Letting em take it

[Bagley]

Just curious to see how long you guys usually let the cats run before you cross their eyes. I usually base how long I wait on the size of bait(chub or bully) I am using or what the run is like. A lot of times I wait until they stop running and then hit em. I have missed quite a few in my days though. Thought maybe one of you guys might have a little hook setting secret up your sleeve.

Bagley

[CatManLee]

Bagley, I'm assuming your talking flats, but here's what I do with channels.

When I get a bite on my clicker, I'll hit the free spool quickly so I can get the rod from the rod holder without the fish feeling me. Then I will point the rod towards the fish and click the reel closed. If I feel continued pressure on the line, I'll give 'em all I got! This way, if you don't feel pressure, you can let it sit where it dropped it and see if it'll come back to it.

If I'm not using my clicker, I'll do the same thing, but sometimes won't give them line. I think the biggest thing is to make sure you feel pressure or a good steady pull before setting the hook. Of course there are exceptions, like if the fish is just peeling off line or almost rips your rod from the rod holder, then just give it to 'em right away.

I use this method for setting hooks on Channel Cats and it works really good. I'd say I might loose one of every 30 fish that are getting on my bait good.

Hope this helps.

[Boar]

I just love it when a cat wants it now, BANG he just hammers it. My heart explodes. At Selkirk 3 yrs ago I caught a 30lber that hit so hard my wrist still is'nt the same, well....... he hit hard though.

[Guest]

As soon as I see my bobber go down, I count, one - one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand and then I set the hook..that way, it gives them 3-4 seconds to rearrange the fish in its mouth and start to eat the fish then BAM! hook sinks into the upper lip! haha

[Bagley]

I guess i could have been more specific. I was talking about mainly flatheads. The size of the chubs I use are usually 6"-10" and the bullheads range from 5"-7".

[CatManLee]

Bagley,

My advise for Channels above should work just as good with Flatheads. When I'm Fishing Channel Cats, I'll use bait that sometimes exceeds 6-7"'s, wich is really big for a channel and it still works well.

Good Luck.

[Bagley]

Yeah that sound good CML. I'll give er a try. Hopefully tonight I'll be trying it on a cat about 40# or better.

Bagley

[Wiskers]

Well, I don't really have a true answer on the setting the hook Q. many times it depends on the bite they are in at the time... Many times the cats are in a nibble mood... They will never run with the bait long enough for you to even grab the rod.. some times I have to hold the rod and set it on every nibble in hopes to hook one. Some times they can run 30 feet, I set the hook and nothing is there.. ????? Ghost fish.. for the most part, my rule is when getting a bite, I go for the feel of the run..When I feel the line is heavy I set it. IF it is just jerking I will slowly pull the sinker off the bottom and let it drop back down ahead of the fish about a foot.. It will now search for the bait like it was trying to get away and hit it harder, then game on...

Happy fishing.....................

[kais24]

I use circle hooks almost all the time now. The only time I don't is when I'm on the down river side of a hole because they will sometimes run up river. With the circle hooks I just wait for them to start tugging good and I start reeling. I've had pretty good success with the circle hooks and I was a little apprehensive to use them at first.

[CatManLee]

Rusty, You hit the nail on the head. Thats exactly what I do. It usually works well.

[dragon master]

If you fish up around my part of the river and wait for them to stop running to set the hook you can kiss them goodby.We fish around old wood piles, and if you were to wait for them to stop running to set the hook, not only could you kiss your fish goodby but your hook and sinker also. I don't fool around, I use big bait and big hooks. If my line and clicker is going off in small jerks then I pull the bait out off it's mouth, check the bait and put it back out. If the line and clicker is running at full blast, I set the hook NOW, I don't want no gut hooked fish. I use 14/0 - 16/0 hooks and the chance of a gut hooked fish liveing is small with the size of hooks that I use. And thats one thing I don't want is a flat becomeing c-cat food

[Fisher Dave]

Like dragon stated above.. I hit the fish immediately in a hard run. The bites lately have been a bit strange.. been getting many fish that chomp and sit there.. or come in towards me.. then I set as soon as I am positive its a fish.. most often, the hook is deeper than I prefer when this happens, but I have only gut hooked a couple this year.

To be honest.. when I 1st *dabbled* with flathead fishing many years ago.. I knew nothing about using bait clickers.. I just tight lined with large baits and my hookup ratio was just as good as it is now.. maybe better..... but wow was it tough trying to get that 5' 6" solid fiberglass rod out of the holder.