The featured video instructs to allow the fish to run until it stops, and then set the hook. I have also seen this strategy mentioned on several posts. I am wondering how is this accomplished? Does anyone use this technique? All my rods have spinning reels. Do you leave the drag real light so fish can pull it out? or leave the bail open and allow it to free spool? or turn the anti-reverse off allowing fish to reverse reel?
Just wondering if such technique would improve catching when they are biting so light.
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the only fish i do this with is catfish and even then i dont wait until they stop running. any fish i fish for i set the hook when i know the fish has it in its mouth. if you wait for it to stop running how do you know its in its mouth?
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The guy in the video, unless I'm mistaken was talking about tip-up fishing for pike using a live bait fish - no rod and reel. When doing that you have to wait for the pike to decide to take the bait deeper into its gullet before setting the hook - let it run for a while then once he starts to swallow it, set the hook. There are ways to get around needing to do that though - ie. quick strike rigs etc, and I think those would be much better for the fish.
Other than pike and musky fishing with live fish, I don't know of any other situation in fresh water where you would want to do that. I certainly wouldn't recommend doing that if you're fishing for trout etc. unless you want to hook everything in the gut and kill it. If they're biting light, get a spring bobber.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
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Thanks guys for the feedback.
I did'nt really think that sounded like a good plan, but since this is my first year at ice fishing, thought I would ask. Believe I will keep my lines tight!
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he was definitely talking about tip-ups. and probably a tip-up with a treble hook. I like to set the hook when the fish is moving, but i use circle hooks. I should also say i dont set the hook when the fish is absolutely motoring.
Letting them take it also works on walleye. you would not do this for perch or trout
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+1 to the catfishing runners.
If the bobbers still down - ball's still in play!
I've tried loosening up the bail and let them pick up and go with no resistance. Just gotta remember to slap a finger down on the line before hookset, and tighten the drag somewhat.
I know of some folks who talk about an open bail, and then tucking the line under a rubber band - so the line is held, but the fish can take it and move off (leads to what some call "Pop and Drops").
I like the circle or octopus hooks for this, and the fish is likely to get it in the lip or corner of the mouth - without a hookset.
I'd also agree - not for trout, or panfish. They're more likely to spit it and run if you miss the bite. Carp have marvelously sensitive mouths.
Bass - may be inclined to suck it up, but they can also vacuum a bunch of water - suck and spit before you even feel any weight on the line.
As for Musky - I'm not a fan of bait they are likely to eat and swallow - as my local fisheries are all C&R. Plus - if I am trying to unhook a toothy mug like that, I'd rather not have to reach down inside far. (I got a good long hook grabber deal!)
Now if I were up in Minnesota Pike fishing with live minnows - might be a different story!
I have 3 Okuma Bait Runner Reels and they are designed for this very thing . I love them . Curt G.
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I long line for macks and missed lot's of hits. I had sinkers on and sucker meat. Then I met an old timmer on jackson lake and he told me I was doing it all wrong. He said macks are packers you can't have ANY resistance . Use a big single hook tread it throught the meat leaving the hook point out of the end bare cut the sucker like a triangle 4"on top down to 1" on the bottom with the hook at the point. NO weight . Take my kyak out 300 yards and drop of the bait letting it sink. go back to the bank and open up your real so there is NO drag put a piease of tin foil on your line by your rod tip. When the tinfoil goes down let it go until it stopes . then close your bail.When it takes off again yank hard!!! Macks will pack the bait 10 to 30 feet usuraly then drop it and then eat it from the narrow part first swallowing the hook.. This has improved my catch 100%. I do the same icefishing.
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I do leave the bail open when using minnows for bait. I learned to do this from flounder and halibut fishing. I learned if you don't wait for a few seconds after a trout has taken the minnow, you will usually miss the hook set as trout do not always swallow everything instantly. Many times they will grab the minnow only partially and then wait a few seconds before actually swallowing the bait. I watched this many times ice fishing.
I also do this bank fishing for browns with cut bait. I leave the bail closed and hang a weight on the line between the last eye and reel. When the weight starts to move, I remove it and open the bail and then wait 30 secs or more and then close the bail and set the hook. I have had very good luck with this.
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Wow! That is a lot of great ideas and info. Thanks.
And Curt, I have looked at the Okuma reel before and wondered how well it would work. Sounds like the ticket to resolving issues with an open bail.
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Most of the time when I am catfishing I am in my tube or toon. I am right over the top of them. I don't use hardly any weight. SO when the fish picks it up I tip the rod to them as they swim off. Then I give a quick snap of the wrist to set the hook. My son calls it fish snatchen. Ron
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As others have said there are certain fish where this works better than others. I have done this technique with sturgeon, catfish, and halibut.
Fishing for giant sturgeon on the Columbia we were using 3-4lb shad for bait. You had to let the sturgeon really chomp on the bait for a while then when the tip of the thick rod was almost to the water level from the rod holder you would haul back and set the hook. If we didn't wait we never hooked the fish. I got too excited and set the hook early a few times. When I waited until I was sure the fish had swallowed it all the way down the sturgeon was hook in the lips. It was strange but it really worked on the big guys.
Windriver
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