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Posts: 132
| I was fishing this past weekend, using a mepps musky killer with a trailer hook i added. I was coming to the end of my retrieve, made an L turn, saw a flash down a few feet, so i went into a figure 8. the fish came up and followed closely for a good 2 or 3 full 8's then as I was going right to left the fish kicked forward and grabbed the lure. After about 4 seconds of head shakes he tossed the hook...
I have heard that when the fish hits you should set the hook opposite the direction that the fish is going. In the example above I should have set the hook to the right. I did not do this, i set the hook to the left and kept the line tight. I didn't pull the hook from the fish though. My question is should you set the hook, with the fish, against the fish, or straight up? I know that with the fish so close, and so little line out, you are going to lose some fish, but what is the best way to handle the situation?
Thanks,
Dirt |
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Posts: 87
Location: Minnesota Metro | I personally try to set the hook up and back into the fish, but I know there are times where that's just not possible because of positioning. If I can't back and up then I just go straight up and have had good success doing that as well. |
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Posts: 1296
Location: WI | If it's at my feet I set straight up, if I can see the fish I set towards the tail. Sometimes they shake off, a loose drag or thumbing the spool helps with that. |
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| From my understanding the goal of the hookset when your close to the is to try and get the hook in the corner of the mouth. The reason for this is that it is very difficult to bury a good hook in the roof if a Muskies mouth. One video that is has very good info is focus on the eights by redfin outdoors (have no affiation with them just own the video) and one if the tips is to always pull the rod back towards your body on the hookset. I believe Greg Thomas says this not to sure though. |
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Posts: 156
| One other thing is to make sure your hooks are _SHARP_. If you don't already have a hook file pick one up for sure, and check you hooks often. Sometimes luck determines where the hook goes and you can't help that, but you can always make sure it digs in as deep as possible by getting them razor sharp. |
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| I always try and go back over the fishes head.
I am kind of picky when it comes to boat side hook sets. Especially when my body and rod are out of position. Rather than loose a fish that is willing to eat I have let them drop the lure because my 8's or circles had gotten distorted trying to entice a fish that's just going round and round that I was way out of position to set the hook. I must add that that's usually only when the fish doesn't get a mouth full of trebles just grabs it's with the tip of there beak. |
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Posts: 50
| I use 100 lb power pro, and I rip the hooks righ back into the fish, then back the drag off a bit. The Big Dawg helps. I'm a big guy 6'4 240, and I usually end up cutting the hooks. |
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Posts: 1061
Location: Medford, WI | I'm going against the grain here...my best luck is to set the hook "forward" (meaning whichever way the bait is moving). Debated this a lot in my mind and with others and in my mind it just makes the most sense because that's the way the hook-points are facing and your not turning or spinning the hooks before burying them. Visualizing setting the hooks back into the fish makes me picture the hooks having to completely turn around as you're bringing the front of the bait the opposite way. I don't have all that much experience with hook-ups this way, but for the number I have had, setting forward has been my best bet. I like this way because it minimizes slack line which is the biggest reason for fish getting off when they hit that close to the boat.
I would guess that most will disagree with me but just wanted to throw this out there.
-Jake |
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Posts: 208
| I've always set the hook in the direction the fish is traveling at a downward angle and my second move is to walk the fish in the direction i set the hook which helps keep tension and control of the fish.
Just me! |
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Posts: 30
| I tend to agree with the last two responses. I continue the figure 8 through the 'set'. Sometimes they nip but don't find a hook, or they bump it with their chin...I've always feared pulling the lure away from a fish that hasn't actually bit. |
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Posts: 229
Location: Plover, WI | When you're reeling your lure in to the boat after a cast, and a muskie comes up from behind to take it, do you set the hook back into the fish. Kind of impossible when the fish is 20 feet out. Too much is happening at that moment to stop and think" which way should I set the hook". Just do the best you can. |
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Posts: 132
| Thats an interesting comment about the fish hitting on a regular cast 20 feet out.... I would have to say the best way to set the hook would have to be in the same direction as the fish and slightly up... the same as if you were setting the hooks on a "regular" hook set, driving the points of the hooks up into the snout. The most important part IMO would be the "up" part of the hook set, a straight pull away from the fish could just send the hooks into the teeth and let him shake the hook. |
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Posts: 540
| there's people on here that have caught alot more fish on the 8 then me but I followed the crowd and I remember the first time a fish ate for me on the 8 I set it back across her body and she thrashed and got off, now since that happened from that day I have never set it back across there body and I have more fish in the bag than got off for me on the 8, I just kinda go with it I guess and do the best I can but I dont think I will set across the body again! it could have been just coincidence that fish got off but I guess it never made sense for me either to rip the hooks away from where there at already! |
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Posts: 50
| I don't think there is a correct answer. Different fish require different hook sets. Be versatile and don't limit yourself to one way. I actually boated one today on the 8. |
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Posts: 3913
| I should follow the example of most wise guys and just shut uo, I suppose. But anyway..
Learn to do your 8's without relying on your vision because in many cases you won't be able to see following fish anyway. Learn to do it blind. How you'll set the hook will become self-evident.
Use the force. |
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| I always set the hook straight back in an upward motion this usually will hook the fish in the corner of the mouth and most of the time they stay hooked. But the biggest mistake that people make is that they are not in free spool when they set the hook because step 2 is to thumb the spool and let them run 10 feet or so from the boat. I always click my thumb bar as going into the first turn of the eight and keep my thumb on the spool. This way your ready for your next cast or playing the fish
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Posts: 574
| I try going back into the fish... In the dark, just I just set the opposite direction I was moving the bait.. My 3 largest fish so far this year have come on the 8...
Get a copy of "Focous on the 8" Its what got me rethinking how I set the hook.. Has a bunch of guides showing how they do their 8s... Fairly entertaining too.
Good luck |
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| I set towards the tail, but not straight back. I almost draw a semi-circle with the rod towards the tail with my rod so I don't lose any pressure on the hook points through the set. This almost always results in a hook in the corner of the mouth. A bonus is that you are then steering the fish with your rod already, helping to keep her under control. IMO you will get a wildly thrashing fish if you try to set upwards resulting in shaken hooks and cuss words. |
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