t-rig hookset help!!

[toppwatr]

i have just recently started using the texas rig. rigging sassy shads and mister twisters at local ponds i have found out thast bass in the weeds will come out and hammer them. the only thing is is that i have not caught a single fish on it yet because i stink at setting the hook on them.

heres what i do: when a fish bites i yank real hard. all that happens is the bait just comes flying out of its mouth onto land. how do i get a hook into their stupid mouths??!!??

[MallenManson]

I haven't used texas or carolina rigs much at all but, are you making a hook path through the bait when you initially rig it? Or just embedding the hook and calling it good?
Most will tell you to push the point of the hook all the way through several times to give the point a clear path to the jaw

[carolina-rig-01]

first off you need to "texpose" the hook on the bait. here is kevins video which should really help you out if you aren't already doing it like this.

second, you are probably either setting the hook too soon and not giving the fish enough time to get the bait in it's mouth, or the fish is feeling you and spitting the bait out before you set the hook. the how to know the fish has the bait in it's mouth is the hard part that takes a lot of on the water learning on your part, but if your line is swimming sideways or the bait feels heavy or too light then this probably means the fish has the bait.

as for the fish feeling you before you set the hook. one mistake i see a lot of guys make when fishing a jig, carolina rig, texas rig or anything of that nature is they reel too much slack out of the line before setting the hook. we are taught to reel the slack out as you lower the rod tip and then set the hook, and that is the right way to do it but if you reel the slack out until the line is tight then i believe the fish feels the pressure and spits the bait out more times than not. i like to reel down and leave just a little slack in the line, not enough to mess up a hookset but enough to keep the fish from feeling me. this also gives a little more power to your hooksets. imagine me trying to pull a rope out of your hands, if i pull the rope tight before i pull on it then you can hold on better than if i leave a little slack in it and then jerk on the rope. the little slack you leave in a hookset kinda works like that. hope this helps.

[DelaWhere]

It also might not be a bass your setting the hook on. I know around here the yellow perch or very small bass will tear up my 6'' lizard or worm but their not big enough to get the worm and hook in their mouth. If you are sure its a big enough bass then listen to c-rigs advice on hooksets

[Jim80]

C-rig is spot on man texpose is the way to go .


Jim

[3dkicker]

First are you using mono or braid? Second take a look at what C-rig said about dropping the rod tip and picking up slack line. I'm usually looking for line movement at that time too. If the fish is moving left I'm setting right, if moving right then I set left.

[Rebbasser]

It could be a number of things. As stated, it may not be a bass-it may be a bluegill or something similar grabbing the tail and running off with it. Based on what you describe that would be my first guess. A bass will hit the head of a bait where a bluegill will grab the tail and feel like a hard hit. A bass feels more like a thump-thump but doesn't try to tear the rod out of your hand.

It also might be your hook. It may seem obvious, but is it sharp? If it doesn't dig into your fingernail with just a little pressure it needs to be sharpened.

You also might wait a split second longer before setting the hook.

[Bassboss]

Hook sets can been hard on soft baits for some one just starting to use them. there not like fishing a spinnerbait or crankbait. You gotta let the bass get a good hold on them! If you set the hook when feel the bass, you'll miss them a lot! You should wait a few seconds before setting them hook, at least 3, the bass will hold them for a good long time, 8-10 seconds, you no hurry!

What kind of hook are you using? If I'm not mistaking, sassy shads are wide baits, if you're using an weed less hook like what you would use with a worm, you gonna miss fish! You should use a jig head. It's also important to use to use a good hook! Hooks are one of the few thing I'll spend a lot of money on! Last year, I used cheep hooks, like eagle claw or something, and I missed a few more fish than I woulda liked! So this year I switched to Gamakatsu hooks, I am now missing a lot less fish on my T-rigged worm and such!

[BassinID]

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

as for the fish feeling you before you set the hook. one mistake i see a lot of guys make when fishing a jig, carolina rig, texas rig or anything of that nature is they reel too much slack out of the line before setting the hook. we are taught to reel the slack out as you lower the rod tip and then set the hook, and that is the right way to do it but if you reel the slack out until the line is tight then i believe the fish feels the pressure and spits the bait out more times than not. i like to reel down and leave just a little slack in the line, not enough to mess up a hookset but enough to keep the fish from feeling me. this also gives a little more power to your hooksets. imagine me trying to pull a rope out of your hands, if i pull the rope tight before i pull on it then you can hold on better than if i leave a little slack in it and then jerk on the rope. the little slack you leave in a hookset kinda works like that. hope this helps.

This is really good advice, just remember that when you reel down, the average 6.3 to 1 reel brings in 28 inches per turn of the handle. This means that if you drop your tip two feet and turn the handle one revolution the fish is gunna feel you! I would suggest using this method of hookset.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPnRALrRSZQ

[toppwatr]

Thanks for all of the help. I can't wait to try it out again today!

[dodgeguy]

what size hook?what style hook?i generally start with a 3/0 hookerz ewg for a 7 inch power worm.

[ruasoonerfan2]

The right rod is very important also, I use a medium/heavy G-Loomis, lots of backbone and great feel. I fish big worms probally 75% of the time (10" to 12" or bigger) and fish heavy cover, I always embed the hook into the worm, never go through because of the moss, trees, lilypads. I need the worm to be as weedless as possible. When I set the hook I reel down close and really put alot into it, if its a small fish I will throw him over the boat sometimes but if its a hog I've just stuck him hard, and I have to get him up quick to keep him from getting into the cover. I also use spiderwire braiided 50 lb test, again good feel with alot of backbone. 5/0 to 7/0 True-Turn hooks is my favorite (I know they are old School but so am I).

[BigBassin144]

Pretty much what everyone has said.

For hooks, I use a 2/0 for 4' worms, a 4/0 for 7" worms, and a 5/0 for bigger 10 inchers. I use a 3/0 for shorter, but thicker baits like creature baits.

BB

[MrPhotographer06]

idk what all has been written, but i think your getting too antsy.

I always let them hit it once. if they really like it, they'll hit it more than once. so once they start the peck,peck, then yank it.


that always lands them for me.

but dont let them hit it too many times, ususally after the 2nd hit overall, i set it. i dont go all pro-mode on my hooksets, i reel down the line a little on the first hit, and then set after the second and just keep the rod up and reel steady to boat him.

[Willvdh1]

Good tip Bassboss. I have always been told to set the hook immediately, I didn't realize that you needed to let it run a little longer on the soft platics. I'll defintely be keeping that in mind next t-rig I set up.