Flippin/punchin rod ???

[David P]

Uh.. the first thing we learned way back when braid first came out was that it was not necessary to tighten the drag down tight or even close to tight. If you did you'd wind up with a broken rod or reel.

With todays ultra sharp hooks, the amount of hook setting pressure needed to impale a fish is minimal when using braid vs. mono.

Turn your drag down some more. Something has to give, in this case it was the reel.

That is exactly what everyone told me cart! The thing is that i use Gamakatsu SuperLine hooks and if i don't set the hook pretty hard they don't penetrate the fishes mouth! I lost many fish this way when i first switched to braid trying to not set too hard! Do you think it would be best to keep the rod and loosen the drag or get a rod with more give in the tip?

I punch a LOT, I landed that 9lb4oz I posted up last week punching. Here's what I use and it has worked very well :

Dobyns 805 Punch rod, Revo STX High Speed, and 80lb braid.

I set the hook SOMETIMES, but only for fun, it's not necessary. I guarantee my hook is thicker and much beefier then the hook you're using, and all I have to do is reel up and the hook goes straight through the mouth. You're using braid, there's NO stretch, the hook will go through with basic reel up the majority of the time.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Than it might be my SuperLine hooks! If i dont do a hook set like a regular t-rig 8/10 times it will not penetrate! I decided to use a rod with more give in the tip to see how it goes!

[cart7t]

I remember first using braid when I was fishing the deep brush piles on lake of the ozarks way back when.  With mono you had to overcome hook points that weren't near as sharp as these surgical instruments we've got today, penetrating a 10-11" worm along with mono stretch and the fact the line was often laying over the top of branches when you set the hook.

Attempting those strong hook sets with braid in the same conditions got me a couple broken rods.  I soon learned to back off the drag so the drag actually slipped when I set the hook and used a more fluid motion that was less jerky.  

[Willzx225]

Dink, You might check out the 5/0 Owner Wide Gap Plus hooks if you are having a problem getting penetration.  I'm no punching expert but I have done it a few times and have had great luck with them.  The last time I was punching I had 40-50 bites in two days on the Potomac and landed every one of them.  And a few of them were in the 4-5lb range.  All of my hooksets were like Brokeju explained basically just sweep setting while reeling.

[mike bat]

sounds like you need some give somewhere ... with braid you get no give ... if your revos drag was locked down that offers no give ,,, then the rods an extra fast action ... you need some give somewhere ... and you were using a super line hook ...

[ABLE2DISABLE1]

Ive been using Ambassador reels for as long as I could walk, then went to All Lefties.Never brook a fish off flip-pin or rod.5-3-1 & 6-3-1 reels with out failure.I have used a shimano convergence graphite 7ft rd, 15-30 ln, lure wt.3/8 to 1once. to much for me to handle, with 65lb braid. My hook set is forceful, meaning I'm pulling the hook out,straightened, or brook.I solved it by using a MH rod built for something totally different, a cheap Ambassador Tournament grade Rated for 1/4 , 1 1/4once lure spooled with 30lb braid and my drag is not winched down tight, there has to be some type of shock resistance to absorb the blow.If not It will damage your rods, reels and even your PRIDE.I'm glad I switched to LEFTIES a long time ago for my POWER is in my right side.But every once in awhile I still set the hook with booth hands.I do go through a lot of PAWS and WORM GEARS for the abuse I put my stuff through

[DINK WHISPERER]

I got another flippin' stick one step down from what i had and I LOVE IT! I used it today and all is well(for mow anyways)!