Setting the Hook, Med. Light Rod?

[SammyLee]

I made a mistake and bought a ML 6' St. Croix to use with that Shimano Saros spinning reel. I should have gotten a heaver rod but because I thought I like the feel of the light stuff I am now pretty certain I made a mistake. And the reason I think so is that I can't seem to set the hook when I get bit. It's a great quality rod but too bendy.

This moring, I was pond fishing with a chigger craw with the hook just "skinned" when a bass grabbed it and took off. I thought I had set the hook and started to reel. After he ran about 20 feet he came off. When I looked at the chigger, the hook was still skinned. That fish never felt the point of a hook. I was running 6# Cajun red mono.

I am trying to get into the mindset of really SETTING THE HOOK; take up slack (reel) and set it to the moon. Yet it seems that the fast tip and ML rod just takes energy rather than transmitting it to the fishes jaw.

Any suggestions? Maybe run 12# line with little to no strech? What line would be good? Can I put 12# on a Saros?

Another related question about line. What is the real breaking strength of line? It sure seems to me that it takes more thatn 6 pounds of force to break that 6 pound test.

I stopped by Bass Pro and picked up Quantam combo right hander with a 6'6" MH rod and strung it up with 17# Cajun Red. I finally sorta got the hang of bait casting. Only two small rat's nests.

Ps Got my PB yesterday at Sardis Lake in Mississippi yesterday using a borrowed BC with MH rod and 17 pound test. She might have weighed an ounce over 3#. Hey, just getting started, ya know?

[RoLo]

I'm pretty sure that spooling up with "braided line" will solve any hook-set issue.

Roger

[SammyLee]

Thanks Roger.  What pound test and maybe what brand line?  I've never fished braided.  Are there any real tricks to it?

[RoLo]

Thanks Roger. What pound test and maybe what brand line? I've never fished braided. Are there any real tricks to it?

I like 30-lb braid because it's less prone to burrowing than 20-lb.

I fish spinning tackle only, and love everything about braided polyethylene.

Closing the bail by hand supposedly reduces wind-knots, but frankly I haven't experienced

any problems either way. Thirty-pound braid is only 0.011" in diameter (equivalent to 8lb nylon mono).

What Brand?

I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that question.

I've been touting the virtues of PowerPro on the forum, and though all the virtues of braid remain intact, PowerPro has let us down :-[

During our last few outings, both my wife and myself have lost several LUNKER bass due to inexplicable breakage.

Most of the breaks were midway between the rod-tip and lure. On the Internet I found two places where PowerPro themselves

admitted to having QA problems. As far as I'm concerned, one strike and your out. I'm now looking at TUFline and have Fireline Braid on order.

Roger

[SammyLee]

Thanks,  I just got back from Bass Pro and of course, they hooked me up.  Now, this afternoon in my tube float and jon boat, we'll see if I can hook up some bass.  Nice thing about the saros, with the extra spool, I just removed the 6# mono and wound on the FireLine.

[SirSnookalot]

I only use 10# PP for bass on medium rods. Wind knots are caused by a "loop" forming when jigging, popping a topwater or twitching a jerkbait. Constant reeling should not produce a wind knot and I can't remember the last time I had one.  A couple of my reels have had PP on for well over a year, faded and frayed it's as strong as the day I spooled it up.

In saltwater I get them from time to time, but mostly on a fresh spool, after a couple of weeks of "weathering" the number of knots are greatly reduced.

I'm a believer.

[Raul]

Uhhhhhh ..... I don 't think the rod is too noodly, like most of the times it 's easy to put the blame the gear for not working as we want it when most of the times the blame is behind the handle.

My shore beating setup is a Med-Light paired to a spinning reel and 6 lbs stretchy nylon mono test and I have no problem setting the hook.

The solution is:

1.- Forget about them crossing eyes hook sets, the rod will absorb most of the energy.

2.- Use razor sharp hooks or your hooks won 't penetrate the tissue.

3.- When fishing soft plastics skin hook the bait.

4.- To set the hook reel in the slack line and then lift the rod tip, let the fish impale itself on the razor sharp hook.

5.- Don 't use heavy wire hooks ( they need a lot more energy to penetrate ), better use light wire hooks.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

With softer rods, it's more of a "load and pull" as opposed to the "quick snap" with heavier rods.

[SammyLee]

Oh, I'm reel sure (ha, ha) the issue is somewhere behind the tackle on the shore side!  

So now, with the braided, I set the hook a lot differently, take slack, lift the rod tip to impale with a razor sharp hook.  I'll give it a try.

Next questions.  It seems that I need a leader and that begs a couple of questions in of itself.  What length and what line?  It seems that a too long leader would make casting more difficult but too short and the effect of a leader is lost.  So what do?

Thanks for the help, I'm gonna get there yet, wherever that is.

[fishingflorida]

Throw you on some 15LB braid and you will be fine.. Ive used that Cajun junk once when I was in need of some 10LB and didnt want to run to the store and my friend has some.. I spooled up my Pixy and when I used it I thought I spooled up with rubber bands... that stuff has GOBS of stretch pull it off and use some braid or FC to cut down on stretch and increase hook setting power 10 fold!  

[OIFBasser]

with lighter line i use a sweep set, kind of like walleye fishing.

[Raul]

Oh, I'm reel sure (ha, ha) the issue is somewhere behind the tackle on the shore side!

So now, with the braided, I set the hook a lot differently, take slack, lift the rod tip to impale with a razor sharp hook. I'll give it a try.

Next questions. It seems that I need a leader and that begs a couple of questions in of itself. What length and what line? It seems that a too long leader would make casting more difficult but too short and the effect of a leader is lost. So what do?

Thanks for the help, I'm gonna get there yet, wherever that is.

No, with braided or nylon the hook setting technique for a flexible rod is the same, you gotta load the rod first before pulling to set the hook, you achieve it by reeling in the slack as you lift the rod tip until you feel the fish, when you feel the fish is when you pull up to set the hook.

[mrlitetackle]

gonna be honest on this one...... i didn't read all the posts...... but here's my 2 cents.

i as well have a saros (3000).... its paired with a BPS microlite rod (md. lite action)..... i also use 40# suffix braid.

the reason i have such a lite rod is mainly bc i love to really fight a fish.  I also set my drag extremely light (some might call me straight stupid for how light it is) but its just enough to get a good hookset.

i have not yet encountered any trouble setting the hook with this settup.  Possibly it is the braided line factor, but all has worked for me thus far. Your gear should be just fine, and you may just need some adjustments for light tackle.