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| Just started throwing Magnum bulldogs and all the fish are hitting on the pause and I am having trouble getting the slack out of the line fast enough to get a good hook set. I'm using a Calcutta 401te. Should I get a reel with a higher gear ratio to pick up the line faster? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! |
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Posts: 175
Location: Tonka, MN | Nope. I use a TE with a power handle. It's just the nature of the beast. Just be cognizant of the slack in your line and you should be fine. |
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Posts: 1184
Location: Iowa Great Lakes | I use a Calcutta 400 on a 9' rod, the long rod allows me to pick up slack fast.... |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Longer rod for sure and reel in line as you jerk/as the bait is falling. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | When dealing with rubber baits you have plenty of time to set the hook and with 99% of hits coming on the pause between pulls you need to be ready to set the hook on every pull. More consistent hook-ups will come if you practice being in position to set the hook on each pull instead of just going through the motions of rip and reel. |
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| Thanks for the tips,,so when you feel the fish hit the bait after the pause do you take the time to turn the reel handle a few extra times to take out all the slack before you set it? That's what I've been trying to do but it seems like I'm losing most of the fish before I can get to the hook set, maybe it's just the way it goes with these baits but I'm really enjoying throwing them.....do you guys hook most of the fish that hit? |
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Posts: 1141
Location: NorthCentral WI | Maintain controlled slack and slam the hooks as soon as you feel a hit. |
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Posts: 175
Location: Tonka, MN | MartinTD - 10/9/2013 7:42 PM
Maintain controlled slack and slam the hooks as soon as you feel a hit.
Exactly. |
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Posts: 1760
Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | Don't just wait till you feel a hit. Set the hook anytime you feel slack line also. Hook sets are fee free.:-)
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Posts: 291
Location: New Jersey | try cutting the top hook off. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I use a tranx hg picks up slack line big time |
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Posts: 559
| keep contact with the bait no slack,reel down after jeck any thing odd is a strike |
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Posts: 72
| You DONT have plenty of time to set the hook with rubber. Like the other guys said set the hook any time you feel the slightest tap or bump. These baits are soft, sometimes even with a good hookset you will miss a fish because the bait will not move in their mouth . That's just part of the game. |
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Posts: 246
| Sometimes they just grab the tail. |
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Location: sneaking out to get on the water ;-) | As mentioned set the hook anytime something is odd or sligghtest bump. Sometimes it will feel like you just got extra slack set then too. Yes a high speed reel will help. I use both my toro hs and NaCl hs for rubber. |
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| muskyhunter34 - 10/22/2013 5:40 PM
try cutting the top hook off. |
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Posts: 162
Location: Chicago, IL | Just the nature of the beast with big soft plastics. It can be frustrating but at least you're getting bit. I always try to set the hook straight up. |
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Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | JOHN FALLON - 10/22/2013 7:20 PM
You DONT have plenty of time to set the hook with rubber. Like the other guys said set the hook any time you feel the slightest tap or bump. These baits are soft, sometimes even with a good hookset you will miss a fish because the bait will not move in their mouth . That's just part of the game.
I think you have a lot more time to set than with any other lure. Muskies don't let go of Dawgs, because they feel more like real prey. A 10" Jake? Not so much... I've had it before where I felt a strange bump, set the hook with nothing there. Only, there WAS something there, but the fish must've hit the Dawg and came straight at me. So, my hookset was just taking up 8' of slack line. 3 seconds later, the muskie came swimming under my boat with the Dawg T-boned. Hooks just dangling out of its mouth. I set back into the fish, and got her. |
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bulldog question