Just wanting to get others thoughts on the hook set. I basically have three hook sets, sweeping motion for hard baits, tight line and lift for drop shot and lean into it tighten the line and violently try and rip there lips off for plastics, not saying it right that's just the way my dad taught me. My partner pretty much sweep hooks every thing, I've seen him lose fish if he doesn't keep constant pressure on the fish. I'm not saying I don't lose fish my way but was just wondering what you experienced guys philosophy is when it comes to setting the hook.

+1 I completely agree with you

I often do the drop step and try and break my rod on plastics

My drop shot is the same as you. but everything else i take my foot off the trolling motor and try and rip their jaw off

well besides crank, i usually just give it a short side jerk and reel like hell

Good discussion here:

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/10773306/1

Rocket propelled Bass lol

Set it hard and leave no doubt.

Depends on rod, line type, & how much line I have out, but try to err on the side of crossing their eyes!!

Hook sets are free! Rip it like you are on camera every time and have a huge one on the line!

i rip there face!

ive noticed with todays sharp hooks, especially the heavy wire with flat sides to a point, it doesnt take as much to get a good hook set. for me, when I over do it I actually lose more fish because alot of todays hooks make a big hole. they are so sharp they dont take as much. this is what works me at least.
also, Im not saying dont set the hook, I just dont set it like I used to. and I dont wear pink either.

I'm a firm believer in a "good hook set", but I think people watch too many fishing shows.....The exaggerated OVER BEARING, MONSTER, SUPER-DUPER, SPEED OF LIGHT, BREAK YOUR WRIST, CROSS THEIR EYES MANLY hook-set is over emphasized. I think some people set in the wrong direction too, and actually help rip, or pull away from the fish. It can be different for different types of baits too............I once read a booked called "FISHERMAN'S GUIDE TO LIFE". The book is full of meaningful axioms, and "points" that relate "real life" and use fishing to get their "point" across. One of the things I remembered in the book was the following, "No matter how good a man gets at fishing, he will NEVER land every fish he hooks".

All this talk of hook sets is getting me fired up, at the rate it is raining, maybe I'll attach my line to my 100 lb golden's collar and throw a ball to see if I can turn her.

Only lure i really pay attention to hooksets is when using a jig. I have noticed a side-sweep hero style hookset works best due to a jig's weight and weed guard, especially jigs with the bristle style guard. All others I pretty much do just an ordinary firm hookset. Cranks I usually just pull back since the fish I hook tend to hook themselves. Topwater can be tricky sometimes, lost some fish due to an awry hookset and have boated some good ones but really the jig is the only lure I pay attention to detail to.

Yeah, that is pretty much how I do it as well. I will say that in the past few years since switching from mono to fluorocarbon for all my plastics fishing, I have noticed that I do not "have" to set the hook as hard to get a good set with fluoro. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy giving it a hard set though as plastics are about my favorite way to fish because of the hook set, but I am finding that fluoro and a sharp hook that is properly rigged can get the job done without separating a shoulder in the process. If its flippin or heavy cover I bust em' hard and of course that is done to move the fish out of the cover more than just to set the hook. I "reel into" the fish with a drop shot and sweep set treble hook baits. The only exception that I notice is shaky heads. If I use braid and a leader then a pull set works well most of the time, but if I am using fluoro I will set with more of a snap set. I have had a number of bigger fish come off only to find that the hook never cleared the plastic on a pull set. I believe that the bigger fish have a tendency to really grip that shaky head and while the braid will move in their mouth with ease, I think popping the fluoro helps to dislodge the shaky head and poke em' better. You know, bass fisherman and our theories. Good luck.

I must be doing something wrong. I keep crossing my eyes and jerking hard, and I usually hook the bass, but then have some difficulty seeing.

Same same...

I either side sweep everything unless I literally have the rod tip at 11 or 12 then it's straight up, but I reel real fast so the fish is gliding on top the water to me

Nose hook drop shot with super thin wire hooks I just lift the rod and reel quickly. Other than that, I set the hook pretty hard.

Try this to give you an idea of what power you really have on a hookset. Take an old crank bait and remove the hooks or get a casting plug. Tie it on the the line of your favorite rod and hand it to a buddy. Walk out 30 to 50 feet of line and hold the bait in your hand. Have your buddy set the hook while you hold the hookless bait. You will be amazed at how little force is actually applied to your hand. Add the water column into the mix, windy conditions, etc. and it could be less. I was blown away when I was shown and did this. Try it on your cranking set ups, worm set ups, etc to really see what you are doing to the fish on those hooksets.

Snap set..........

I understand this point of view, but it is physics, when holding a crank with no hooks the weight and force is dispersed over a larger area compared to the tip of a hook. What feels like nothing over a few inches of surface area can feel like a lot over less than a millimeter of surface area

^^what he said

Well then have your friend tie a hook to the line and repeat that same experiment. Then you will know the full force of the hook set.

I hit them hard unless im fishing a drop shot or wacky rig trick worm with a small hook.

Adding a hook will not change the force of the hook set...

Its become so normal for me to jump while I set the hook. For crankbaits and square bills I will do a firm side sweep and keep pressure on it. When I fish with frogs I usually do the same with plastics but I like to bring my rod tip straight up and keep as much pressure as I can. For a jig bit I like to do a hard side sweep hook set. When I get bit off guard I usually take a step back quickly to try to eliminate slack and then set the hook in any direction that feels the best.

I did not say to add a hook. I said to tie a hook on the line, meaning instead of a crank with no hooks since the comment was that the force is distributed over a larger surface on the crank vs the tip of a hook so it feels different. I also never said that it will change the force of the hook set either.

No its wont change the force, it will just be applied over a smaller surface area, think about PSI

with that being said, I cross their eyes. But, I match line strength to my rod and drag

Someone mentioned taking a step back or two before setting the hook to help reduce slack. Awesome tip! Gonna have to try that one out.

Taking the time to step back a step or two before setting the hook may backfire as you could be LATE setting the hook by time to move a step or two - or go off the other side of the boat before you get a chance to set it.

90 degree rule And sharp hooks. I feel sharp hooks are the key.

Years ago, for a Texas rig, we used to bury the hook in a fairly hard plastic worm. The only way to pull the hook through the worm and into the fish's mouth was with a cross-the-eyes hook set. Things have changed. Today, we more often pull a sharp offset or offset EWG hook all the way through the worm and skin hook the point to make it weedless. With this set-up, the hook can be set by leaving a little slack in the line and sharply jerking the rod straight up. With a Carolina rig, the hook is often rigged in the worm the same as described for a Texas rig, again avoiding the need to pull the hook through the worm on a hook set. To take up more slack in the line, however, a sweeping hook set works best. For the drop-shot, with the small and sharp exposed little hook, a lift and wind is all that is needed. My two cents.