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Posts: 7
| When you get the chance to set the hook do you have a preference in which direction to set it. A buddy and I were having a this discussion and im curious what others think. |
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Posts: 1203
Location: Walker, MN | Across your body, more power and control. |
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Posts: 1196
| Yup across the body once of it fells good and hard twice or more if not and three times on a Bulldawg. |
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Posts: 357
| best hooked fish in my boat are from new people just keep reeling until they basically cant |
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Posts: 36
Location: Kansas City MO | The way I was taught was to try to rip their head off! HaHaHa |
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Posts: 330
Location: SE Wisc | Sharp hooks are what’s really important. Sharpen all hooks out of the package every time and touch them up when needed. I typically set the hook firm one time, I only set again if for some reason(gut instinct) I didn’t like the first, but if you have needle sharp hooks the fish usually hook themselves. I see way too many fish pics of fish with damaged mouths/ripped jaws so I don’t believe you need to set that hard if your hooks are as they should be. |
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Location: PA Angler | I guess for me it’s how I’m reeling in. Straight up mostly. All I know is fast and as hard as you can. |
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Posts: 36
Location: Kansas City MO | Ciscokid82 - 9/6/2022 8:58 PM
Sharp hooks are what’s really important. Sharpen all hooks out of the package every time and touch them up when needed. I typically set the hook firm one time, I only set again if for some reason(gut instinct) I didn’t like the first, but if you have needle sharp hooks the fish usually hook themselves. I see way too many fish pics of fish with damaged mouths/ripped jaws so I don’t believe you need to set that hard if your hooks are as they should be.
I agree that sharp hooks are important but feel like damaged fish are primarily a result of not cutting the hooks on fish that are hooked to well or too deep. If you don't have cutters and spare hooks in the boat, you are doing it wrong! |
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Posts: 32800
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Hookset comes from energy transmitted from the flexing rod down the line to the fish. Anything else is more of a 'pull' and not real efficient in burying the hooks. Most only manage about 1 pound or two, I go for six. The rod is designed to do the job, just get it going in the right direction. The more your arms move away from your body the less you will set the hook. More hookset power by a long shot using your wrists.
A test, fill a bucket with water, tie off to it, get a casting distance away, and try to flip it totally over. Not pull it over, flip it. |
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Posts: 3783
| Don't forget to make sure your drag system is at peak performance and cranked up very firm for the first and second hook sets. Then be ready to reduce the drag to let the fish run is big or boatside and especially when both big and boatside. (You can also set the hook and then hit freespool and then thumb the spool as you release line, but that's a little tricky because you have to provide a tiny moment of slack just as you release the spool tension.)
Back in the day there was a hand-held electronic bass fishing game. The only way to hook the very biggest bass was to cast out 100% and then, during the fight, repeatedly reduce and increase the drag tension. It was a terrific training tool. |
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Posts: 1196
| Strong core muscles = strong hook sets! I am thin boned and I own lots of things to build my forearms in my younger days I could put fore finger and thumb around my wrist and thumb would be on top of whole fingernail now I can't touch by 1/4- 1/2 inch. Working out works.
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