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Q:
Me and a fishing buddy have an on going debate. He swears by leaving slack in your line and waiting till it goes tight to set the hook. I set mine tight and when my pole moves I pull it in a few inches by hand then let them take is slowly setting the hook just as it reaches its max. I like my method because if the fish brings the bait in I can tell, and he can't. . . how do you bring in the hoggs and whose method is the best?
Question by mop4pom. Uploaded on September 28, 2009
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Answers (12)
I leave my line with slack. If a fish takes it the line will go tight, then if I wanted to I can set the hook with a tug if he does not take it right away.
lol, i don't really know what i do. It is just a natural feeling to set the hook. I think I just wait until it is somewhat tight and then set it.
it depend on what bait you are using really with crankbaits-spinnerbaits-buzzbaits and so on the line is tight 90 percent of the time but with rubber worms if you are working them slow there is alot of slack in the line at some point and your bass will sometimes pick them up when the line is slack so if you start to see your line make a run when the fish has picked it up let it run until the line gets tight before you set the hook
but if your bottom fishing for catfish and what not i like to have the line tight enough to bend the rod tip alittle
If I am catfishing on the bottom I try to keep my line tight.
Too many fish will mouth the bait and either steal it or feel the hook and drop it on a slack line. You can give some line before the hook-set if you're missing fish.
Pretty subjective. Depends on the fish, the bait, the presentation/technique, even the time of year in some cases. Some fish strike much differently than others, some are picky and just barely slurp it, some crush it, some have hard mouths, some have soft mouths, etc.
For bass your method is best for detecting bass sooner. A bass can pick up and spit out a lure with little or no line movement sometimes, a tighter line makes it easier to feel this then watching slack. I have thown worms out and watched the line zip at a 90 as soon as the worm hit bottom, but these visuals are few and far between. For big bass and worm/bottom fishing I like a heavy fluorocarbon (Fast to sink and invisable to fish), a texas rigged worm or jig. I'll work these in and around brush and vegetation, setting the hook hard and fast at the first line wiggle, thump, movement.
Lately, I have been using circle hooks with a tight line. When they tug the line, I start reeling and don't set the hook. I am getting about twice the number of hookups and almost always have the hook in the lip rather than down the gut or in the gills. I started this so I don't injure the fish for catch release or slot limit fishing but am now using it for almost all bait fishing because of the improved number of hookups. The circle hooks really do make a difference.
What type of fish are we talking about catching here? That makes a differenc in my mind.
Another factor, especially when bass fishing, is the type of bait involved.
In general I believe that live bait should be fished with a small amount of tension on the line. This reduces the risk of severe hook swallowing.
For artificial baits with bass that involve bouncing the bottom, I usually either keep tension, or put a very slight sag in the line. I especially use the alternating tension/slack technique when working a drop-shot rig.
Its catfishing. . . both river and lakes
For me slack line equals swallowing the hook, which is find if you are keeping fish. If you plan on releasing any fish keep the line tight.
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it depend on what bait you are using really with crankbaits-spinnerbaits-buzzbaits and so on the line is tight 90 percent of the time but with rubber worms if you are working them slow there is alot of slack in the line at some point and your bass will sometimes pick them up when the line is slack so if you start to see your line make a run when the fish has picked it up let it run until the line gets tight before you set the hook
Pretty subjective. Depends on the fish, the bait, the presentation/technique, even the time of year in some cases. Some fish strike much differently than others, some are picky and just barely slurp it, some crush it, some have hard mouths, some have soft mouths, etc.
For me slack line equals swallowing the hook, which is find if you are keeping fish. If you plan on releasing any fish keep the line tight.
I leave my line with slack. If a fish takes it the line will go tight, then if I wanted to I can set the hook with a tug if he does not take it right away.
lol, i don't really know what i do. It is just a natural feeling to set the hook. I think I just wait until it is somewhat tight and then set it.
but if your bottom fishing for catfish and what not i like to have the line tight enough to bend the rod tip alittle
If I am catfishing on the bottom I try to keep my line tight.
Too many fish will mouth the bait and either steal it or feel the hook and drop it on a slack line. You can give some line before the hook-set if you're missing fish.
For bass your method is best for detecting bass sooner. A bass can pick up and spit out a lure with little or no line movement sometimes, a tighter line makes it easier to feel this then watching slack. I have thown worms out and watched the line zip at a 90 as soon as the worm hit bottom, but these visuals are few and far between. For big bass and worm/bottom fishing I like a heavy fluorocarbon (Fast to sink and invisable to fish), a texas rigged worm or jig. I'll work these in and around brush and vegetation, setting the hook hard and fast at the first line wiggle, thump, movement.
Lately, I have been using circle hooks with a tight line. When they tug the line, I start reeling and don't set the hook. I am getting about twice the number of hookups and almost always have the hook in the lip rather than down the gut or in the gills. I started this so I don't injure the fish for catch release or slot limit fishing but am now using it for almost all bait fishing because of the improved number of hookups. The circle hooks really do make a difference.
What type of fish are we talking about catching here? That makes a differenc in my mind.
Another factor, especially when bass fishing, is the type of bait involved.
In general I believe that live bait should be fished with a small amount of tension on the line. This reduces the risk of severe hook swallowing.
For artificial baits with bass that involve bouncing the bottom, I usually either keep tension, or put a very slight sag in the line. I especially use the alternating tension/slack technique when working a drop-shot rig.
Its catfishing. . . both river and lakes
Post an Answer