They Wont Hook

[tohoboy2423]

I just started fishing and i found this really good fishing hole with a lot of bass but i cant seem to hook them. i know the fish are bass because my friend told me and the smallest one he caught was 3 lbs. i was told that when the fish bites and the bobber is under the water you should yank to hook them but it doesnt seem to work, the hook always comes out and about half the time they take the bait even when i wait a couple seconds after the bobbers under the water. my friend also says using shiners are good but ive been reading in the articles that you should use other things. ive used shiners, nightcrawlers, and even a few different kind of plastic worms with and without a bobber and weights and nothing seems to work. what should i do?

[Jayman139]

What are you using as bait?  I am assuming you are using a Nightcrawler and bobber?  I would suggest making sure you have good hooks....sharp....also....don't just yank the rod when the bobber starts bouncing..alot of little blue gills will nip at the bait....when it starts to bounce real in the slack slowly......wait till it goes under.... set the hook.......

[niteowl]

What kind of fish do you think they are? And try smaller hooks

[kms399]

get rid of the bobber and get your self some senko's. have the salesman show you how to hook them and you are set.

[T-rig]

What kind of fish do you think they are? And try smaller hooks

Must be little baby bass or bream.

[the captain]

get rid of the bobber and get your self some senko's. have the salesman show you how to hook them and you are set.

I agree 100% the only time I use real worms is when I feel like havin fun with little stuff like panfish and fallfish.

[frogtog]

I would agree with Kms just get the Senko's and have at it.

[midnight_madness]

1st off, welcome to br My guess with part of the bait gone you are getting into some bluegill or other smaller fish.

[Rebbasser]

Welcome to the forum!

Once again, the most overlooked aspect of fishing, at least IMO, appears.  That aspect?  SHARP HOOKS!  Whenever I read where someone is losing fish after fish it points me to either using a rod that is not stiff enough for a hookset, not setting the hook hard enough, or a dull hook.  From your description it points me toward the hook sharpness.  Contrary to popular belief, not all hooks are sharp right out of the package-years back I lost what might have been that fish of a lifetime on a bait that after I lost it I discovered the hooks were about as sharp as a Q-Tip, and it was a real popular bait.  If a hook will not dig into your thumbnail with just a little pressure it needs to be sharpened.  If it won't dig into your thumbnail it won't dig into a fish's mouth, either.  For around $5 you can get a hook sharpener, and it it well worth the investment.  It can make the difference of takling about the one that got away or holding up a nice fish for the camera.

[Gatorbassman]

Welcome to the forum.

[Taliesin]

What kind of fish do you think they are? And try smaller hooks

I agree with the smaller hook theory here. What size hooks are you currently using? Try using a size #6. You'll probably catch whatever is bugging your bait, and find out that it is bluegill (or some other panfish).

Or you can upsize your baits. Try using a 5" long shiner (or even bigger).

I mention this due to your comment on the size of bass your friend has caught there.

Another option is both. Use the smaller hooks and nightcrawlers to catch the bluegill and use the smaller bluegill for bait on a #2/0 hook (as long as it is legal in your state).

My biggest Missouri bass (6.5#) came from using a 5" bluegill for bait.