Hooksetting question

[Swamp Girl]

@Kites R4 Skyfishing's thread about setting the hook reminded me to pose the coming question:

 

I fish with soft plastic paddletails with shaft-weighted hooks a lot. Until recently, I'd keep reeling slowly when I got a hit and set the hook when the line moved sideways or the rod loaded. Recently, when I get a hit, I stop reeling and let the bass take it before setting the hook. I catch bass with both methods, but don't know which is right. Which approach do you use and why?

[1984isNOW]

re-watch the videos from my thread, I'll try to post some more just so we can all have the same frame of reference because my point in that thread is to address your question 

2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 ...which is right...

 

There are tons of videos of bass strikes where waiting to set the hook is the right thing to do. There are tons of videos showing that if you wait half a second you just blew your chance at a 10 pounder who sucked the whole lure, hook or hooks and all, into their mouth and then spit without any sticky sharps getting sticky stuck. 

 

There is no "right" way, and I'm going to address a comment in that thread whom I think has a decent philosophy on their approach to which way to go and when to set quick and when to wait. 

 

Also depends on your equipment, you using a fast rod with high speed reel? give'm a sec to take the lure in. Using a moderate fast rod and medium spd reel? Set the hook. But really again, there appears to be no right or wrong way, even for any given lure seeing how those 6 hooks were engulfed and spit so quick without hooking anything. That one BLEW my mind. 

 

In my mind at present I think what I will do from now on is try to be mindful of the size of my lure, longer lures with plastic away from the hook I think I'll give'm a second, but only a second. shorter baits I will set sooner before they blow it back out, but also try to tighten up the presentation with shorter plastics.  

 

I also plan to watch as many underwater strikes as possible for each lure to see how it is often attacked by bass, and adjust according to that as well.

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

@Kites R4 Skyfishing's thread about setting the hook reminded me to pose the coming question:

 

I fish with soft plastic paddletails with shaft-weighted hooks a lot. Until recently, I'd keep reeling slowly when I got a hit and set the hook when the line moved sideways or the rod loaded. Recently, when I get a hit, I stop reeling and let the bass take it before setting the hook. I catch bass with both methods, but don't know which is right. Which approach do you use and why?

 

With paddletails and swim jigs, I have the same philosophy.  I'm fishing for aggressive and feeding fish.  If he's hit it, its because he wants it so there is no need to wait.  Hooksets are free.  I'm also usually around grass or cover so I want the hook set and the fish turned to me right now.

[Jar11591]

Bass can inhale and reject a bait all in a fraction of a second. So when I feel a hit, I’m swinging on em. Even if it takes the bass two “bites” to fully take a bait, that happens in less than a second as well. No waiting besides the time it takes to lower the rod tip and reel in the slack. I don’t believe waiting after a bite does anything but lower your odds of hooking up, when it comes to bass specifically.

[Susky River Rat]

The second I feel anything abnormal I set the hook like I’m trying to hit it out of Fenway. I used to do a light hook set or reel down. I feel like I lost many more fish this way. This is not based in fact just opinion.

[BrianMDTX]

I reel in to set the hook on wacky rigs. Anything else I pick up the slack and set it with authority!

[Pat Brown]

I think there's a lot of nuance to hooksets and ultimately it's a combination of casting distance, the gear you're using, the bait itself, how the bass gets the bait and your own ability to react appropriately.

 

To me, it's just something that takes practice and you figure out what works and what doesn't.

 

When I swing for the fences on single hook baits, I usually blow their mouths out and miss em, but occasionally I'll stick a couple.

 

I lose less fish doing the Greg Hackney method but I typically have to make long casts to get any attention from sizable fish.

 

Sometimes on a really short pitch where they're swimming out of the cover and towards you, all you can do is reel down fast and pound em hard and hope for the best.

 

This is the sort of thing that is only learned with experience.

 

The good news is, if you're missing hooksets, you're getting bit!  Just keep trying different stuff til you find something that works consistently and be mindful of the tackle and gear you're using.

[WIGuide]

In my experience with boot tails, they're hitting it to kill it. When I feel them hit, I'm swinging for the fences. If for whatever reason they aren't eating like they should, I'll try giving them a split second before I crack them, and if that doesn't work something is just slightly off with the bait either color or size so then I start to experiment with that. In the end, whatever works for you is the right way. 

[Catt]

First time I saw the "Hawg Trough", ya know that big aquarium on a trailer at tackle shows. I was standing right up against the plexiglass when the Pro threw a Texas Rig & a 3# bass sucked it in & spit it out before my pea brain could comprehend what happened.

 

My first thought was, you're slow on your hook sets.

 

Since then I don't wait on nothing!

[MN Fisher]

Today's outing - Ned on the weedlines. I had a couple that went 'tap-tap-tap' and I set...missed. Let it sit, and they were back 'tap-tap-HAUL'...got them that time.

 

Even if you miss a hook-set the first time when finesse fishing...leave it...half the time either that one, or another one will come up to 'inspect' it.

[Pat Brown]

21 minutes ago, Catt said:

First time I saw the "Hawg Trough", ya know that big aquarium on a trailer at tackle shows. I was standing right up against the plexiglass when the Pro threw a Texas Rig & a 3# bass sucked it in & spit it out before my pea brain could comprehend what happened.

 

My first thought was, you're slow on your hook sets.

 

Since then I don't wait on nothing!

 

There are days when you better set hard and fast or you ain't getting nothing in the boat.  Just takes experience on your lake with your fish to know if it's one of those days.

 

In general I set the hook on most bites because I can usually tell they got it in their mouth good pretty easy by feel.

 

It's not necessarily a prolonged pause we're talking here it's just a 'stay aware of your bait and line for a millisecond or two while getting bit and when you feel a change reel down and get em.

 

Worth pointing out how long fish will often swim with a bait in their mouths simply because I think as anglers we get locked into the idea that every bass is instantly gonna spit our bait out when it's not a shad.  It's something to explore if you find you're pulling the bait away from fish a lot.

[Captain Phil]

Back when plastic worms first came out, we were taught to let the fish run before setting the hook.   This probably came from live bait fishing where some people believed bass turn a shiner before swallowing it.  This lead to many fish being killed when they swallowed the worm so far it could not be extracted without severely injuring the fish.  Eventually, anglers got into "feeling contests" with bass, which lead to the "he felt me" fish story.  Bass don't inspect worms like you would.  They don't have fingers.  A bass eats by flexing it's gills sucking in it's prey.  Yesterday I caught an 8 inch bass on a 7 inch worm. The hook sticking out one side of it's mouth was almost as big as it's mouth. They can do this because a bass can open it's mouth much farther than you think.  If I feel anything different, I set the hook immediately.  

 

Back then, hard hook sets were required because the hooks we had were terrible at best.  It got almost comical with numerous Harry and Charlie cartoons pointing fun at bass fishermen for their overly vigorous hook sets.  I tore the front bass seat out of the floor twice in one morning while setting the hook (actually happened).  Today's quality hooks are so sharp the weight of the fish itself will set the hook.  If your hooks don't do this, you need to buy better hooks.  I still set the hook with a quick upward jerk, but I haven't tore out my seat in a long time. ?

 

Back when I was tournament fishing, I often practiced with my hook points cut off.  Those bass would hold onto my bait right up to the side of the boat.  Bass are not in the business of expending energy to catch their food, just to let it go free because they suspect you are on the other end.  If you lose a fish that way, you are either clumsy or the fish was too small to swallow your bait.

[Swamp Girl]

Thanks, guys. The consensus is that I should do faster hook sets and I will.

[Reel]

I use the first method you suggested.

[Catt]

In a Denny Brauer video he was asked what a jig bite felt like. He answered, I don't know but I know what they don't feel like! He went on to explain if you watched him flip-n-pitch down a bank you would think he's crazy. I set hook on everything he went on to explain, grass, twigs, leaves, stumps, logs, & bass. 

 

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

If I feel anything different, I set the hook immediately.  

 

C'est Tout Fini!

[Team9nine]

6 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 I catch bass with both methods, but don't know which is right.

If they’re both working, then they’re both “right” ? Bass fishing is rarely a “only one correct answer” kind of game.

 

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Thanks, guys. The consensus is that I should do faster hook sets and I will.

 

…And I’m guessing you’ll start losing/missing more fish, but I do hope you report back in after testing the change out. Maybe all three hookset approaches will be “right,” but I have my suspicions. As a couple posters have already mentioned, you’d be surprised by how long a bass will hold anything with a piece of soft plastic in its mouth. Take a few seconds, get in a good position, then swing 

[Bankbeater]

Around here I get a lot of short strikes.  If it seems that the bass are going to be biting this way all day, then I might let them have the bait a few seconds before I set the hook. 

If it is an aggressive bite then I'll set the hook as soon as I feel anything, or see the line move funny.

[geo g]

With plastics always set like it’s a monster fish.  Figure it out later.  Some big fish don’t hit it hard, and some 2 lbers feel like monsters.

[Mike L]

The more fish you lose because you didn’t set the hook, the more you’ll learn when to set the hook. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[T-Billy]

8 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

@Kites R4 Skyfishing's thread about setting the hook reminded me to pose the coming question:

 

I fish with soft plastic paddletails with shaft-weighted hooks a lot. Until recently, I'd keep reeling slowly when I got a hit and set the hook when the line moved sideways or the rod loaded. Recently, when I get a hit, I stop reeling and let the bass take it before setting the hook. I catch bass with both methods, but don't know which is right. Which approach do you use and why?

In this situation, I keep reeling until the rod tip loads, then sweep into them. My hook and land percentage with paddletails is very high. They hit these things very aggressively and often from behind, knocking slack in the line. Letting them turn with it, and come tight, results in better hookups IMO. They tend to hold onto these soft baits well, and don't often hit-n-spit them. So... I think the way you were originally doing it is best.

[Swamp Girl]

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

hit-n-spit

 

^Love this!^

 

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I think the way you were originally doing it is best.

 

That's what I'll do then. 

[T-Billy]

2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

That's what I'll do then. 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. ? 

[crypt]

set it and forget it...........hooksets don't cost a dime. but if you don't set you'll never know what could have been.

[WRB]

Been off site for awhile, back now.

We tend to think all bass are the same, they are not. 

LMB are engulfers not biters meaning they engulf prey by opening the big mouth pumping water through the gills sucking in the prey instantly then close their month trapping the prey and kill it by crunching down. Blink and you miss the Strike.

Smallmouth are similar with smaller mouth and tend to bite some prey like crawdads before engulfing it. Different type of strikes.

Spotted bass are in between LMB and Smallmouth and strike to hold the prey before engulfing it similar to Smallmouth.

Depending on the lure vs bass size adjustments to hook sets may be needed. 

The old saying bass don’t have hands is true, but not all bass behave the same. 

The old saying hook sets are free, may not be free if setting into a tree limb for example.

When I am casting horizontal and retrieving a lure the reel and rod sweep hook set works good for me. In fact this hook set works good nearly all the time. Exceptions are when the lure is close to vertical or less then about 45 degree downward angle, then take up any slack and rod set works for me.

We all develop our own hook set technique that works for us.

Hope we get lots of chances!

Tom

[Bankc]

Keep doing it the way you're doing it until it doesn't work.  I miss hooksets all of the time because I'm either too fast or too slow or set it too hard or too soft.  Different days, different rods, different lures, different species, all require different hookset.  Same rod and lure can change from cast to cast sometimes.  Sometimes, I'll get a bite from a largemouth and lose him because I didn't set the hook quick enough.  And then the next cast, I'll get a bite from a spot and lose him because I set it too quickly.