Over the top or sweep to the side..

[LowDownSOB]

Hey everyone,
I was wondering how the majority of you set the hook. Do ya "cross their eyes" with the rod tip high, or do ya snap / sweep to the side? I do both depending on line and kind of lure I'm working. Has anyone noticed a higher hookup / land ratio with by switching form one to the other?
Most of my rods have a softer tip and I tend to make long casts. When fishing mono and my Helium, sometimes I tend to set the hook twice. They rarely come unbuttoned but sharing info is what this forum is all about right?

[KenDammit]

I don't know if I do either. Most times when I set the hook, its a quick snap up, and in the opposite direction of the fishes travel..if he's going right, i do a quick up and left...and the opposite if the fish is going left. My rod never gets above 11 and its not a "hard" set, just very quick. If I have a bite on a long cast. I will set the hook a couple times with good strong jerks very early in the fight before the fish has time to jump or shake very well.

Now, on a crankbait/spinnerbait, the set is always sideways but still not hard.


I have lost about 4 good fish in my years of fishing from bad hooksets, and the rest have been dinks that I didn't have to fool with taking off the hook...so I guess its worked out alright. Never missed one on a spinner or crankbait, though..usually soft plastics.

[lizardsrule]

Whatever I can use, but I try to go opposite of the fish also. Fishing plastics, I Cross their eyes so well that if it's a dink, it's probably coming at me in the air. On cranks, not much of a hookset, more of a sweep. I set the hook sometimes 2-3 times on the way in. A lot also depends on the line, rod you are using along with the type of bait. I had to buy a crankbait rod, med with a moderate action because of too many times pulling the crank out of the fishes mouth. I still had to make a real effort not to set the hook too hard. I rarely ever use a sweeping motion other than on cranks, I want the hook going in their mouths, and I dislike circle hooks, which takes a mandatory sweeping action, intead of a good hoookset, or you won't ever catch a fish with them.

Lizards

[KH.]

over the top,side sweep with jigs and stickbaits

[Rebbasser]

I do both depending on line and kind of lure I'm working.

Same here.

[PowerBass]

I set the hook so hard the fish goes numb! I dont lose many.

[Hef]

drop step with back foot and ripper lips off.

[gamabeliever]

I believe it depends on your type of rigging for a texas rig i use a upwards motion, while using a carolina rig i use the sideways set. but the one funny thing i have learned over the years of fishing is that every man is a inventor we all come up with our own distinct ways of bass fishing and some work some dont so when your out there fishing look at it this way the best part to me is not exactlly catching the trophy winner but finding a better way to catch fish and sharing that way with my son is just as much of a reward, although i do like to take home the purse at the end of the day it hurts like heck to watch another man take home the money.

[WTL]

If my way is clear, it normally ends up being up and to the right. But that depends on the bait I'm working - the way my boat is oriented sometimes the trolling motor is in the way.

depending on lure
the old c-rig straight up from the water level.
then watch for fish movement and set against it. i almost never set the hook on a horizontal sweep.

zooker

[flfireman]

All depends on which way the fish goes. L or R usually, if it goes straight away or straight at me its up/down.

[BPoi523433]

Never ever side-sweep...odds of landing a fish are much much higher by setting high

(i've done quasi-experiments)

[rrw4258]

I just snap it really quick not hard.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

depending on lure
....
then watch for fish movement and set against it....
zooker

That always works well. Also I use Reel Set Method when I wacky worms weightless with a split shot hook.


"Simply start reeling as fast as you can, and once you feel the rod starting to bend, or load up, set the hook with a short, fast stroke."

For more details: http://www.insideline.net/2003/set-the-hook.htm

Hope that will help you too.

[Fishie]

Hard to the right side. Don't miss or lose any

[bass461]

That was a good link Mr H2O

[pig n jig]

I would just reel down and apply steady pressure for circle hooks. The rest of the time its over the top , or I miss them because I was day dreaming about Halle Berry and not paying attention to fishing. P N J

[KH.]

Originally Posted by bass461

That was a good link Mr H2O

try to get used to that,he will actually get the link instead ofcopy and paste(and try to make seem like they wrote it) like some people on here try to do.thanks for the honesty,h20