06-18-2018, 03:07 PM
[#0000FF]I think everybody who fishes large baits for cats has experienced the tough hookup syndrome. As you said, a lot of times it can be thieving mudders. But just as often it will be sneaky channels...of any size.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If you are using too big a chunk of meat, the fish will sometimes just grab one end (without the hook) and swim off with it. And when you try to cross their eyes all you get is an empty hook...whiff. I have had a lot of trips when I reduced the size of the bait on the hook and maybe used a slightly larger and sharper hook...with the point exposed...and my hookup ratio quickly improved. With a slightly smaller bait the fish gets the whole bait in their mouths at one time.
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[#0000FF]Another tactic is to be sure you set the hook only when you have solid resistance on the other end. If the fish is picking and dropping the bait...or facing toward you...your hookset timing can be wrong and you will just pull it out of their mouth. I sometimes have to force myself to curb the enthusiasm and play the game right. That is to close the bail, point the rod at the fish and wait until they pull it tight...going away...before setting the hook. If the fish does have the bait well inside their mouths...with the hook point exposed...your hookset will usually plant the hook in the corner of their mouths...just like a circle hook.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]One last thing. When you drive a nail into a piece of wood you don't just shove it through. You pound it with a hammer. Ditto for hooksets. Unless you are using a circle hook with a sharp point and it is well inside the fishes' mouths you will miss a lot of "wimpy" hooksets. SNAP the rod to vertical when the line comes tight. And hope you are not using bad line or tieing bad knots. And sometimes it is a good idea to reel the line down tight and give it a second whack...just to be sure.
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[#0000FF]Above all else, don't beat yourself up over missing a few fish. Some of those silly things are just inexperienced and don't know how to play the game. It is your job to educate them.
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[#0000FF]If you are using too big a chunk of meat, the fish will sometimes just grab one end (without the hook) and swim off with it. And when you try to cross their eyes all you get is an empty hook...whiff. I have had a lot of trips when I reduced the size of the bait on the hook and maybe used a slightly larger and sharper hook...with the point exposed...and my hookup ratio quickly improved. With a slightly smaller bait the fish gets the whole bait in their mouths at one time.
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[#0000FF]Another tactic is to be sure you set the hook only when you have solid resistance on the other end. If the fish is picking and dropping the bait...or facing toward you...your hookset timing can be wrong and you will just pull it out of their mouth. I sometimes have to force myself to curb the enthusiasm and play the game right. That is to close the bail, point the rod at the fish and wait until they pull it tight...going away...before setting the hook. If the fish does have the bait well inside their mouths...with the hook point exposed...your hookset will usually plant the hook in the corner of their mouths...just like a circle hook.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]One last thing. When you drive a nail into a piece of wood you don't just shove it through. You pound it with a hammer. Ditto for hooksets. Unless you are using a circle hook with a sharp point and it is well inside the fishes' mouths you will miss a lot of "wimpy" hooksets. SNAP the rod to vertical when the line comes tight. And hope you are not using bad line or tieing bad knots. And sometimes it is a good idea to reel the line down tight and give it a second whack...just to be sure.
[/#0000FF]
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[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Above all else, don't beat yourself up over missing a few fish. Some of those silly things are just inexperienced and don't know how to play the game. It is your job to educate them.
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