Hooksets: Be Patient

I’ve been plagued this year by ‘bad luck’ putting walleyes on ice. The biggest issue I’ve had is that my hooksets never really connect – a fish bites, I set the hook, and it just pops right out. Finally, halfway through the season, I feel like I’ve learned a tough lesson.

It pays to be patient with your hooksets. When that big mark comes up on your bait it’s easy to get trigger happy and set the hook the instant you feel a bite. I’ve had more success waiting a half second for that fish to close its mouth and turn its head. It reminds me of setting the hook too quick on a topwater bass strike – a visual bite (either on the surface or on a sonar) can just make you react too quickly.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I think you’re right but it depends on the bait. If you are using a spoon or some kind of jig tipped with a minnow, your theory holds very true. I think they try to hit a specific section of your rig and often times they are biting the body before the hook/minnow. I’ve seen this specifically while sight fishing perch and walleyes. They seem to live the hard sections of the lure more than the bait that’s on it.

Although lures like jigging and rippin raps, waiting does nothing but give them a chance to spit it out.

What is your guys’ philosophies on set line hooksets? Particularly a fathead on a plain hook under a bobber. I usually just let the bobber go down for maybe 4-5 seconds then hit it. Have hooked most fish this way, but am still curious as to any other intricacies or factors that play a role in increasing hookup % with this setup… Thanks!

You sure they aren’t just bumping it?

Gets frustrating for sure not getting em up the hole.

AUTO_5 wrote:

What is your guys’ philosophies on set line hooksets? Particularly a fathead on a plain hook under a bobber. I usually just let the bobber go down for maybe 4-5 seconds then hit it. Have hooked most fish this way, but am still curious as to any other intricacies or factors that play a role in increasing hookup % with this setup… Thanks!

First of all I use a #4 or #6 octopus hook and I always hook the fat head through the tail.

Normally I wait the 4-5 seconds like you, but if I start getting a lot of swing and misses, I’ll let them go 10-30 seconds. Unless is on a lake with slot limits. Don’t need to gut hook a fish out of the slot.

If the fish are too small to eat the minnow I usually move elsewhere.

Speaking of set lines and tip ups for eyes. Has anyone switched to small treble hooks? My go to tip up hook is a #2 red octopus but thinking some experimenting might be needed. Seen the IDO guys using trebles on a show a while back. Just wondering?

Thanks for the response, biggill. I always use #6 gamakatsu octopus hooks — things are deadly… And also I usually hook the minnow under the dorsal, but sometimes by the tail is just way too tempting looking!

#6 is really small. Half the battle is to get them to bite so I get the want to be stealthy but smallest I like are #4s. Too small of hooks can really throw off hookups imo.

I’ve personally never had an issue with sixes being too small, summer(lindy rigs) or winter. Very high hooking percentage with them. Even catch the occasional 30″-35″+ pike with em!! I could see where a guy might prefer a #4 just for peace of mind though, if anything…

I use the attached hooks in #6 and have not had a problem hooking up. I also really think the glow helps.

Attachments:

1. 

   60B336BD-F21D-4AC7-8705-23C31DB2C16E.png
   

Waiting for ice…so. depends on lure and fish activity and depth. The initial strike you think you’re getting may just be on the inhale. Sometimes the first inhale doesn’t actually get the whole lure into the mouth.

One solution for me is dropper hook set up. I removed the split rings and tie with fireline from spoon to hook. Typically my results is about one inch dropper. My theory is maybe they’ll inhale the hook into their mouths.

If the treble hook is missing on the hook set, then I change hooks. Of course I have already planned ahead so I have snipped trebles into duo hooks or I use single hooks.

Minnow under bobber for me it’s usually about full two seconds, as bobber is pulled under surface. Since getting a deadstick rod, I haven’t used a bobber. I pretty much hook set when I see the rod tip pulling down.