I have deprioritized hook setting. How about you?

[Swamp Girl]

It used to be that I'd focus on hook setting and even set the hook more than once. Now I keep fish pinned by using braid, upgrading hooks, and maintaining tension. Surprisingly, I lose far fewer bass. I especially don't lose the bigger ones because, I'm thinking, they pull harder, so the hook penetrates deeper. The YouTuber and competitive angler, Kristine Fischer, really lays into bass, but I don't...anymore...and it works for me. This is likely why I'm a lousy frog fisher.

 

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the wimpiest, how hard do you set the hook? I'm a 2.5.

[gim]

Depends on the presentation. I fish from a bass boat so I have a much more stable platform than a kayak or a canoe, and I’m standing up. I let the rod do most of the work. I am mostly using a bait caster too recently, and hooksets are better with those than with spinning.

 

My last few outings the bass have not been hammering my lures because the water has been colder. I would sometimes feel like I was hung up on a weed, and it turned out to be a fish. Even minimal resistance would sometimes be a bass. Hooksets are free, why take a chance.
 

When a pike would hit, it was jarring and very obvious compared to bass in cold water. They try to destroy lures.

[Crow Horse]

Trying to gauge hooksets is pretty subjective, but I would have to guess, maybe a 3. I'm using MegaBass 110's, 110 Jr.'s, and Flap Slaps which use a light gauge wire on the hooks. Trying to turn them inside out won't work. I crush the barbs on all hooks, so I have lost some fish but that's the way it goes sometimes.

[WRB]

Learned a long time ago the rod cross their eyes hook set applies very little force to the hook.

I described the reel set with rod sweep in a 1986 In-Fisherman article A Rare Chance for a World Record Bass, lake Isabella CA.

The Reel set is lower the rod tip pointing at the lure while reeling fast to get the line tight and hook point started the a firm rod sweep to complete the hook set.

I demonstrated this hook set in 1974 during a presentation on my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar. I had a good angler do his cross the eyes hook set across the room while holding my jig between thumb and index finger, the jig didn’t move. I used a piece of 2 x 4 and had the angler hold it with my jig hook point slightly sticking in the wood. I did me reel set and rod swing yanking the 2 x 4 nearly out of his grip and hook penetrated past the barb.

This is I manage to hook giant bass after casting over 120’ using 10 or 12 lb mono line.

Tom

[AlabamaSpothunter]

It's bait by bait I've found.

 

For moving baits with exposed hooks, I almost never set the hook per say.

 

For bottom contact baits like a Free Rig, the hookset is absolutely paramount to success.    

 

I can't imagine it being anything but extremely difficult to catch fish on baits like a Free Rig, Texas Rig, Jig, Carolina Rig, etc.  without a proper hookset.  

On the hand I can't imagine having much success setting the hook on jerkbait or crankbait fish with a proper hookset.   

 

*Proper hookset to me is laying the hammer down, very powerful and fast.  

[PaulVE64]

My hookset probably depends on the hook and line I use. I'm always braid to mono but light wire or heavy?

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

I was just thinking about this topic being that I’m switching from kayak to boat fishing. In a kayak I set the hook full power for everything except treble hooked baits because you pull yourself toward the fish a good amount. In a boat  that hookset ends up being way overkill.

[papajoe222]

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

The YouTuber and competitive angler, Kristine Fischer, really lays into bass, but I don't...anymore...and it works for me. This is likely why I'm a lousy frog fisher.

Jeez. How hard do you need to set the hook on a frog? Better yet, why are you posting about fishing for frogs (it's called frogging BTW), this is a bass fishing forum. OH YEA, I'd say something about your hair color, but it isn't necessary.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

   In my hayday, we used 5.5ft. broomstick rods and mono for fishing plastic worms. I would remove all slack while pointing my rod tip at the water, swing as hard and fast as could upward and end up with the rod tip somewhere between 11:00 and 12:30.  With the newer rods and line, I never get it past 2:00, but I still try.

[WRB]

Set the drag at 1/3rd the mono/FC strength or not over the rods lifting power* and use the same reel hook set for everything. Just adjust the rod sweep force for single hooks.

Vertical hook sets use the rod line is already tight.

* ML = 2lbs, M = 3 lbs, MH= 4 lbs, H= 5 lbs.

[T-Billy]

Any bait with an exposed hook, I just use a firm sweep set. When pitching cover, on a scale of 1-10, my hookset is about a 13. 😉

[Swamp Girl]

I think a sweep describes what I do. I do bring the rod back, but not with maximum force.

 

I thought this thread might release comments like this, "You don't set the hook with extreme prejudice? You idiot!"

 

Instead, I'm learning that I'm not alone, that you don't have to cross their eyes.

[Pat Brown]

I don't think it's really necessary to lay the hammer on a fish with a frog.  Most people don't reel enough slack out of their lines regardless of the bait that they're using, and that's really the key with any bait while setting the hook.

 

Frog hooks these days are razor sharp and braid allows us to be plenty fast and rods are plenty powerful.  I think if anything more people Miss fish on frogs doing exactly what you're talking about.  Hammering.

 

You DO usually have to modify even the best frogs on the market for better hook up ratios with some pliers and a little elbow grease.

 

I try to think back to 1976 when Alfred Williams started winning tournaments on a frog with a 6" pistol grip with big game.

 

I can't count the number of times where a fish sets the hook on itself because I wasn't paying attention to the bite and I think what really matters is a fish taking the bait properly which usually goes back to presentation in the end.

 

Deprioritize?  Nah.  In terms of the practical mechanics of bass fishing that truly matter - it's paramount.

 

You gotta learn one way or another how to set the hook in a way that works and that takes a lot of practice.

 

I think hookset and golf swing are in the same category.  If we don't get good setting the hook with each bait category - it's gonna cost us some day.

 

I think treble hooks are a category where not setting the hook at all is ideal.  Really any exposed hook moving bait will be better the less we snap the rod.

[Mike L]

2 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Any bait with an exposed hook, I just use a firm sweep set. When pitching cover, on a scale of 1-10, my hookset is about a 13. 😉

Ditto

 

But a 9.5, I’m a litter older

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[RRocket]

I fish finesse with light line/tackle exclusively, so vicious hooksets aren't a thing for practical reasons.

 

Nor is it necessary.

 

I've noticed that with my gear, the fish don't seem to notice these wispy, thin tips on my rods: Fast (F) and Extra Fast (FF). And therefore they themselves load the rod tip enough so it takes practically nothing to set the hook...little more than a flick.

 

Of course there's other factors that help (fine wire hooks, etc) but the extreme sensitivity of the rods and this fish seemingly unable to feel the immediate resistance have made hooksets a breeze.

 

 

[Choporoz]

I don't have a clue where the hook point is going to contact.  If it is the thin area just inside the lips, it doesn't matter much.  If it is in the roof or a bit back on the bottom of the mouth, even a light wire needs a bit of force.  A hookset that doesn't to the get the barb means more lost fish.  I have prioritized hook setting.

[Catt]

Every bass is different 

Every bite is different 

Every hookset is the same

 

In my opinion more fish are missed due to poor strike detection. Speed is key, how soon the strike is felt vs how soon till you sethook.

 

My hooksets are slightly less than Hackney but I still rock the boat.

[A-Jay]

My 'hooksets' are tackle dependent.

Each type of tackle, (rod, line, terminal tackle & hook),

will transfer my 'power' in it's own way.

So my hooksets are all the same, mostly.

But the amount of force applied changes.

No matter how 'hard' I set the hook, with medium light spinning gear,

I can never duplicate what happens at the end of Heavy casting gear.

So rather than trying to guess what I need each time,

I do the same thing and let the gear do what it's designed to do.

If I get choose the right gear, I'm usually OK.

 YMMV

A-Jay

 

 

[Scott F]

One of the reasons I use braid is because of how little effort is needed to get a good hook set compared to mono lines. 

[Susky River Rat]

I set the hook as hard as I can. Into fish, limbs, rocks, weeds, trash, brush. Whatever feels different to me I swing for the fences. From ned rigs and drop shots to T rigged in slop. 

[Bankbeater]

It depends on the bait and where I am fishing.  If I'm in open water fishing with a crankbait, then maybe a 3 because the trebles will do a lot of the work.  If I'm in heavy cover fishing a Texas rig, then I'd say a 6 because not only do I want to get the hook into the fish, but I want to turn that bass away from any cover it may be trying to get into.

[F14A-B]

Hmm, well it’s a different kind of question to try to answer, it’s been answered somewhat differently by most everyone. I’m agreeing w WRB on the flip portion, mostly. Many times have I swung a T-rig plastic worm into Hydrilla to get hammered where the only thing to do is lift.. but it doesn’t always work that way. A longer pitch into hydrilla w a pick up may required a hard hookset. Line gets weird on longer pitches in the hydrilla and pads. Better have the rod and line to win….I agree also w A-Jay as far as the spinning presentation part, others alluded to this but when using, light, ml or mh spinning, light line and very fine wire hooks there is no need to swing like the “Babe” on these set ups. 
 

Can’t assess a number to my swing cause I just can’t lol. 
 

Kinda reminds me of going to the Dr. and being asked on a level of 1 to 10 what is your pain level? 🤣😂🤣

[Catt]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

I do the same thing and let the gear do what it's designed to do

 

 

[bowhunter63]

Older a little slower on soft plastics like a Rage Bug a 4 or so. On Flukes or Slug Go reel and lean into em . Moving baits more of a reaction I guess . But still a mono guy 

[geo g]

I have been doing this for so long I don’t think about it at all.  From the moment I feel the first tick, or see the line jump, I take up all slack, and as soon as I feel some weight, I set the hook.  Depending on the boat position in relation to that the bite, I wil either side swipe or up set up hard.  Because of our thick weeds in Florida especially the Everglades shallow flats it s important to get their head up quickly and headed for the surface.  I set the drag tight to accomplish this.  I use high speed baitcasters 90% of the time to pic up line before the hook set.  Playing with a big fish in shallow heavy cover is a road to failure.  

 

All of this is done automatically without any conscious thought process.  After 50 years of bass fishing I still have much to learn, but the hook set is not part of it.  I seldom lose a big fish unless their is a terminal tackle failure.  Check your line often, and re-tie  if you see or feel any nicks.  Next one could be a new personal best!

[Swamp Girl]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

YMMV

A-Jay

 

Oh, it does. Whatever the lure, I'm casting it with basically the same outfit: MH spinning rod with a Shimano spinning reel. Take that, Bait Monkey!