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Setting the hook
#11583674
05/05/16 12:44 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
I may not be setting the hook fast enough because half or more of the fish I catch are hooked pretty deep in the mouth, making it difficult to remove the cricket hooks I use. Do you jerk fast at the slightest feel of a fish?
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11584075
05/05/16 03:01 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,738
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,738 |
I do a lot of line watching after a cast. Once I see it start tightening up I set the hook. Fishing for sunfish I usually do not set the hook with a strong hook set. I usually use a medium to light hook set. I also set the hook when I feel the slightest bite. Make sure your line is tight. The more you fish the better you will get. Side Note: Also the aggressiveness of the bite plays a huge factor in the hook set. If the fish are aggressive a light hook set usually works good. If they are not aggressive and are barley biting the bait you really need to play the feel. Just my two cents.
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11584278
05/05/16 09:40 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
Thanks for that information Banker. When they are aggressive, I usually do not have a problem getting a hook set in the lip. It is when they are not aggressive that I usually wait a couple of seconds, for fear of missing them, and wind up deep in the mouth. Also, I fish around and in a lot of hydrilla, and that may make it a little harder at times. Haven't quite figured it out, but hate it when the hook is buried deep. I have started mashing my barb down to make it easier to remove the hook. Only problem with that is that the worm doesn't stay on the hook as well.
Oh well, there is always something needing improvement, but it's all fun. Thanks again.
Last edited by fish 'till I drop; 05/05/16 09:42 AM.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11584303
05/05/16 10:59 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,738
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,738 |
Fishing in weed beds does make it difficult even when using a float. The only thing anyone can do is just do the best they can. I looses most of my fish fishing in heavy weed beds. It is a challenge for sure.
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11584484
05/05/16 01:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 17,610
Gitter Done
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 17,610 |
I do not fish for sunfish but have caught a lot of them fishing for other species. All of the sunfish I catch are usually hooked by a smi-strong hook set. I usually target bigger fish and have always used a strong hook set.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11584549
05/05/16 01:33 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,563
J-Moe
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,563 |
I may not be setting the hook fast enough because half or more of the fish I catch are hooked pretty deep in the mouth, making it difficult to remove the cricket hooks I use. Do you jerk fast at the slightest feel of a fish? I had the same issues when I first started using worms and conventional gear. Ultralight gear to help you feel the bite better and watching line movement like Chuck said helps a lot. I learned you just have to be more focused and quicker setting the hook. Similar to that, if I am fishing with a small popper I don't have a chance of hooking these fish unless I am focused, keep my fly line tight and make a quick strip set. As far as setting the hook I only know one way. Hard and fast. Bluegill often come flying by my head. That's what you call perch jerking
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585226
05/05/16 06:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 12,094
Urban Fisher
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 12,094 |
That is a good question. I too ran into that a lot. Hated hurting or killing fish just for the fun of catching them. Now I do set the hook as soon as I feel anything. I feel it's better to lose a fish than kill one. As J-Moe mentioned...with this technique, I have been know to send some gills airborne!! True perch jerking!!
Jane says I've never been in love - no She don't know what it is She only knows if someone wants her
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585373
05/05/16 08:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,073
SoonerDG
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,073 |
Do you have a hook extractor. I'm usually able to get even the gut hooked ones free without injuring them.
"Life is a matter of luck and the odds of success are in no way enhanced by extreme caution." - Erich Topp, German U-boat Commander, 1943.
When in doubt, set the hook.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585438
05/05/16 08:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
Thanks for the replies, appreciate your feedback. I always get the hook out without killing the fish, but it is not easy and it takes time that I had naturally rather use fishing. i will work on a faster hookset and if that doesn't pretty well solve the problem I will totally switch to barbless hooks.
Last edited by fish 'till I drop; 05/05/16 08:32 PM.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585492
05/05/16 08:46 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,563
J-Moe
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,563 |
I mash down the barbs on all my hooks before I tie a fly. The chance of killing the fish is drastically reduced. Also, I've had to pull hooks out my thumb on more than one occasion. If it ain't barbless I usually have to use my pliers and rip a big hole in my thumb pulling it out.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585579
05/05/16 09:09 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
J-Moe, when I use artificial baits, I always mash the barbs down like you do. i actually prefer fishing barbless for several reasons. But when I'm fishing with live worms, the chunk of worm slides off the hook easily and I sometimes wind up fishing with a bare hook, so that is the issue. i enjoy thinking and talking about subtle little things like this, related to fishing, to see if others do, or have had, the same issues. I appreciate the exchange with you.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585627
05/05/16 09:33 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 869
larry mays
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 869 |
On all of the sun fish use a fast hook set. Not hard but fast.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11585651
05/05/16 09:44 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
Thanks Larry. I'm going to start doing that. Wanting to be sure they have the hook in their mouth, I have been waiting a couple of seconds at times. That has probably been my bad.
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11586261
05/06/16 02:54 AM
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 298
charlief1
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 298 |
Why not try a bait gripper hook? It's not hard to snell them your self and the barb can be bent and you still have a couple of barbs on the body of the hook to hold the bait.
I'm on other forums that deal with the old turbo powered Buicks.;)
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Re: Setting the hook
[Re: SlowDown]
#11586431
05/06/16 09:52 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286
SlowDown
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,286 |
Charlie, I used those hooks at one time. I switched to the cricket hooks because, with the longer shank, they are easier to remove. I never tried fishing them barbless, however, so I may give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion. To keep from burying up in grass//hydrilla and that black gook that is on bottom in a lot of places, I use a dropshot rig. For that I tie the hook with a palamor knot, rather than a snell, but the type knot used with a bait keeper hook makes no difference as far as I know. Would be nice if the hook makers made a bait keeper cricket hook wouldn't it?
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