help my hooksets!

[rocknfish9001]

I  was out on the water yesterday, and had probably around 20 solid bites, and i am plenty sure that they werent weeds, i felt that solid tapping thats gives it away. But anyways, i actually hooked 6 bass that i fought and 4 of them i actually saw, and they wouldve been keepers, but the hook came out. I have never missed that many fish. I can see how i missed the ones on a t-rig, but how did i miss so many on a tube with an open hook? Do i need to set the hook faster, i believe that is my problem, because i am using 1/8- 1/4 oz. weights with these baits. I also missed one swimming a jig, whats my problem?

[Bass Smacker]

When I feel the tap tap I reel down and as soon as I feel the wait of the fish I set the hook hard and fast. always make sure your hooks are sharp and of good quality. I know that that pack of 500 hooks for 2 bucks look good but way not worth losing a big fish over . anuther thing make sure you have a good line to much stretch will kill the best hook set.

[rocknfish9001]

i dont think stretch or hooksetting power is an issue, im using a 7' medium heavy rod with 10lb. vanish, and i even pulled a lure all the way out of the water, and almost nailed myself in the head. I just think my reaction time is too slow.

[Shad_Master]

I was watching a video this morning before work and Scott Rook was talking about catching "big bass".  When explaining about the hookset, he described feeling the bite and then raising the rod to keep tension on until the fish pulled back and then lowering the rod and putting the hammer to her.  There was film of him doing this and it seemed like it took a long time, but worked.  I will have to think about this one some more before trying it.

[SimonSays]

I was watching a taped Bass University this morning before work and Scott Rook was talking about catching "big bass".  When explaining about the hookset, he described feeling the bite and then raising the rod to keep tension on until the fish pulled back and then lowering the rod and putting the hammer to her.  There was film of him doing this and it seemed like it took a long time, but worked.  I will have to think about this one some more before trying it.

Wouldn't the Bass spit the worm/lure etc out?

[George Welcome]

Without watching you it is very difficult to say if you have a problem with your hookset.

There is only one ingredient needed for a good hookset and that is rod speed. It doesn't take muscle or long distance rod movement, just speed. If you feel a bite pick that rod up and back with as much speed as you can muster. It takes practice, but if you think about it you will increase your speed in little time. Just remember: speed, not physical strength. Next time you are watching one of these fishing shows, pay attention - it goes something like this: "there's one", and then the hookset is fast and you will note that there isn't any great rod movement.

Some years back the Air Force was doing a study with moving an object through solid material. With speed they were able to put a paper straw through a telephone pole with no damage to the straw.

[gatrboy53]

i've had many days when they just wouldnt take it,we call it biting short.todays plastics you dont have to hit em as soon as they bite.unless you had something on they didnt like the taste of they were just biting short. this time of yr. the spring hatch(yearlings) are big enough to nibble a bait as well as the bream.thats happening alot right now.machine gun bites set the hook ....nada

[jtbassman]

I'm glad to hear you say that miss some on an open hook tube, (sorry for you), but I seem to miss alot of fish on an open hook tube, maybe it's something about the line and how the hook's facing.

[Shad_Master]

SimonSays, this is why I was saying I would have to think about it some more -- it seems the trick there was keeping slight tension on the line to make the fish pull back and then lowering the rod to get ready for the hookset -- now if you were using GULP! you wouldn't have to worry about them spitting it out  

[fishingJ]

Just make sure you have constant tension on the line, i set the hook when i feel the weight of the fish not when i feel a bite, if i feel a bite i slow the reel down.