When to set the hook?

[styx]

How long do you wait to set the hook when slip bobber fishing?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Let the fish tell you. I usually give the first fish about 10 seconds if he comes back gut hooked give them less if you miss/lose the fish give it another five seconds.

[slick814]

ONce the bobber goes down, I semi-slowly reel up the slack, and when I can feel the fish on the line, set the hook... don't have a lot of gut hooked fish, miss one here or there, but more often then not, I catch 'em that way.

[Bruce Mosher]

Slick814 sets the hook exactly the same way

I do. Sometimes I even toss out the Wave Buster Bobber with a Circle Hook and a split shot about a foot above it. Let the bobber disapear and then slowly reel up the slack until you feel the fish and keep reeling until it's netted. Good luck, Bruce Mosher

[thewalleyeguy]

Quote:

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ONce the bobber goes down, I semi-slowly reel up the slack, and when I can feel the fish on the line, set the hook.

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Exactly

[Team Otter]

Feeling the fish before setting the hook is key. Good luck.

[TBone1]

Once the fish has stopped taking line out I will slowly reel in and set the hook, if I miss fish doing this I wait until the fish starts moving again before setting the hook.It all depends on the mood of the fish.

[Borch]

Quote:

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ONce the bobber goes down, I semi-slowly reel up the slack, and when I can feel the fish on the line, set the hook... don't have a lot of gut hooked fish, miss one here or there, but more often then not, I catch 'em that way.

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That's the technique for me and my crew as well.

[Rost]

I have a slightly different philosophy. I don't like to feel the the fish before the hook set, because if you can feel the fish, then the fish can feel you

I reel the slack up, then make a long swinging hookset. This is why long bobber rods are so important. A 7'6" (or longer) rod covers a lot of slack.

People all have different opinions on stuff though.

[LoonASea]

Im with Bruce on this ....I have switched from Kahle hooks to circle hooks for bobber fishing ...I dont gut hook any of the smaller walleyes and dont get bit off as bad by the pike that will come thru from time to time ..but the key to circle hooks is NO hook set just reel!!!

Randoid

[fishinaddict]

When the bobber goes down. DUH!!!!