FS Digest

Hi. I’m totally new to bass fishing and although I’ve caught plenty of fish using lures I have yet to land a fish on any kind of soft plastic. This weekend I was throwing a senko Texas rigged on a bunch a different hook sizes 2/0 to 5/0 including some EWG hooks both weightless and weighted. I got tons of bites and hooked up on at least 10 fish but they would come unhooked after three or four turns of the reel. Am I not setting the hook hard enough, setting the hook prematurely, or do I just stink and the fish hate me and don’t feel like getting caught?

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by JRinehartSTL

FS Digest

When you say “they come off after a few cranks of the handle”, it makes me think you are not using the rod to fight the fish, but are just trying to crank them in. It’s that’s what you are doing then it’s like a combo of not getting a solid hookset and not letting the rod do it’s thing and keep the pressure on.

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by 5uper5kunk

FS Digest

Hmm, okay. I hadn’t really considered that. Thanks.

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by JRinehartSTL

FS Digest

I have a weak hookset, too, so I actually reel down and grab the bottom with my reel hand for a 2 handed set. And like the other guys said, let your rod do it's thing and keep pressure on.

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by Zildjian134

FS Digest

Don't bury the hook all the way into the Sanko poke it all the way out the other side and then just put the tip into the plastic a little bit it should help you out a lot.

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by decalar

FS Digest

If you have a rod with a soft spine and you’re using using mono with a lot of stretch it could be a problem. I have a setup like that for one of my rigs and I have to really set the hook hard when I’m fishing soft plastic on it.

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by tank056049

Raw Dawg Ron Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Sounds like a soft taper rod. Too much flex to set hook solid. Look for a fast taper rod for quick solid hook sets! Soft taper rods fine for trolling where flex is needed but lack in stiff hook sets. Little snap of rod and hooked up or right back to fishing.

wd4ity Loc: Middle Georgia, Forsyth

Could be the drag on your reel is set too low and you aren't holding the spool with your thumb. With the reel engaged to retrieve pull on the line as if you wanted to strip it off the spool like a hooked fish would. If the line pulls off the spool too easily, tighten the drag a bit. Set the drag to just under the breakage point of your line or about 8 pounds.

Try to keep your rod tip high as you reel the fish in. You must keep tension on the line. If the fish gets slack he can spit the hook. But, most importanty, keep fishing. If you're getting bites you have the hard part licked. Good Fishing!

seborf

Try squirting some WD40 on your worm and they should run with it and hold on to it longer so that you can get a decent hook set.

wd4ity Loc: Middle Georgia, Forsyth

I've fished plastic worms for over 50 years and have run into this problem from time to time. It's like the fish grabs the tail of the worm and tries to keep it from getting away. When that starts happening I lower the rod tip as soon as I feel the bite and allow the fish a time to get the entire worm in his mouth. Watch the line for movement as the fish swims away. Then reel in the slack line and SET the hook.

I have used the commercially made "attractant" on the worms as well. It's more environmentally friendly than petroleum based products. I have heard that WD-40 works but I've never used it on my bait. The worms used to come packed with anise oil on them.

seborf

Anise works well too. I get it in the baking section of the grocery. I soak my worms in it. Makes the tackle box smell good too.

edkealer

When I learned to fish soft plastics, ut was from a Cajun down in Bosier City, LA. What he told me about hookset was this: When the fish bites, put about 2-3 feet of slack in your line. When the slack is gone set the hook. When you set the hook, you don't jerk his a** into the boat, you jerk his a** over the boat! I have been using mono for more than 60 years and have not had a hookset problem on bass since I learned from my Cajun friend in LA.

tigger

I believe quickness is better than "hardness." We all hear, "Set the hook hard!" Well, maybe but I am catching more and more Largemouths by trying to get quicker. I think a firm but fast flick of the wrist works best for me. And … make sure you "keep a tight line." Don't allow a lot of slack to build up. Then, when you feel or see something, try and take in ALL of the remaining slack (some slack seems to re-appear....endlessly) and then flick the rod. Don't lower your rod to create "loading up" for power; if you've kept most of the slack out of your line, slowly reel until your line it is straight or until you feel resistance, then a quick flick of the wrist should do it. I've got a good buddy, from Michigan, and he's an experienced fisherman. We fish the lakes of Florida and he hammers me, normally, about three to one. I am gradually closing that gap. Al is a big man and has taught me these real dramatic, shoulder-heaving hook sets, something I'm trying to get away from. Also...I think I am seeing more mouth and lip hook sets. A lot of Al's hook sets are in the throat, hard to remove, and often damaging to the fish. All of it is great fun.

Tigerbeetle Loc: Georgia

I have heard WD-40 works for catching channel catfish. But that is all. Gulp by Berkley is a good attractant. Don't get gasoline, engine oils or other petroleum contaminants on your soft baits, or any baits for that matter. Follow the advise of the Poster above about proper hook placement in soft baits. Sometimes you do have to let the fish move off before setting the hook. Also be aware that sometimes the fish (i.e. bass) will move towards you. The line will go slack. Carefully take up the slack and be prepared to set the hook as soon as you feel the fish. Make sure your hook points are super sharp. Buy good hooks. Keep a hook stone in your tackle box to touch up the hook(s) through the day.

You may very well have an inadequate rod for worm fishing. The fast taper is good. Lots of strength through the butt and middle of the rod, and a fast taper for better casting. Look on the shaft of your rod near the rod seat and you should see the line test recommendations for the rod and type of action.

The drag should be set at 25% of the break strength of your weakest link - generally the leader. Use a fish scale to set it.

Mono will stretch up to 25% after it has been in the water for a while. That is why braid is so popular - no stretch. The diameter is usually less than 25% of the monoline. Look on the braid package and it will give the comparison, e.g. 20 lb. test braid ='s 6 lb. mono diameter. There are many good braids available. I personally use Trilene by Berkley, their new braid looks good, but I haven't bought any yet. My second most favorite is NanoFil. Many fisherman will bottom fill the reel spool with 20 lb. or greater mono about a third or half full, and then properly join the much smaller braid [100 yd.s or whatever you want] and finish filling the spool with braid.

Braid is not sensitive to break down by UV (sun light) like mono. I have braid I have had on reels for 5 years, and it is still good. I cut back 3-4 yards from the tip end of the braid at the beginning of each fishing season, or when I see wear on the tip portion from the abrasion of casting. 20 lb. test is what I use on my general fishing rods. I use 14 on my ultralights (5' & 5 1/2' rods). The leaders are chlorofluorocarbon [15lb on 20 lb. braid & 4-8lb on my ultralights]. Use a blood knot to join the leader to the braid. At least the length of the rod or more. Then in changing lures if you do not use snaps, you are cutting the leader and not the braid. The blood knot runs through the eyes smoothly. I test my blood knot for proper security - tied properly - and then add a small drop of super glue to the knot. I add a drop of super glue to any knot involving a snap or swivel as well.

And one last tip, if you go to braid and follow my leads above, do NOT try to break a snag off by wrapping the braid around your hand. You risk cutting your hands or fingers. Carry a short piece of 1" dowell and put a couple 1/2 hitches on the dowel to break your line.

TB

seborf

I jerked a small one over the boat one time...I had to duck to not get hit in the face.