Could someone give me tips on when and how to set the hook when you feel a fish take the bait?

Question

I received a lot of GREAT tips from some of you before about what my husband and I were doing wrong on our fishing trips, but now I need a little more information.

The problem we are having now is that when we do get a fish to take the bait, we just can't seem to get the hook to set. They either get away part way up the retreive or they just let it go completely. I don't know if we are just trying to set too soon, or too late, or if we are just not using the right hook.

We have tried Eagle Claw wide worm hooks sizes 1/0, 2/0, and 3/0 and the smaller crappie style as well. I've heard circle hooks allow you to land the fish easier, but didn't know if this was true.

Is there a way to know exactly when it's time to set the hook? Any suggestions on a hook or setup that will help us land fish?

Btw, we are shoreline fishing under a slip bobber with live bait on 8lb flouro and 12lb mono line respectively using closed faced spin-casting reels.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

As soon as the cork goes under, set the hook with an upward flip of the wrist- but the main reason you are not catching most of the fish is because at certain times of the year, when bank fishing especially, most of the fish that are messing with your bait are too small to get hooked- that just happens when bait fishing at times- the culprit is usually baby bream. The answer sometimes lies in getting a boat and getting farther away from the bank and fish the snags or trees or grass line and if that doesn't work, change over to trying to catch crappie and bait with a shiner. Good luck!

Answer 2

I've found if you use PowerPro braided line, it makes it easier to set as far as not having to jerk/pump it up so hard.  I just cast out, reel in some slack, flip the bale to open, and wait for a fish to run.  Then I slowly flip the bale closed and jerk up slightly (w/PowerPro), and wah-la!!

Answer 3

using a spinning rod I usually reel up the slack and put my finger on the line above the bail so it's tight ...my index finger to the line on the rod  - with the rod at about 9 o'clock I wait until it goes under and pull the rod back setting the hook then I let go of the line and hope I had my drag set right to play the fish so he doesn't break my line.

Having the drag adjusted means alot if you are fishing for larger fish with not so large line... tire them out...

Perch have to be one of the hardest to hook since they will nibble alot - picking up the bait and running and dropping it...but they have good rounded hooks for fish that nibble alot on the bait like perch.

Remember you don't want the hook to be too big or they can't get it in their mouth!!  I have caught some big fish on small hooks and leaders  &  << size 16 / 18 hooks for big trout.  Bass will kind of trash them if you aren't very careful..smallest I like for bass is 6 or 8 but generally can't go wrong with a 4.

Answer 4

Well it all depends on the type of fish you are trying to catch... for smaller fish you want small hooks and for larger fish you want larger hooks (common sense). Start with a small bobber and once you see it go ALL THE WAY UNDER AND STAY UNDER you know the fish has hold. When you see this do NOT yank or jerk because you could either a)yank it right out of the fish's mouth or b) pull the the hook through the fish's mouth and rip the lips off, just slightly pull in the opposite direction of the way the bobber is going. If you aren't using a bobber then tighten up the slack and let the pole sit there if it starts to jerk start to reel very slowly, if it tightens up, pull up VERY FAST. the only problem with using big hooks to catch big fish is that if a small fish is going for it you will almost never get it!!!! Hope This Helps!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

If I could answer that, I'd be hauling home all kinds of $$$$$ from our fishing tournaments...LOL!

nibble, nibble, SET THE HOOK!

Usually before the 3rd tap, but I have stared at the line dance around, in a daze of the afternoon heat & sun, and just never SET THE HOOK, freaking hilarious! Hahaha!

I'm getting better with the jig bites and landings too, but you have to keep practicing and differentiating between timber, rocks, and other obstacles. >_<!

Answer 6

Well, when you see the bobber go down, make sure it stays down for more than a second...reel up any slack you have in your line (reeling your pole down toward the water) and set the hook. That way you get a good long hookset. Now, I must say this... if you are fishing for a thin lipped fish such as a crappie..it's a whole different ball game. When setting a hook in a crappies mouth, you just want to set with just enough force to penetrate the jaw and not rip right through it. They aren't called paperlips for nothing. Keep tension on the line at all times and dont let any slack in it. Having said that, if you are fighting a large jumping fish like a big bass, trout or Steelhead...if you keep a lot of tension on it while it's jumping it can break you right off or tear the hook out so I normally "bow" to the fish, meaning I point the rod directly at the fish and I keep my drag set very lightly(always) so if it does shake it's head against the tension it will just peel off some line rather than snap it or tear it out of it's mouth.  Hope this helped in some way.

p.s. Some fish are just destined to get away...thats why it's called fishing and not catching.

Answer 7

E-mail me - I'm really good at this stuff - [e-mail]        -        First, what kind of fish are we targeting. You see, some fish have large mouths, some small, some very tender skin at the mouth that tears, some hard as a rock, some with teeth - bla bla bla - e-mail me -

Answer 8

I asked a similar question about a week or so ago.Normally I don't fish with bobbers but when I do there's two things that tell me when to set the hook.One is obvious,when the bobber goes under,set the hook,very simple.The other is when I see my bobber moving around a little bit,when something is nibbling on the hook but not really trying to swim away with the bait.When that happens I usually wait 2 seconds then set it.Anyway,here's the question I asked,might find a good answer there too.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 9

well cirle hooks do set themselves, and you might not set if hard enough or maybie your steeting it to hard.  till you get better use a bobber on everything and when it goes under and stays under for about a second set the hook with a slight hook.