I'm losing a lot of fish...any tips?

[Flushdraw]

OP, I started out the same way as you...using swimbaits. It may be user error but either way I'd trash those hooks. The Owner Flashing Swimmer has fantastic hooks and is built to last. I use the 1//8 oz in a 1/0 hook. These are fairly easy to find locally around here. Good luck.

[Columbia Craw]

Dump the split ring. Move to Owners.

[F14A-B]

11 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

OP, I started out the same way as you...using swimbaits. It may be user error but either way I'd trash those hooks. The Owner Flashing Swimmer has fantastic hooks and is built to last. I use the 1//8 oz in a 1/0 hook. These are fairly easy to find locally around here. Good luck.

I agree, imo owner makes the absolute best hooks on the market. 

11 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

Dump the split ring. Move to Owners.

Yes. Owner for the win. 

[Ohnooze]

3 hours ago, F14A-B said:

I agree, imo owner makes the absolute best hooks on the market. 

Yes. Owner for the win. 

I ordered some owners.  Both with the flashing and without.

[F14A-B]

26 minutes ago, Ohnooze said:

I ordered some owners.  Both with the flashing and without.

Great decision. If you’re not to busy in the future get back to us on your success, even if you are still having difficulties.. plenty of good folks here wanna see others succeed. 

[Swamp Girl]

I used only Owners for months, but they just couldn't survive the beatings of casting them into wild rice and reeds and wrenching out four and five-pounders. So, as I wrote earlier, I went with VMC. I know it looks the same, but it'll catch a hundred bass before losing the spinner:

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/VMC_Heavy_Duty_Weighted_Willow_Swimbait_Hook_2pk/descpage-VMCHDW.html?from=gshop&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9Km3BhDjARIsAGUb4nzUVFdOWv5G12c8Sd1i96hLG66OJOYmTYrcuS5If9Mf_lqdEgsGBkwaAlbZEALw_wcB

 

With just about every other topic, I think the BR members know a lot more than me, but when it comes to underspins, I've fished them through thickets and caught hundreds and hundreds of bass with them just this year and last year too. So, again I urge you to wait a sec before setting the hook.I don't have bass swallow the bait when I wait, but I sure land a higher percentage. 

[HawkeyeSmallie]

Underspins are on my buy list, are you guys throwing them on spinning or baitcasters?

[Ohnooze]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

I used only Owners for months, but they just couldn't survive the beatings of casting them into wild rice and reeds and wrenching out four and five-pounders. So, as I wrote earlier, I went with VMC. I know it looks the same, but it'll catch a hundred bass before losing the spinner:

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/VMC_Heavy_Duty_Weighted_Willow_Swimbait_Hook_2pk/descpage-VMCHDW.html?from=gshop&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9Km3BhDjARIsAGUb4nzUVFdOWv5G12c8Sd1i96hLG66OJOYmTYrcuS5If9Mf_lqdEgsGBkwaAlbZEALw_wcB

 

With just about every other topic, I think the BR members know a lot more than me, but when it comes to underspins, I've fished them through thickets and caught hundreds and hundreds of bass with them just this year and last year too. So, again I urge you to wait a sec before setting the hook.I don't have bass swallow the bait when I wait, but I sure land a higher percentage. 

I fished for a couple hours yesterday and planned on trying that hook set but the only bite I got just took the tail of my bait.

[papajoe222]

I don't recall seeing this mentioned.

Try cutting a slit in the belly of the bait from just behind where the hook goes in there to just in front of the belly weight.  That will allow the bait to collapse more and less plastic for the hook to penetrate, exposing more of the hook. I do this with all my hollow body swimbaits and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't help here.

[Swamp Girl]

7 hours ago, Ohnooze said:

I fished for a couple hours yesterday and planned on trying that hook set but the only bite I got just took the tail of my bait.

 

Yeah, that happens and there's nothing you can do about it when it does. Thanks for being open to a delayed hooksetting. 

[33oldtimer]

Been there, done that. Will never use those combination hook/weights again. Not enough hook gap. I lost well over a half dozen fish using that junk. Just T-Rig the correct size hook with a small pegged bullet weight.

[dave]

A wise, old fisherman friend (78 years old and going strong who once owned a tackle shop) told me the best advice for catching more fish.  I read through this thread and I hope I didn't miss it.  The advice?  MAKE SURE YOUR HOOK IS SHARP!  New, does not mean sharp.

[Ohnooze]

2 hours ago, 33oldtimer said:

Been there, done that. Will never use those combination hook/weights again. Not enough hook gap. I lost well over a half dozen fish using that junk. Just T-Rig the correct size hook with a small pegged bullet weight.

I been using them a long time but this is a newer problem.  Of course the hooks are a new brand though....

[Pat Brown]

I'm fairly certain the ONLY retrieve that gets me consistently bit and catches bass on flashy swimmers is letting the bait fall to the bottom and then pointing my rod tip at the bait and quickly turning my reel 1/4-1/2 turns and then immediately stopping (almost like chopping a glide bait but with longer pauses and more erratic).  I find that a steady retrieve or keeping the bait high in the water column are way way less productive.

[Flushdraw]

On 9/18/2024 at 8:03 PM, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Underspins are on my buy list, are you guys throwing them on spinning or baitcasters?

It doesn't matter.

 

Owner also sells the screw locks in packs. The 1/8oz 1/0 hook comes with the small screw lock.

Owner has the best screws on the market by far, imo. Anyways...I replaced mine with the next size up.

Makes a difference long term if you throw a lot of swimbaits. Not needed, but if you fall in love with them a worthy upgrade.

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings All,

Just $0.02 additional tossed in for consideration. I will typically approach the situation in a similar way whether using ultra lite gear or heavier gear in that I'm doing what I can to maintain a certain minimum of line tension throughout the whole encounter. From the time I detect the fish activity at the other end till I've got my hand on it, I'll do what I need to so the line tension doesn't drop. That can involve adjusting up my reeling speed, and or adjusting the rod to keep that modest bend. All that is done to simply keep a modest line tension on. Because I'm frequently using UL gear I'm not always certain of significant hook penetration so I'm simply counting on keeping tension to keep the hook pinned and the fish moving towards me.

 

I also have to mention my approach when "adjusting the rod". When I adjust the rod, my goal is to simply maintain the modest line tension. I'm not seeking any dramatic line angle change. I minimize any line angle change, that way the hook tip moves as little as possible, again the goal is simply to hold that line tension as I work the fish towards me. This keeps the energy concentrated on connection point and not contributing to a slip in a different direction.

 

Others have mentioned and I have observed, the amount of resistance a fish presents is based on how much input you provide during the hookset and also during the retrieve. Having hammered a few hooksets and seen the fish response versus pinning them (example: sweeping with reel set) and gradually working them in does create a different response situation.

 

You can to determine what is appropriate and use the approach that is suitable for you and the situation you are in. Considerations such as gear you are using, snag hazards in the area and such. It has been gratifying to do the fish catching research to try these different approaches and build an understanding. This past weekend I went fishing using a heavier rig with 10 pound mono with similar success to that of my typical 4 pound mono UL gear. I managed to keep things connected maintaining line tension even with a few jumps. It was a very different feel due to the different rod action and larger reel that I am accustom to. Adjusting for the rod flex difference and line retrieve rate was good to try for mixing things up. I got a good workout using the heavier rig for most of the day.

I hope this helps in some way. Be well and Cheers!