Hook Sets: What Am I Doing Wrong?

[basslover12345]

Any suggestions on hook sets for the stingray grub? I've had SEVERAL bites the last few days that I've missed and I'm using a 7 foot medium action Berkley cherrywood rod with fluorocarbon on a Pflueger Trion reel, what will happen is I will feel the light tap, I'll set it and then nothing......... I'm wondering if I put some scent on the grub they will hold it longer. The problem I'm having with it as well is deciding if I should leave the hook point exposed or in the plastic, the problem is when I leave the point exposed I hook all kinds of dead elodea and pond weed in the middle of the cast when I'm dragging the grub on the bottom. I was out on Friday at a community lake by my house and found fresh green grass out deep that the grub was snagging, and in turn was destroying my retrieve. At the pond by my house I have tried grubs, jerkbaits, spoons, jigs and all that happened is that I would snag the dead elodea. I'm a big senko fisherman and fishing past Early November until March is tough for me. I'm off school until 01/3 and I've made it my goal to catch AT LEAST one bass before then. What am I doing wrong? I'm fishing the grub slowly, just draging it ever so slowly along the bottom with the grub rigged on a Strike king football shakey head with the grub being the avocado color. I've also tried 1/2 ounce XPS silver blade baits and still snag grass every cast

[00 mod]

Try exposing the hook and them barely skin hooking the point, so it will be weedless again, but easier to get the hook to come out! Also, make sure there is no slack in your line when you set the hook. If there is a bunch of slack, then the swing of you hook set moves slack line and not the hook at all!

Jeff

[roadwarrior]

For all single hook presentations the rod should be "stiff". My preference is Medium Power/ Fast Action.

Specifically, mine is a St. Croix ES70MF. Other recommendations: St. Croix Avid AVS70MF, AVS68MXF

and Dobyns 683C.

[basslover12345]

Here is the way I'm rigging the grub

[irnwrkr]

I would try the scent myself. Not only will they hold a bit longer, but it lubricates the plastic. I like a medium heavy for my single hook rigs.

[Fishing Rhino]

You want to fish a Senko in the weeds? I use a Buckeye 1/8th ounce Flick It jighead with a wire weed guard. It comes through the stuff pretty good. You'll need to adjust the guard if it snags or when you catch a fish. Be sure to line it up with the point of the hook, about 3/16" (+ or - 16th") from the point. You'll find out what works best in your type of vegetation. Wacky rig the Senko.

You can also use Jackall Wacky Jig heads or anything similar.

Another hook that works very well for me is the Gamakatsu weedless hooks with the plastic weed guard.

http://www.basspro.c...uct/58035/47270

[basslover12345]

I would try the scent myself. Not only will they hold a bit longer, but it lubricates the plastic. I like a medium heavy for my single hook rigs.

Just sprayed some Bait mate Max Garlic & Salt into the bag of grubs

[basslover12345]

What pound test fluoricarbon should I be using?

[backwater4]

BPS makes some plastic guards you slip onto a jighead. They work real well in the situation your talking about. You slip it over the barb that holds the grub on, then thread the grub on with the hook exposed, then put the guard over the hook.

[quanjig]

Try the oldham screw lock jigheads and a good slick scent. Should help on most of the veggies! 10lb floro should be enough. I know those cherrywood rods are a bit tippy but you should be able to get a good hookset with the 10lb.

[NCFatBoy]

7' Medium Action Cherrywood rod is the culprit. That is a small crankbait rod that does not have the backbone to set the hook through soft plastic...

[basslover12345]

Would a Denali 6'6 Medium Finesse rod be better?

[PFangler]

Personally I think the main problem is with the way your bait is rigged. The gap on your jig head’s hook isn’t large enough to expose enough of the hook to get a good set. I would either use a weighted hook, Texas’ rig, or a jig with a wide gap hook. This link should help illustrate how I would fish your grub.

http://www.kevinwakeman.com/rigweedless.htm

I also agree your problem is probably in part due to the rod. I haven't used or felt a Denali 6'6" finesse but finesse rods by design are typical stiffer and faster than an all purpose rod like Cherrywood. It should help you feel the bite sooner and get better hook set.

[Kimist]

I'm relatively a beginner, but I will second 00 mod's comments. Expose the hook, then skin hook it. When you feel the bite, reel out the slack, which also gives time for the fish to really have it. Then set the hook hard, over your head.

[Lund Explorer]

I responded to your prior question on this, and perhaps you missed it.

http://www.bassresou...-stingray-grub/

There's a really good reason that i said I used an exposed hook jighead. It is due to the fact that the plastic used for these grubs is quite hard and I always had trouble getting the hook to punch through it. Now that you've gone into a little more explanation here, I'll throw in ,my two cents worth on a few other things.

The rod you are using is a little limber for trying to set the hook with the rig you are using. Cherrywood rods run the course (L, ML, M, MH, & H) of actions. By their construction, both in compostion and guide placement, they tend to be much softer than a comparable graphite rod would be. The choice of flourocarbon line is great as it has much less stretch than mono. Could your second choice of rod be what is available to you? The use of an finese action is going in the wrong direction. If that's the case, you may hope that the guy in the red suit shows up this weekend with an extra $20 for your stocking. That would be the perfect reason to purchase a 6'6" to 7' MH action rod.

However if cash is tight, then you are going to have to tweak your rigging to get the results you want. As PFangler stated, the pictures of your rig shows that there isn't much of a gap on that hook for the bait to get a good bite into a bass' mouth. Others have suggested skin hooking the grub to keep it weedless and yet make setting the hook through the plastic easier. Still others have suggested using a weedless hook/jig. All of these options could work. The shakey heads in the following link are what I've been using, and I've had good results with them. Perhaps you could order some, or as time is short find a local source for something like them.

http://www.northstar...259/6502292.htm

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the luck in the world. I've fished stingray grubs for many years and they are a great little grub. The fact that you are also using my #1 color (Avacado) helps too.

[basslover12345]

ICould your second choice of rod be what is available to you? The use of an finese action is going in the wrong direction. If that's the case, you may hope that the guy in the red suit shows up this weekend with an extra $20 for your stocking. That would be the perfect reason to purchase a 6'6" to 7' MH action rod.

I have several rods, actually 8 of them. I'm mainly a senko/finesse fisherman and most of my rods are mediu,, but I do have a 7'6 BPS Carbon lite flippin stick that is medium heavy

[Lund Explorer]

I have several rods, actually 8 of them. I'm mainly a senko/finesse fisherman and most of my rods are mediu,, but I do have a 7'6 BPS Carbon lite flippin stick that is medium heavy

There you go young man, team it up with a wider gap shakey head and let her rip!