Hookset question

[piranha]

I have read conflicting information and wanted to get everyone's thoughts.

When fishing a senko, or any slow-fished plastic, if you feel a tap-tap, but don't see line movement, do you set the hook? Or do you wait for some significant tension or line movement before setting the hook?

Thanks.

[Okeechobee_Cracker]

usually i will fell very lightly to see if thiers any tension then set the hook...n some times i wont and ill just set the hook.

[Raul]

When you feel anything out of the ordinary don 't wait and set the hook.

[Shad_Master]

What Raul said!!

[texasbass1]

Cross their eyes

[piranha]

Thanks guys.

A follow up based on watching bass shows on tv when they are fishing with worms. The angler will say something to the effect, "I have one playing with it." He will then wait, focused intently on the rod and line. Seconds... sometimes minutes go by and he will continue waiting or maybe twitching the worm and then wham!, he sets the hook. What are they feeling initially and why don't they set the hook right away as you indicate?

Is it a situational thing? Or maybe a worm specific thing?

[Landis76]

Cross their eyes

AMEN

[Rebbasser]

Is it a situational thing? Or maybe a worm specific thing?

It might be a fishing show thing-trying to create drama

If you feel a hit or as Raul says anything out of the ordinare set the hook.  After all, hooksets are free ;D

[Marty]

In my personal fishing, virtually all my strikes on soft plastics are detected by seeing the line move without feeling anything. Once in awhile I'll feel something that will make me think it's a bass. A tap-tap means sunfish for me and I don't set the hook.

I learned that by trial and error. Felt the taps, set the hook, never felt resistance and put two and two together.

But once I think a bass has it, either from seeing the line move or the occasional feeling something, I set the hook without further waiting. I think if I wait, two things can happen, both of them bad: the bass either drops it or takes it deep.

[JPost]

I wait.  

I don't want to take the chance of jerking when the fish only has a small portion of the tail in his mouth.  Jerking right when I feel something always ends up in a failure.

[George Welcome]

Those that snooze - looze. If it feels different hit it - it's not baseball, and you can't strike out.

[Phishn_Phool]

I agree...anything different...SET THE HOOK...In my limited experience w/plastic the pick it up head first...CROSS THEIR EYES   LOL

                             CPR ;D

[JPost]

Those that snooze - looze. If it feels different hit it - it's not baseball, and you can't strike out.

So even though he doesn't have the hook in his mouth yet, you jerk anyway...?  Doesn't seem to make sense to me.  Waiting and letting him take it sure always brings me good results.

[George Welcome]

If you don't set the hook you have no way of knowing if the fish has the bait. Typically what is felt is 3 taps. The first is the pickup, the second is the fish turning, and the third is the fish spitting it out.

There will be times that the fish will pick it up and spit it just as fast. In this case you won't even know it occured. As a matter of fact they can do this with moving baits just as easily. They will inhale and spit out a spinner bait and you won't ever know they did it.

I watch people daily miss hooksets by waiting. If it is different hit it - it's free, and if you are wrong you will get them on the next hit.