My crankbait landing percentage is all over the place. One trip I might push 90% the next trip I'm down around 50%. Anybody have any tips for keeping treble hooked fish on long enough to get them to the boat?

you know its right when they choke it, if they swat or barely get it then change up something. color, speed etc.

KVD short-shanked triple grips when they're choking it. Regular long shanked round bends when they're not. I lose very few crankbait fish.

Easy sweeping hook set, low rod tip, don't horse down the drag, medium to medium-heavy action rod with a medium tip) and steady retrieve for returning fish to the boat. Don't let let them jump if you can control it. If you can see they aren't hooked well, lay off of the retrieve slightly while keeping rod pressure on (point the rod ever so slightly toward the fish), let them take a little of your lightly set drag and re-sweep your hook set lightly.

Good advice above^^^^^^^

If they are still able to jump, reel and lower the rod tip to put more pressure on the fish.

Must give credit to Mr. Thad Rains for his advice that helped me:

When fishing crank baits, I now loosen the reel's drag quite a bit (loosened to the point where a 3lb bass could pull some drag). I was having a problem pulling crankbaits from lips when the bass wasn't hooked well.

12-15lb McCoy's Mean Green--made a significant difference when I switched to Mean Green (just the right amount of stretch) from Trilene Big Game (too stretchy).

Thanks collingcountytx.

I have had great success using the method mentioned above. If you back the drag off (tighten as necessary when you get big fish on) so a 3 lber can pull a little drag. That way you don't rip the hooks out. Don't horse the fish, just play them out. A GOOD hooking sweep set is also a must. When I was guiding, most people didn't set the hook and I would instruct them to SET THE HOOK, because it takes a good hook set to get the trebles into the fishes mouth. Hope this helps.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Look at the size treble hooks are now. They have gotten bigger in the last several years. It takes more to get them to penetrate. I have went to slightly stiffer rods the last couple of years to help drive the hooks in on hook set and I adjust the drag when they get closer to the boat.

went fishing on Bastrop Tuesday and wasn't getting bite then I tied on a natural shad color SK rattletrap and started getting bite burning the lure back over grass reaction bites , missed the first 5 fish came off at the boat, using a 7 ft.MH rod with 17lb mono on it, I retied the lure on a rod with 17lb flouro line and 7 ft MH rod I didn't miss another one, caught about 5 in a row. just saying I think the stretch in the line has a lot to do with hook ups. On a side note I just got through changing about 20 crank baits ( SK 1/2 oz red eye shads) over to KVD Triple grips #4's.

Good hooks is #1. #2 I think is setting the hook. A lot of guys just pull to the side with a crankbait bite, I was fishing with a guide on Fork who told me that was really bad. He kept hammering the point SET THE HOOK on those fish, crankbait or not. I've been losing WAY fewer crankbait fish since that day.

The right rod is number one by far. Hooks next. Triple grips one size larger than stock.
The right rod you don't need a big hook set just a sweep keep the rod low at all times.
If bouncing of rockets and wood sharpen the hooks often.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll try to put some of it in practice this weekend!