Setting the hook

[buckfish]

2nd time out muskie fishing i had 3 bites. I set the hook, reeled in a couple cranks and the old shake the head and gone. My question is am i setting the hook hard enough or do i need to really set the hook. i was casting 6" a reef hawg. Two were pretty small but the third was good size. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This muskie fishing is addicting.......

[Parker]

I feel your pain. It happens to all of us. Unfortunately the SOB’s don’t like getting hooked.

It doesn’t sound like your doing anything wrong. The only thing I would suggest is that you make sure your drag is locked down pretty tight so you can drive the hooks home on your hook set.

[buckfish]

To add to the first post. I understand that setting the hook does not gaurantee catching a fish but was wondering if i was missing something some of you pro's do.....

Can't wait to get back out there

[Guest]

Are you using mono line or braided line?

Mono line tends to stretch when you're setting the hook, thus, having to set it further. Get some good quality lines like the power pros, 50lbs should be fine. Braided lines tend NOT to stretch like the mono lines. Oh and get a good rod like a Fenwick Techna AV or simular. When you set the hook with a nice stiff rod and power pros, however far you move the rod is how far your lure will go in the fishes mouth.

[RuKiddingMe]

IMHO Freak hit the nail on the head, you need to set that hook like you mean business, yank it so hard that you think you're going to put the fish airborn. Sharpen those hooks like razors too...

RU

[RK]

Hiya,
Couple minutes to kill while I wait for a phone call, so a couple thoughts here...

First off: Sometimes they just plain get off. Sometimes one after the other... My worst streak is *11* fish in a row, in 1998. I usually don't get too worked up about losing fish - nothing you can do about it anyhow unless you screwed up somehow, but when I hit double figures, I had a pretty spectacular hat-stomping, potty mouth meltdown... The good news is I firmly believe it all evens out in the long run - you also go on streaks where everything that gets near your bait gets hooks, and you land fish you have no business keeping hooked - the one hook in the skin of the lip kinds of deals.

Beyond that...

Some baits are better hookers than others. Jerkbaits in general are poor hookers, though some, like squirrley burts, are very good for some reason. They seem to hit squirrley right in the head most of the time. Sledges are ok too. The hooking percentage business gets to be a trade-off sometimes. Baits like Shallow Invaders aren't great hookers, but fish love the things, so it's a catch-22. You use them knowing you'll miss some fish, but also get some fish to hit you wouldn't have a shot at otherwise. Same with topwaters - you trade more hits for a lower hooking percentage in most cases, and hope you come out ahead in the long run. But pay attention to which baits hook well, and be conscious of it. One of my criteria for bait selection is ALWAYS "what's the best hooking bait that suits the current conditions?" If my gut tells me to either use a bucktail moving fast, or an erratic jerkbait, I'll use the bucktail because it hooks far better.

Are your hooks razor sharp? I'm religious about sharpening them. I know guys that don't bother though ("Factory Sharp" is good enough) and they catch fish too. But, when you sharpen your hooks, it at least feels like you're trying...

What's your rod like? With superlines today, I think you get much better hooking, and keep fish hooked better, with longer, softer rods. Back in the day when #36 dacron was the norm, the thinking was you need a short pool cue rod to set the hook. I used to tighten my drag with a needle nose pliers besides. Finally one day I had a 40 or so inch fish T-bone a suick 15 feet from the boat, then turn away from me. I'd seen the fish coming, so I had the hammer cocked, and when the fish hit I absolutely smoked it on the hookset, with #50 Dacron and a 6' pool cue jerkbait rod. I spun the fish completely around in the water. Fish fought, took a couple runs, then paddled right past my feet, opened its mouth, and just puked the suick out. Doubt I ever had hooks in it, and I'm sure the fish was just clamped down on the bait the whole time... When they really clamp down, you can't set the hook hard enough to move it in their mouth, especially with wood baits. I think more often than not the hookset just gets them shaking, and the fish hook themselves. My hooksets now are just turing my body to the side and letting the rod load up...

With superlines, the problem with the short stiff rods is there's no give in the system at all. Dacron had a surprising amount of stretch. Use a zero stretch superline on a stiff rod, and you can pretty easily tear the hooks out (more often a problem than not getting a good hookset, I think) and what's more, the rod doesn't have the give to take up the slack when a fish head-shakes, so you have a heavy bait flopping around which knocks the hooks out and tears a bigger hole. Or, a fish takes a run, and the rod doesn't soak up the pressure, and you pull the hooks out.

Most of my rods these days aren't technically even muskie rods. My bucktail rod is a salmon backbouncer rod, I throw most topwaters on a flipping stick, and fish jerkbaits with a rod most guys would consider a bucktail rod. I also lose a lot fewer fish than I did when I was using off the shelf 'muskie rods.' I DO use 'muskie rods' for big crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc., where the size of the biat makes a big rod necessary, but even those are longer and softer than normal.

Whoop -phone's ringin'. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
RK

[buckfish]

I'm using a st.croix 6'-6" med/heavy with 80 tuff line. I'm not getting frustrated just thought i would get some input from more experienced muskie fishers. I'm still green and will be for a long time. learning this type of fishing is a great challenge and can't wait for the next encounter...

Thanks for all the input.....
Bryon

[Esoxmn]

It may also help to put your thumb on the spool when you set the hook, to stop the drag from slipping.

------------------
Gary
Why did'nt Noah swat those two mosquitos?

[Lost]

RK, world full of knowledge just like people said.

Thanks for the article! I may have to get rid of my rod and get one with a little more action in it. Either that or buy two more rods.

[fishbreath]

sharpen you hooks to the point that the point will stick into your thumb nail. congrads on the bits, I'm only getting follows.

[gundy89]

I lost one last week that I didn't get the hook set good on. I was messing with the trolling motor. I just started picking this addiction up last week and already blew a couple hundred on it in new gear. But I heard that you need to let them take it and turn before you set the hook.

[Fish-n-Freak]

If you have any question on your hookset, you are not setting it hard enough.

You should hit them with a hookset that leaves no doubt in your mind. Still not going to catch every one that hits, but it will increase your chances.

They can sink their teeth into the wooden and rubber lures, and you need to move the lure to move the hooks. Bucktails hook fish and they do get bit. Hard plastic jerks and cranks do a great job too. Don't stop using the wooden lures, just make sure you are hitting them hard.

Good Luck!
Steve

[buckfish]

I'm going back up this weekend hope to have the opportunity to latch onto some muskies. Thanks for all the tips.

What an addicting adventure....

Tight lines and sharp hooks.

[Big Fish Hunter247]

I use a 8'6 St Croix med action with 18/80 Power Pro and I dont set the hook at all I let the fish do it for me granted I lose 1 out of five fish I think the pretty good for me I have only been fishing Muskie for about 5 years

Big Fish Hunter247