When to set

[MrPhotographer06]

on a plastic t-rigged worm how do you know when its stuck and when to set.. i havent had but one run away with a plastic worm yet and i didnt set so he got away

[islandbass]

If you hit a snag, there will not be any more feedback to you.

If it's a fish, you might feel more twitching or feedback after the initial thump. Or the line might start moving. Start reeling up the slack!

The hardest type to detect is if the bite on but swim toward you. Reel up to get tension on the line so that get feedback. When you reel up the slack, to "feel" it, set the hook.

Remember, when it doubt, set the hook. With some fish, it might feel like you've snagged until they start to move. If you didn't set the hook and they move, your chances at that point are slimmer than my waistline.

[zooker]

Originally Posted by islandbass

Remember, when it doubt, set the hook. With some fish, it might feel like you've snagged until they start to move. If you didn't set the hook and they move, your chances at that point are slimmer than my waistline.

i agree when in dout set the hook...come on now island your waist line??... -fyi island is a short, round guy-


zooker

[stevomac59]

I experienced my "SETting" mood this past weekend, it feels as if it got stuck, but you feelsome sort of movement along with that resistance.

If your fishing a worm, you will most likely have much slack on your line. Next time you fish plastic worms... look at the line, if the line "darts" off in any direction, set the hook, if the line seems like it has MORE slack than it did before...set the hook.

Basically, if you feel any obscurity while fishin' a lure... you most likely have a fish on...


Hope this helped!


-stevo

[MrPhotographer06]

i feel like it snags all the time.. i guess i have had fish bite lol

[tpttooter946]

I use a Shakespeare pro-am light rod. This helps me feel the fish better on the end. I have had no problem setting hooks either.

A bass bite on a plastic bait will shudder with short quick jerks. If you feel snag, like Stevo said, reel in slowly to see. Dont put much tension on the line or you will alert the fish that he has something other than food. You wanna make sure the fish has the entire thing in its mouth so you dont yank it out of the fishes mouth when setting and retrieving the line.

A good technique to use is if you feel anything out of the ordinary, stop reeling in and allow slack in the line. Watch the line. Don't move your body or anything. If there is a fish, 90% of the time you will have movement in the line, whether it be to the side or away from you. That other ten percent seems to be when you reel and the fish is moving toward you at the same speed. The longer you wait to set the hook, though, the more apt you are to deep hook a fish. I fish a private pond and keep and eat mine so its not as big of a deal for me. Catch and release is harder though with that in mind.

[3dkicker]

MrPhoto - sneek into your neighbors back yard, throw a lounge chair into the pool, and then cast your worm out and drag it up over the chair. Do this a couple times and get used to how it feels when the weight hits the cover. Then dump a bunch of their ornamental rocks into the pool. Hop your bait through them like before. Pay attention to how that feels. Continue to drop as much into the pool that is on the deck until you get the idea or the cops show up and bust you.
Or find someplace with clear water and drag your bait over the cover that you find. Get accustomed to how things normally feel. Then when you go fishing set the hook when things become "abby normal". You better know that quote!

[brushhog]

Hook sets are free... Set it!

[bassnman30]

If you think that it's a bream set the hook. Too many times I've had bass hit the bait and just barely touch it or "machine" gun the bait.
Like brushhog said hook sets are free.

[MrPhotographer06]

frankenstien! and my dad wasted 100 bucks on a 12ft easy set pool.. so i'll try it lol

[MississippiBoy]

Might not want to drop in those rocks...get wet and set them on the bottom so you don't cause any damage. And make sure the hook doesn't get exposed and snag the liner.

[islandbass]

Originally Posted by zooker

i agree when in dout set the hook...come on now island your waist line??... -fyi island is a short, round guy-


zooker

Yep! I got a 33" waist. failure to make hook set = slim chance, slimmer than my waist.

[bothomas]

if you really want to learn, come fish with MB and myself. I bet we put 20 in the boat in about an hour and they were all off lizards. They were pecking, swimming, slamming, you name it. Seriously, I think the best way is go were you know there are fish, and learn the feel. Once you learn it, and you know what your lure feels like on whatever structure your fishing you will always know it. And yes, most hooksets are free.

[MrPhotographer06]

so your saying.. just when it doubt set it... so if its not oh well if it is your doin good! going in the moring to Latimers.. owner said he caught a 12lber ..

[BigBassin144]

Sound like a fish story to me. It may have been a big un, but without seeing it, I wouldn't believe it. But thats just me.

As for setting the hook, Setting it when you feel something is not always the best way. When fishing at guntersville, we were fishing these vines and the fish were right on the edges. If you felt a vine, and set the hook, you'd end up pulling the bait out of the strike zone. Here what I do. If you think you have a bite, give the fish a bit of slack, if the bite continues, then set the hook. if not, gently pull the bait over the cover trying not to move it too far.

BB

[MrPhotographer06]

well worms didnt work today

well most pond here seem to have non biting fish or leased by hunting clubs.. thinking about joining the club behind my house..

so we (anthony[lazycricket000] and i)decided to hit up latimers off a split second decision to not go to football weightlifting

we went where the guy said he catches the off of purple worms.. and got in about 7 which was wayy to late and started with a pop-r.. threw it about 5 times.. and

took it.. i yanked it almost out his mouth and it was caught in his gills.. but he was in the boat.. then anthony was still caught up on his gamber worms but as soon as i got that one anthony switched to a popper and got this

then about 20 mins later




all off poppers.. so that was about 8:15 and we fished till 9:30 and left

[bamabassman]

great job guys!!! i just love it when the bass are hitting the top water baits. bet it was fun huh? one could tell from the smile.

[BigBassin144]

Awesome guys, just one thing, unless your keeping them, don't keep the fish out of the water too long. And it good you didn't set the on the grass and dirt, but anything can scratch or damage thier slime coat. So catch 'em, unhook 'em, snaps some pics an' throw 'em back.

BB

[MrPhotographer06]

pshhh that aint me lol




this is.. LOL!! hhahah



the other smiley one is anthony (lazycricket000)

but topwater is awesomeeee its just a slow.. not far cast.... then sit 10-15 seconds... then pop 2-3 times and then sit for about 3 seconds..pop again

[MrPhotographer06]

i know what it feels like to have one on a plastic worm.. i just cant set it deep enough with 3/0 hooks..might try a 2/0 next time.. had 3 on today one next to the boat but he came off..

[bothomas]

Don't know if I would go smaller. 3/0 is as low as I go. If your getting them to the boat then you got the hook set o.k. Maybe you need a little more work on landing the fish. Maybe just bad luck ( Hope not, nothing you can do about that ). Just make sure to keep a pull on the fish the whole time..............Oh and buy a net! lol

[MrPhotographer06]

haha.. i ment to say 4/0.. BIGGER

but yeah i need a net.. but in an aluminum johnboat its hard to net a fish and be quiet.. thats why i want to wood floor our new/old boat missing 3 fish cant be bad luck..just bad hooks haha.. and one flapping on the side of the boat cant be good..

[bothomas]

Don't worry about the flapping on the side of the boat. For all we know that sounds like a dinner bell to fish.............haha..............maybe not though............better get a net or bigger hooks! lol

[BigBassin144]

I think your problem may be a rod that is too light. I use a M power rod and do miss a few. IMO, MH is the way to go for plastics. Also is your using mono, it'll stretch and may cause you to be losing fish. I use fluoro or braid for plastics. Also, if you're using cheap hooks, switch. I like Gamakatsu, but I've been using Owner hooks lately and I think I like them better, even though the diameter of hte hook is quite a bit larger. Eagle Claw and Mustad are also good brands and been around for a long time. Try different ones till you find what you like.

BB

[MrPhotographer06]

Eagle Claw...red .. MH Rod on Cajun 10.. i'm considering buying braid for my MH rod... i'm also considering buying a new rod.. bit me the other day when anthony bought his quantum rod. and abu cardinal 102.. i thinnk its time for a new rod and reel but also i'm running out of tackle space and everything else.. lol when i turn 16 (jun 30th) i'm deff. looking for a job! and a truck