my rod up and reel in the slack, never had an issue losing fish this way. I only ever put muscle into it when I'm using 40+ pound braid with a frog/jig in heavy cover.

[WRB]

Hook sets are something each angler develop based on their experience. 

Most bass anglers using weedless soft plastics and heavy wire hooks want to drive the hook point passed the bard into the basses hard mouth tissue. When a bass shakes or jumps off you tend to over compensate the hook set.

Watching Brain Thrift hook set is the classic swing for the fences and it works for him.

Personally I promote the reel and rod sweep hook set based on success where I fish. The goal is the same “drive the hook point past the barb” to prevent the bass throwing the hook.

Tom

 

[Darth-Baiter]

I think it’s all good looking on videos.  
 

me?  I apply hooksets as necessary. My drop shot hook set is almost loving

[FryDog62]

24 minutes ago, WRB said:

Personally I promote the reel and rod sweep hook set based on success where I fish. The goal is the same “drive the hook point past the barb” to prevent the bass throwing the hook.

Tom

 

This is where I am too... with the exception of when I have a lot of fluorocarbon line out after a long cast (football jig, Carolina Rig, etc.) I giver h@ll then!  

[gim]

2 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I giver h@ll then!

Lol I try to give a muskie hell when I think its snapped on my lure too.  Sometimes even that doesn't work though, they have an iron jaw.

[WRB]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Lol I try to give a muskie hell when I think its snapped on my lure too.  Sometimes even that doesn't work though, they have an iron jaw.

And long sharp teeth to hold a lure from moving!

Tom

[RDB]

Like @WRB said, the big hook sets are typically when using single, heavy wire hooks.  Along with getting a good stick, it also can help gain a degree of control.  It helps whether it’s a bass on a line or a dog on a leash.  If I’m around any cover that poses a potential problem and can get away with heavier gear, I’m crossing their eyes.  
 

[flyfisher]

I am not a hard hookset guy but depending on the technique i will swing a little harder and nothing is better than a solid hookset and you don't feel the fish move.

 

On a fly rod i am a needle sharp hook and strip set with slight lift guy.

[TnRiver46]

I only swing hard with thick hooks like frogs and jigs. Most other times I’m using 6 lb line so that’s a no no 

[Aaron_H]

The trick is to take five steps back and swing for the fences while screaming "LET'S GOOO" at the top of your lungs. Perfect hookset every time.

[Zcoker]

Out in the Everglades one cannot fool around or go limp on the hookset. I've broken a few good rods on the hookset. Although I don't go bat-crazy, I tend to snap the rod good and hard to get them pinned. To keep them pinned is another story lol 

[A-Jay]

42 minutes ago, WRB said:

Hook sets are something each angler develop based on their experience. 

Most bass anglers using weedless soft plastics and heavy wire hooks want to drive the hook point passed the bard into the basses hard mouth tissue. When a bass shakes or jumps off you tend to over compensate the hook set.

Watching Brain Thrift hook set is the classic swing for the fences and it works for him.

Personally I promote the reel and rod sweep hook set based on success where I fish. The goal is the same “drive the hook point past the barb” to prevent the bass throwing the hook.

Tom

 

I'm in this lane as well. 

This wasn't always the case, even though I 'thought' it was.

But after watching myself 'set the hook' in a few of my own video's,

I realized I was pretty close to a "Hollywood Hookset".

Wasn't exactly the most effective or even consistent approach;

unless missing fish and busting gear was the objective. 

At the time, I was pretty good at doing both.

Not to mention coming close to flipping myself right out of my canoe a few times.

So my own video review has helped me see mistakes, correct them and pretty much streamline the whole process.  No wasted motion. 

 

Currently I suppose I have a few different versions of hooksets,

which are application specific, but do seem to crossover a little.

Treble hook baits with braid is just a quick snap set. (topwater & perhaps jerkbaits)

Drop shot falls into the above. 

Treble hook baits with FC is a reel and set deal with more set than reel. (most any type of crankbait)

Single hook baits with FC line is also reel & set deal,

but there's usually at least as much reeling as there is setting. 

(Vibrating jigs, spinnerbaits, most any bottom contact or A-Rig, swimbaits, swimjigs, etc).

The most pressure I ever place on my gear happens during the hookset, whatever is needed.

After that, I use the minimal amount of force necessary to compel compliance. 

YMMV

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

[T-Billy]

Open water, I come tight and sweep into 'em. Pitchin cover, I come tight and try to throw 'em over the boat. This actually costs me some small fish that come off as they're sailing through the air on a slack line. I don't sweat those. I hit 'em all like they're 5+, because sometimes they're 5+. Ya never know until you crack 'em. With big fish in cover, ya gotta drive that big hook home and get 'em coming your way in one motion.

[RDB]

1 hour ago, flyfisher said:

nothing is better than a solid hookset and you don't feel the fish move.

Makes me think of the 11+ fish Brandon Cobb caught off a bed in the Elites at Fork.  He stuck the fish and he was 2 biscuits away from getting pulled overboard.  After all these years I still get a rush every time I set and it feels like I hit a wall.

 

 

[gim]

42 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

With big fish in cover, ya gotta drive that big hook home and get 'em coming your way in one motion.

#straightbraidbrigade

[Fishing_Rod]

Good Day!

I have found a sweeping hookset assertively loads up the rod carefully without too much shock loading jeopardizing any part of the link. Through experience I found it helpful in successful catching regardless of equipment strength used. I'm typically using ultra lite gear but this also works equally well on stronger setups too.

 

Also I find the sweep motion smoothly builds line tension, where I can gauge and regulate the tension applied. I can adjust between a lower resistant load or heavier load (say a larger fish or one that happens to be broadside to me when I respond).

 

I also can sweep to hold that tension rather than bouncing the rod after a seriously intense slam.

 

I will share that goofing off casting about the yard for practice. I've compared hook penetration with the two types of hooksets through examining snagged plants. I get good enough hook depth using the sweep with less risk to rod, line, and knot. BTW hopefully my wife won't know why there are so many poke marks in the plants. Cheers!

[T-Billy]

22 minutes ago, gimruis said:

#straightbraidbrigade

Say it LOUD!!! Say it PROUD!!! ?

[geo g]

When fishing all plastics. I always set the hook the same way, and don’t actually think about it.  I’m in auto mode once I detect a bite.  I would consider it a strong set and never know what’s on the line until I’m actually fighting the fish.  I have on times sent a one pound bass sailing completely over the boat and on the other side.  He earns his flying wings that day.  On a double digit it can feel like you set the hook on a large rock.  You just never know! 

[BigLeagueFishing]

8 minutes ago, geo g said:

On a double digit it can feel like you set the hook on a large rock.  You just never know! 

I feel you man. Hooked into a five pounder with my ultralight rod the other day, thought I just got stuck on another branch. Tried to unsnag it  and it took off halfway across the pond.

[N Florida Mike]

I used to set the hook straight up very hard. I realized I have more fish come off with that approach, so as time has gone by I dropped to 3/4 , then to a sweep set. 
With a straight up set , you are pulling the fish into a jump, basically, which leads to more lost fish. 

You have much better control of the fish with a sweep set keeping them from jumping… I still set the hook hard but not like the old days.

Im talking about soft plastics primarily here. With moving baits like a spinnerbait, the rod just loads up and I just sweep set in the other direction, but not a hard set, if that makes any sense…

[Jar11591]

Like @T-Billy stated, sometimes when fishing heavy cover you really gotta stick em. To drive that heavy wire hook home, usually through a soft plastic bait or weed guard, but also to keep that fish’s head turned up so it can’t bury in the slop. 
 

With light wire hooks in light or no cover, and a quick sweep to the side is better. 
 

Different situations call for different hooksets. 

[Boomstick]

I fish a lot of single hooked baits, but I do tend to give more casual hooksets. It has became a habit to reel down, lower my rod and then give a hookset which usually gets the job done. This is pretty second nature for me. Occasionally, depending on my angle I may give a sweeping style hookset too, mainly because that's the best I can do given the situation, usually being my kayak turned.

 

I seem to lose fewer fish with a more casual hookset. When I used to give it the quickest hookset possible I found I was more likely to pull the bait out of their mouths where the short pause I give it now gets the job done.

[BigAngus752]

Ned rig = start reeling

 

Trebles = sweep and keep them pinned

 

Light wire hooks or wacky rigs = good snap and then back off but keep a bent tip and let them pull for awhile

 

T-rig with heavier hook, frog, toad, or any jig = slam it in reverse like a boss and yell "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!" 

 

 

[WRB]

It’s nearly impossible to get a good hook set using the rod alone when casting over 100’. You do the math but the fact is the lure does move far enough to load up the rod.

Your reel takes at least 2’ of line every full crank, 5 quick cranks = 10’ of line, your 7’6” rod moves 2’ max.

Tom

[RDB]

People typically don’t swing for the fences using the rod alone on 100’ casts.  It doesn’t have to be one or the other.  Most of those eye crossing hook sets you see with pro’s are using dragging style baits with 20-30’ of line out.  Most don’t jerk a hernia with a chatterbait, spinnerbait, buzzbait, etc.