how long before you set the hook?

[3kings]

hello, went fishing over the weekend and i consistently  unable to set the hook properly (im using brand new gamakatsu extra wide gap hook and zoom 6" u-tail worms). if ever i set the hook its not good enough for me to land the fish

i do feel the tap or the bite of the fish, but my question once you feel the tap, do you immediately or instantly set the hook?

or should you wait for the line to move?

or should you wait a couple of seconds more before setting the hook?

thanks in advance for your comments

[AHBasser]

Don't wait for a tap.  Wait for any thing that is not normal.  If you question it, set the hook.  Sometimes the tap you feel is the fish droping your bait.  This weekend, I never felt a bit, but I caught 10 fish up to 3#s.  They were slowly moving with my line toward me side to side, or away from me.  So I never felt them bite. At this time of the year the fish are kinda of lazy and are not going to hit it real hard.  If you were mising all the fish you say, chances are it was perch.  I have had perch hit my bait all summer, but you got to learn the difference between a perch and bass bite, but don't move.  If there are perch int he area, then there will be bass. Perch are one fo a bass favorite meal.  Let the perch hit it, normally as soon as it hit's the water, let them drop it and continue to fish that area.  Feeling a bass bite only come with experence, so spend as much time on the water and the first time your line changes of does something diffrent set the hook and catch that fish.  Good luck!!

[CJHooker]

Setting the hook can be a trial and error process.Nine times out of ten I'm setting it as soon as I feel a bite,ofcourse there usually is a moment of hesitation to get my slack out.Sometimes I may find that I need to set the hook really quick and I may not alow much slack to get in my line other times,when the fish are really biting and holding on I may have enough time to get the slack out.On the other hand I may need to let them take it good.Usually a big fish is going to suck up anything you are presenting and not play around with it.The smaller ones are the ones tapping  and running fast with it.Another thing you mentioned about the hook you are using,this is only my opinion,I like a 3/0 worm hook with an off-set shank on a worm.Not a wide gap.Good Luck!

[Max-in-Mn]

When I feel a tap, or see my line run, I reel in any slack, feel for pressure, and than set. That seems like alot but it all happens in a flash. My buddy waits way to long and he really does miss alot of fish because of it. I do pretty good with un-weighted plastics but I need some work on T-rig's and C-rigs, or any other weighted rigs.

[bass master]

It depends what Im fishing but I try to wait a couple of seconds to avoid an  early of a hook set. Ive missed fish being to slow and to fast I have found for me that waiting has been more productive.

[Kendammit]

from the moment I notice a strike, its usually 1-2 seconds to set the hook.  In that time I'm reeling down to tight, feeling the weight, and then setting the hook.

[dodgeguy]

set the hook immediately when you feel a change on your line.if you feel a tap set it!!!if you feel dead weight set it!!!if it gets light set it!!! ;D

[bass109]

Depends on the different lures or rigs being used.

[DDbasser]

A friend of mine is fond of this saying.

" Fish don't have hands "

I set the hook as soon as I feel something different on the line, too much slack, a little heavier than normal, or a peck.

[AHBasser]

Depends on the bait, but he said he was using Zoom worm.

[bassaddict62]

I feel the tap very clearly because I keep a tight line (working the worm slow, with a 1/16 ounce sinker) and use a graphite rod. And I love those super-sharp Japanese hooks too!

Anyway, when I feel a solid tap, I point the rod tip toward the fish, and then slam the hook. By doing this, you get maximum leverage and power. So I guess I wait about a second or two before I set the hook. Now here's the most important thing:

Once the hook is set and the fish is on for sure (about five seconds) set the hook again, hard. If you're using light line (I fish in clear water) it takes a while to bring in a fish, so set the hook hard every ten seconds or so. Don't set the hook once the fish is within ten feet of you, because that much leverage could break the line or rip out the hook.

I still lose a few from throwing the hook, but I land more than I hook. It's just something you learn to live with, but the amount of action you get from using worms is worth it.

[gamblerOH]

I'll have to disagree with bassaddict62 on this one. I never set the hook more than once because all that does is makes the hole in the mouth bigger and gives the fish a better chance of throwing the bait. If you are using a jig/worm rod and good line one hookset is all you need. Back to the original question, I usually reel down on the fish until I feel some weight then set the hook. If you wait too long youre gonna get a lot of gut hooks.

[ernel]

I'm with Gambler on this one. Set the hook once. Not only does it make the hole bigger, but repeated setting can rip the hook out of the fishes mouth.

One queston I will ask, Is if there are any spots in the body of water you were fishing? They are notorious for takeing a lure by the tail. You will no if they are spots, as most of your misses will be minus the tail secton of the lure. You can normally go up to a larger hook size to help catch the short strikers. I have even gone up to a 5/0 on a 6" worm to help eleveate the problem. Still had a few short strikes, but not as many.

[Chris]

On regular plastic worms I count 1,2,3 set on smaller profile baits I don't get to 1.

[Pond-Pro]

       With a worm I set the hook as soon as I feel somthing different. Use the size 2/0 or 3/0 for that size worm.  When I use EWG hooks (which i do a lot) I skin hook the bait. This alows it to remain weadless but when a fish bites I usualy hook it.  If you do jerk it away from the fish when setting the hook, a lot of times he will follow it and strike again. The main reason that I set the hook quick is to avoid hooking the fish deap.