Hook Setting Tips

[DarkAisling]

I have a truly terrible hook set: lousy penetration. Does anyone have any tips on improving it? Any good video or tips online?

[sheephunter]

With a sharp hook, there really isn't much need to set the hook on the vast majority of fish that swim Alberta's waters. Those big hooksets make for great TV but in reality, if you just sweep your rod tip upwards on a tight line, the hook should penetrate the mouth on any trout, walleye, pike or perch. Often, people drop their rod tip before setting the hook and with barbless hooks, it often means the hook falls out. Keep contant pressure on and don't drop your rod tip and you should be good...if your hooks are sharp.

[Penner]

I would agree. Sharp hooks and constant tension are the biggest keys. The fish are aggressive enough around here, all you need to do is just promptly tighten up on the line and bingo bango. Fly-fishing with dries is a bit more challenging but that’s more about timing than then hook-set itself.

Most of those American Bass guys really exaggerate it for TV. Unless your flipp’n right up in the lily pad’s/reeds or around deadfall, it’s unnecessary to take it to the extreme like most of them do.

[The Fisherman Guy]

I have a constant debate with friends over our preferred hook set methods. I believe in tighter drag, and a short solid hookset (about 8 inches of rod displacement, depending on the species being fished).

Sometimes a hard hookset will tear the fishes mouth, and the hook will not set at all, just rip out. Solid hookset, and keep the rod tip up, and line tight. After the hookset I normally always loosen the drag, to prepare myself incase the fish runs. The tighter drag, constant line tension, and braided line help keep the barbless hooks in where we want them.

[DarkAisling]

It never even occurred to me that it could be my hooks :ashamed: Maybe I'm too quick to blame my skills (or lack thereof).

I'm good about keeping the line tight (I think), but I don't use braided line.

Geeze . . . you mean I have to go back to TFH to get braided line? O' woe is me :lol: I'm itchin' for an excuse to go back.

[sheephunter]

Other than situations where you have lots of line out (long-line trolling or deep water jigging) good old mono works just fine. It's amazing how many people don't realize that they drop their rod tip as they wind up for a big hook set and then wonder why they missed the fish.

[Jayball]

With a sharp hook, there really isn't much need to set the hook on the vast majority of fish that swim Alberta's waters. Those big hooksets make for great TV but in reality, if you just sweep your rod tip upwards on a tight line, the hook should penetrate the mouth on any trout, walleye, pike or perch. Often, people drop their rod tip before setting the hook and with barbless hooks, it often means the hook falls out. Keep contant pressure on and don't drop your rod tip and you should be good...if your hooks are sharp.

Sheephunter would know. Sharps hooks are the key. I dont recall ever really putting to much effort into hook setting. Do what i tell my 7 year old.... when you feel a hit... keep your tip up!

When i lose a fish its is generally because i havent paid enough attention to my drag... or i let the rod tip down when the fish is swimming up or coming towards me.

Jay

[Beazer]

I think it depends alot on the fish too.
Waiting for the second bite makes sure that hook is in.

[Waxy]

With a sharp hook, there really isn't much need to set the hook on the vast majority of fish that swim Alberta's waters. Those big hooksets make for great TV but in reality, if you just sweep your rod tip upwards on a tight line, the hook should penetrate the mouth on any trout, walleye, pike or perch. Often, people drop their rod tip before setting the hook and with barbless hooks, it often means the hook falls out. Keep contant pressure on and don't drop your rod tip and you should be good...if your hooks are sharp.

X2.

This is great advice.

The "Bob Izumi hookset" is a standing joke among my fishing buddies and I. Like sheephunter says, it makes for great TV, so the bass guys love it, but you'll miss more bites than you'll get, especially with barbless hooks.

Reel up if you need to depending on what you're doing, keep the tight line and don't drop the rod tip, a steady sweep, no more than a couple feet, is all that's required for a good hookset, especially if you're using a braid or Fireline where there's no stretch in the line. Constant tension is the key from there, because with barbless hooks, there's nothing holding it in there when the line goes slack.

Also, one of the biggest mistakes I see, and I've been guilty of it myself now and then, is trying to set the hook when using a bottom bouncer or crankbait. It sounds crazy I know, but a lot of the time, the best thing you can do is let the rod holder set the hook/let the fish hook itself, with maybe a little boost of power from the motor once you've got the fish on to be sure. The tendency is tug the lure away from the fish before it's really tried or had the time to swallow the hook.

Waxy

[jesse34567]

Yeah for walleye a general sweep of the rod to one side will set the hook.


for other fish like pike where there jaws are more bony (set the hook)

[Cal]

X2.

This is great advice.

The "Bob Izumi hookset" is a standing joke among my fishing buddies and I. Like sheephunter says, it makes for great TV, so the bass guys love it, but you'll miss more bites than you'll get, especially with barbless hooks.

Waxy

When fishing texas rigged plastics a hard hookset is often needed, which may explain why bass guys like them. Also when using wooden plugs for pike they can sink their teeth into the wood and you may have trouble moving the plug enough to get a good hook set unless you yank on er. I dont use the "bob izumi" hook set but I do set the hook harder than many people, if you dont drop your tip and keep your line tight there is no setback on pike and walleye. For Trout and especily whitefish a lighter hook set is probably better.

[DarkAisling]

Thanks for all of the awesome info. I know this is a pretty basic subject, but it's also a pretty fundamental skill (one where I'm a little lacking). :o

My partner's skills are pretty weak, too. So while I can get us rigged up, figure out where we're going, and whatnot . . . it's "the blind leading the blind" when we do get out there.

[Wulfespirit]

I think it depends alot on the fish too.
Waiting for the second bite makes sure that hook is in.

That sometimes used to be the case but I've found since Alberta went barbless, waiting often gives the fish ample time to dislodge and spit it out - even with bait. I've been going for a super-quick firm but not crazy hard set the last couple years and its been more reliable.

[WayneChristie]

just pay attention, keep your line tight, and use sharp hooks. especially with braid, depending on the action of your rod, if its a stiff action rod every inch you move the rod tip means an inch the hook moves, since there is no stretch. With mono you have some stretch so you have a bit more lee-way, also if you are fishing for small fish, you wont need as much hookset, with larger fish like big pike you just need enough pull to get the hook into the jaw, unless the pike has clamped down on the lure, Ive landed pike with no hook penetration at all, they can be pretty stubborn about holding on to their dinner. Practice makes gooder, no ones perfect :D

[sheephunter]

Also, one of the biggest mistakes I see, and I've been guilty of it myself now and then, is trying to set the hook when using a bottom bouncer or crankbait. It sounds crazy I know, but a lot of the time, the best thing you can do is let the rod holder set the hook/let the fish hook itself, with maybe a little boost of power from the motor once you've got the fish on to be sure. The tendency is tug the lure away from the fish before it's really tried or had the time to swallow the hook.


Ya, good advice for sure. Most people don't realize that yanking on the rod to set the hook while trolling usually results in lost fish rather than hooked fish. The best advice when trolling, is to leave the rod in the holder until the rod starts to pump, then pick it up and start reeling. This is especially true with cranks. When a fish first clamps down on a crank and the rod bends over, the fish isn't hooked. It gets hooked when it opens it's mouth to release the crankbait and the momentum of the bent rod and forward motion of the boat drive the hook into the mouth. This is when you see the rod pump. Don't be in a hurry to pick up a rod when trolling. Let the rod and boat do the work. Wait for the rod to start pumping.

[sheephunter]

That sometimes used to be the case but I've found since Alberta went barbless, waiting often gives the fish ample time to dislodge and spit it out - even with bait. I've been going for a super-quick firm but not crazy hard set the last couple years and its been more reliable.

It really seems to depend on the fish and the day. At Pigeon yesterday, a quick hookset resulted in a missed hook up about 75% of the time but if you waited until the rod bent over or the bobber was under for several seconds, well over 90% were hooked. More often than not it comes down to how natural the bait is. With artificials, a quick hook set is usually beneficial but when using bait on something like a light jig, you have all day to set the hook and waiting will hook more fish.

Every day is a new day when fishing and best to let the fish let you know what they want...

[Wulfespirit]

I was anchored in late June this year catching about a walleye every 2 mins. My father was on the boat - he's from the school that you need to wait until the lure/bait is half digested and poking out of the butt before you set and pull. He was losing at least twice as many as I was - both using the same 1/8th ounce jigheads tipped with a leech. My wife, who - on the same weekend - elected to go with my method was also pretty successful at boating fish.

I've been doing some stocked water bait fishing for rainbows recently too. Most of the time unless I'm super-fast in setting, the bow is gone as I think they're spitting as soon as they feel significant resistance (which is pretty quick unless I'm bobbering for them). On the bobber, an extra few seconds before setting doesn't seem to hurt and may in fact be advantageous.

I know a couple of years back, waiting a bit was usually the better way to go as the hook would often penetrate to the barb by the time the fish knew what was up. But these days I know personally I miss alot more fish waiting.

While being slightly off topic, the habit of stocked bows swimming directly at you once hooked is sure a pain in the butt in the barbless age. I'm usually standing there struggling to wind fast enough (reel moving at about warp 9) to keep up and not loosen the hook. I'm gonna end up with carpal tunnel from these guys... :D

[Tuc]

Some good advice here, now I know why my fish have been getting off the hook. I never fished barbless before.

I've been recently getting back into lake fishing......it's a complete different ball game here compared to what I'm use too. Back home (N.S.) all we ever used for trout (no pike or walleye) were lures (red devils, super doopers,etc) and the good ole #4 willow leafs with a worm on the end. I know out here live bait is not allowed in most places so it's discouraged me from using the spinners.

Anyrate, a couple of questions for you guys...what are crankbaits.... and how do you deep water jig or what do you use to do this? We don't jig in fresh water back home. The only way I know how to jig is with 12 -20 oz Norwegians anchored out on the ocean in a Cape Islander.

Dark, thank you for letting me borrow your thread. :wave:

[sheephunter]

Crankbaits are hard-bodied (typically wood, plastic or metal) baits that immitate baitfish. A Rapala is a classic example.

Not sure how deep you are refering to but as a rough guideline, I use about an 1/8 of an ounce increase in weight for ever 10-15 feet of water I'm fishing. For walleye, 1/8 and 1/4 ounce jigs would be the most commonly used. In Minnewanka where you may be fishing 50+ feet, I will go up to 1/2 to 3/4 ounce. I do most of my walleye jigging with a medium action 6' spinning rod spooled with 6-pound mono. For the deeper stuff, I'll go to a 6'6" rod spooled up with Fireline.

I typically fish a jig vertically beneath the boat but they can also be cast, drifted, trolled and mom kicked our butts yesterday on Pigeon fishing a jig under a slip bobber.

[DarkAisling]

Dark, thank you for letting me borrow your thread. :wave:

No worries. Sheephunter gave you same good info . . . stuff that I can use too (specifically with regard to increasing weight in relation to depth).

[Tuc]

Thanx Sheep...
Jigs back home are usually fished off shoals, you go to the bottom and then pull up 4 or 5 feet.
I think I get your method though. Something similar to our hook and bobber.

I've been away from lake fishing for tooooooo long and not up on all this new technology and terms.
When I go into BP and look at the endless numbers of fishing lures and bait, I don't even know where to start. So I buy one of those, two of these and three of them. :lol:

[sheephunter]

Ya, for walleye you typically fish a jig within a few inches of the bottom.

[Waxy]

Ya, for walleye you typically fish a jig within a few inches of the bottom.

Jigs are the most versatile baits there are IMHO.

They can be casted, pitched, fished vertically, used on slip bobber systems, dragged, etc...

I find vertical jigging and dragging most effective. Vertical jigging gives the most sensititivity and lets you put the bait right in front of the fish, even if they're suspended a couple feet off the bottom. Boat control is critical though, and with wind or current, can be a real challenge. Dragging is underrated IMHO, it's essentially casting a jig, but rather than bouncing it up and down and "working" it a lot, simply drag it back along the bottom, really slowly and with pauses, keeping the line tight. It can be surprisingly effective.

Sheephunters wieght vs. depth rule is pretty much exactly what I do as well, but I find wind can also be a factor that forces the use of a heavier jig. In general though, I'm always trying to get away with the lightest jig possible.

Waxy

[winged1]

On a dry fly hit, I'll lift the rod to immediately take out any slack, then strip like a madman to maintain tension. On a troll of drift, I'll put tension into the rod on bite, then maintian. My biggest fish this year, a 32" pick had the hook set in his lip with a sliver of skin. No room for hooksetting.

[Cal]

In rivers you can sometimes need to almost double that rule though.

[TimC]

I've taught my wife not to set the hook from the beginning.

I notice everytime she tries to set the hook, her hook up ratio is way less.

i told when she felt a bite, just start reeling in lines, the fish pulling on a tight line will usually hook itself.

I also find it's a natural reaction to lift your rod when you feel the tension from the pulling fish, so really you've already set the hook without knowing it.

now if i can only teach her not to reel when the rod is fully bend so i don't get all those line twist. :rolleyes:

[Sundancefisher]

I have a truly terrible hook set: lousy penetration. Does anyone have any tips on improving it? Any good video or tips online?

You will get plenty of practice hook setting on perch :evilgrin:

[DarkAisling]

You will get plenty of practice hook setting on perch :evilgrin:

I'm hoping so! Then I'll be able to pass on everything I learn from you to the other half, and our friends who are Sundance residents (but unfortunately will not be there tonight). I'm sure their daughter will be pretty excited when I'm able to teach her how to actually catch 'em :)

[Tuc]

Jigs are the most versatile baits there are IMHO.
Waxy, what make, type and weight of jigs would you recommend ?
Something alround....
Thanx!

[Beazer]

That sometimes used to be the case but I've found since Alberta went barbless, waiting often gives the fish ample time to dislodge and spit it out - even with bait. I've been going for a super-quick firm but not crazy hard set the last couple years and its been more reliable.

I'm used to fishing with barbs, so I can only assume your correct, but for pike I find that they nab it but on the second big bite is when you want to set the hook.

[Waxy]

Waxy, what make, type and weight of jigs would you recommend ?
Something alround....
Thanx!

I'm partial to two brands - BiteMe jigs, which are made by a guy in SK, and you can usually get at The Fishin Hole (supply is sometimes sketchy because he simply can't keep up), and the Fintech Knuckleball jigs. I prefer the the BiteMe's for vertical jigging, and the Knuckleball jigs for dragging because of their stand up design. Both work for casting, and IMHO, both are far better in design, hook quality, and available color patterns than the typical "bulk bin" jig heads. Unfortunately, they're also kinda pricey, around $1/piece for both types.

As for color and size, get two of each lol. If you're on a budget, stick to the 1/8 to 3/8 oz, and couple bigger/smaller ones and the red/yellow/orange/green and black, and the blue/white/pink combo for colors.

I don't use plastic tails a lot, I do most of my jigging with bait only, but when I do, I go with the 4" Berkley stuff - Powerbait or Gulp Alive shads- or the leeches. I've had pretty decent success over the years with the basic Mister Twister plastics too, white, yellow, and black, and I prefer the single tails to the doubles.

That combo of jigs and tails/bait should be effective on just about any lake for pike, walleye, and perch.

Waxy

[sheephunter]

My shameless plug is for the Reelbait Walleye Flasher...best vertical and dragging/trolling jig I've ever used. It's design makes it very snag resistant and the blade is just too irresistable when fished vertically. You need to learn to fish it much more subtley that most other jigs though...let the blade do the work. It's incredibly deadly under a slip bobber too. Shamless plug over!

[Waxy]

My shameless plug is for the Reelbait Walleye Flasher...best vertical and dragging/trolling jig I've ever used. It's design makes it very snag resistant and the blade is just too irresistable when fished vertically. You need to learn to fish it much more subtley that most other jigs though...let the blade do the work. It's incredibly deadly under a slip bobber too. Shamless plug over!

I don't think I've ever seen those, I've certainly never tried them. I'm not crazy about the "wedge" shaped head, because they tend to just that IME, get wedged into things, but the little willow blade is definitely interesting...

The only link I could find via Google was Cabelas. Where do you get them here?

Waxy

[sheephunter]

I don't think I've ever seen those, I've certainly never tried them. I'm not crazy about the "wedge" shaped head, because they tend to just that IME, get wedged into things, but the little willow blade is definitely interesting...

The only link I could find via Google was Cabelas. Where do you get them here?

Waxy

Ah, that's the beauty of the design of the Walleye Flasher, the eye placement makes the jig tip forward and roll over things rather than wedging into places. It's very snag resistant. That plus they are perfectly neutral balanced for vertical jigging. The little blade slowly swinging beneathe the jig really works sometimes. The trick is to work it very subtley.

Fish Hole used to carry them but not sure any more. Last time I was there they had some poor rip off of it. You can order straight from Al at Reelbait too.

[Cal]

Waxy, what make, type and weight of jigs would you recommend ?
Something alround....
Thanx!

I honestly cant say any one brand of jigs has worked better than the others for the most part. I like the 3 inch ones better than the 4 inch ones cause I can get them to the bottom quicker in a current. The only jigs I have used that I didnt like were "Matzu" brand jigs, they still catch fish but have a tendancy to split open around the base of the jig heads.

For jig heads with the non painted ones you dont have to clean the paint out of the eyes befor you tie them on which is nice and I have not noticed that fish prefer the painted ones. If your fishing in weeds a pyramid style jig head with the eye at the front will snag less, for everything else el cheapo non painted round ones or whatever you find in the bargain bin at wallmart will work.

[Tuc]

Thanx for the advice guys!