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Plastic
Worm
If using a 'Texas rig", all the respondents indicted that
when you feel the bass he has the worm and you can't
set the hook fast enough. Observations of aquarium bass striking a
plastic worm bear this out. Under those
controlled situations, the tell-tale 'tap-tap' was NOT the actual
strike. It was actually the bass tugging back at
the line and weight resistance felt. It was noted, however, that a
strike on the fall of the worm was discernible
by a light bump or tap, combined with a sudden slackening of the line
tension. Recommendation: Set the hook
immediately.
The point at which to set the hook on a
Carolina rig was noted to be different. First, nearly all strikes appear
to
come between angler pulls on the lure, when it is still. The fact that
the bass has taken the Carolina rigged
worm is noted by either a swim-off, a gradual tightening of the line, or
the lure suddenly appearing heavy or
'mushy'. Actually setting the hook is done when the pull on the lure or
the resistance felt is constant. The angler
holds a bit of tension on the line and feels for a constant resistance
or a slight tugging. Then, the hook is set. It
was advised to try and do this cycle of events quickly, in that bass
usually inhale and quickly swallow the
free-floating worm. Recommendation: Insure the resistance felt is
constant and, then, set the hook quickly.
Jack Chancellor's 'Do-Nothing' worm rig
was noted to have a peculiar hook-setting technique applicable. You
DON'T. This rig, with its heavy sinker component and tiny hooks, is
fished with a slow, steady retrieve along the
bottom. The strike, as with any constantly moving lure, is readily
noticeable. The small, extremely sharp hooks
take hold as soon as the bass pulls back against the resistance of the
line and retrieve. The angler must
discipline herself NOT to set the hooks in the conventional manner, or
she risks straightening them and losing
the fish. Simply continue the retrieve, while keeping slight tension on
the bass. Do not attempt to bring the fish
to the boat until he is completely played out and on his side.
Recommendation: Do not set the hooks.
A non-weighted, floating worm used in
thick cover areas also requires discipline on the part of the angler.
Strikes
are usually instinctive, slashing rushes at the lure and the bass may or
may not actually capture it in his mouth.
Even if he does get it, he may only have the tail portion or have it
with his lips. Recommendation: Do not react
immediately to the strike. Reach forward with the rod to create slack in
the line and wait until it comes tight
again. Then, set back hard.
Jigs
When flipping a jig in cover or hopping it across the bottom, the
strike will invariably come on the drop. A slight
'bump', followed by a slack line will be the indicators. Recommendation:
Set the hook NOW!
In the Winter, jigs are best retrieved
slowly and steadily along the bottom, staying in constant contact with
that
bottom. The strike will usually be a gradual tightening of the line, or
a swim-off to one side. Recommendation:
Give to the pressure until the rod is fully extended towards the bass
and, then, cross his old eyes.
Spinner
Baits
The strike on a steadily retrieved, conventional 'safety pin'
spinner bait is usually a sharp 'bump', followed by a
sudden slack line. If the retrieve is in deep water, or is exceptionally
slow, a loss of blade vibration may be the
tip-off. Recommendation: Set the hook immediately if anything
'different' is felt or noticed.
The hook-set with an in-line spinner bait
(Mepps, Snagless Sally) is generally the same as with the safety pin
style, with one exception. If the lure is being retrieved on the
surface, the strike results are a lot like those with
the floating worm. Accordingly, give to the fish until the line goes
tight. Recommendations: Subsurface- set the
hook immediately; surface- wait until the fish draws the line tight.
The buzz bait is primarily a surface lure
and one of our biggest mistakes is jerking the lure away from the area
of the strike. Recommendation: Give towards the strike until the line
goes tight. Then, try to break your rod and
turn the boat over.
Top
Water
The same rationale given for hook setting with the
floating worm and buzz bait apply to top water plugs. Do not
set them until you know the fish has the lure. If the fish has your
lure, he will pull the line tight without your help.
If he misses it and you can refrain from a premature jerk, he will
usually come back to try his luck again.
Crank
Plugs
A constantly-retrieved crank plug lets you know
right away of a strike. All you have to do is strike back.
However, there is one variation. If your plug is in constant contact
with the bottom during the retrieve, or if it is
clipping stumps or other obstructions on a regular basis, it will be a
bit difficult to discern a strike. This is
particularly true with smaller bass. Usually, you will be able to note a
sudden change in the direction of travel of
the bait, or it will stop and you will feel a 'throbbing' sensation. If
the angler is lucky enough, a big fish may just
try and tear the rod out of her hands (oh, joy!). Recommendation: Be
absolutely sure that a fish is on before
setting the hooks.
Often, the initial hook-set is done on a
substantial length of line. Consequently, the flex of the rod and the
stretch of the line may impede getting the hooks in well. Always try to
set the hooks at least three times,
waiting until the line is good and tight to do so. If the bass
immediately heads for the surface to jump after the
initial set, try to stop him, as he may throw the lure. To do this,
thrust the rod tip as deep into the water as you
can, reel rapidly and try to pull the bass's head over. Once you have
set the hooks a couple of times, then
settle back and enjoy the aerial displays.
The angler's
tackle-to-fish contact point is the hook. Recognizing when and how to
set that hook
can spell the difference between a 'catch' and just another 'bite'.
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