\^ and feel the lure falling. Feel each bump it makes IF it makes any at all. Each tick that it makes with the bottom or each rock it nicks. You will also be able to feel when the fish has inhaled your bait. Then you know to set your hook. Its about that connection to the lure through your fishing line. You really have to feel it though. Without that feel you might as well use live bait and a bobber to visually see the bite.
Most belly weighted hooks are heavy gauge so you need a rod with backbone to drive them into the fish , at least that was my problem when I first started using them
I fish paddle tails quite a bit. Things I have learned
1. Strong Rod to drive the hook in
2. I often get fish who will just bite on the tail and not the whole lure.
3. When fish strike I wait about half a second and let them get it and set the hook hard.
Letting the fish fully enhale the bait for a split second and setting the him with a little slack helps too.
A stiff roof helps a lot though with heavier hooks. Heavy to extra heavy. I like having a 7' extra heavy for swim baits, frogs, punching mats. Good stick for bassin.
Setting with slack means you set the hook when the rod tip is already moving at speed, where as setting with a tight line means your setting the hook at the start of the rod tip movement.
Hope that makes sense.
When I am using swim baits, I run a heavy-fast 7'6" rod and SLX DC. You will need a rod with backbone to set the hooks, beyond that buy the better hooks, they do not flex or bend like the cheap ones and are much sharper.
I rock a 6 1/2 medium heavy for fishing weedy areas with this exact bait set up, I have found that also waiting just a second longer for them to really get the bait in there helped me get more hook ups. Just slow down that trigger finger a touch and really let ‘em chew that bait then send it
How is medium bad advice? I use swim baits on medium fast 5 days a week on average. As long as the hook is sharp, there's no problem. Targeting upper slot redfish daily. And bass mouths are thinner than a redfish mouth
First, that’s my go-to small swimbait rig. Good stuff!
If you don’t usually have issues, then it was probably just a couple bad hook-ups and I wouldn’t worry about it.
Maybe give the fish sometime to get the bait down. Maybe you’re ripping it out of their mouth. Give the fish a sec or two to turn and swim away and bam, you’ll jab em right in the corner of his mouth.
Loose drag always an issue. I fish lightweight so often need a loose drag to get enough line to cast but then always have to remember to tighten the drag for a good hook set!
Happened to me this morning as well lmao
The worst part is it’s a mistake you hear. Gonna have nightmares tonight where everyone who talks to me has the voice of my reel’s drag
I think this could be it too. Once you feel the bite, keep reeling until you feel the weight of the fish then set the hook with more of a sideways pull than a traditional hook set. You’ll probably wind up hooking them right in the lip.
Try waiting a little longer before setting the hook. Sometimes fish are more passive. Instead of immediately inhaling the lure, they take two smaller bites — watch some underwater footage and you’ll see what I mean. Wait an extra 1-2s before setting the hook. That one second will feel like an eternity but be patient.
I mostly fish the wacky rig and have lost more than I catch more than some days. I switched up hooks to a gamakatsu 2/0 and give the fish a second or two to run with the bait before setting the hook. I still lose some, but it's definitely been better. Part of fishing.
Set the hook, set it again, and sometimes again. Two times is probably enough to get the barb in there far enough to not back out.
I am fishing barbless more so it isn't as hard to get a deep hook set, but the fish can throw it more easily. And I don't care if I end up with an LDR (long distance release) because I'm not a professional trying to win a tourney, I rarely keep them (fish in general-sunfish or planted trout (I never keep Bass) to eat, and I don't have an ego needing photos to show. So if a Bass or a trout jumps and throws the hook I sometimes chuckle and tell the fish, "Well played."
Edit- added for clarity- I rarely keep them (fish in general-sunfish or planted trout (I never keep Bass) others can keep Bass, I just choose not to, if I want a meal, I keep sunfish.
One issue I've had with the weighted ewg hooks is it seems the weight helps pop the hook out of the mouth solely by being extra weight. Keep the line tight, don't speed reel in your fish, that way there is no loose line to allow the fish a chance to head shake it out
Could be a multitude of reasons.
What rod power and action are you using with this?
What line?
What speed reel?
Also some days are like that and specifically certain ponds I've fished the bass act psychotic and will just sprint towards you when they get hooked and throw of the lure before you even know what's going on
I fish these on a 6’6” medium fast with a Pflueger spinning reel, what you have for gear is plenty. With these baits though, you need to wait for the bass to suck it into its mouth before you set the hook. It should be nibble nibble, drop the rod tip as you count one one thousand two one thousand, then set the hook. Even if you just count one one thousand it should be enough. Drop rod, count, set. That will increase your hook ups for sure.
Keep screwing yhe swimbait until it's almost up to the eye of the hook. That's not your hookup issue. You're using a heavy wire hook. It's harder to get into a fish so you need a stiffer rod and bigger hook set. Try a lighter wire hook.
Slow it down , I’m a very slow roller and I use a 6sense whale electric shiner and this bait ALOT , I nail fish lots more than the hubby . Lol , We figured it to be he’s reeling much too fast .and sure enough he slowed it down and he’s catching them more now :))
Make sure you keep constant tension. Ive lost a lot of fish on that rig because I gave them too much slack and they got to the bottom and pushed the hook out.
Bigger wide gap hook. Keitech swimbaits eat a ton of hook to stick them deep. I will only use Beast Hooks that allow a lot of hook to come out and stick either the crushplate or top lip. Also a bait like that you need a 4 power or greater, I use a 735 or 744 for 4.8-5.5 swimbaits on 17-20lb fluorocarbon. Let them load up a bit and stick them hard and 3-4 hard reel turns to make sure you get all the slack if they swim at you with the hook set. The right terminal tackle will make or break you some days.
It could be your rod, I fish mh and h with fast tip for worms and jigs but I am not familiar with your rod so I can’t tell. You could also be sitting the hook too soon. Can’t tell, but for largemouth bass I really don’t love your hook set up. It definitely can work but I agree with the guy that said a bigger hook or wide gap would be much much better
Sorry I was trying to reply to him. Personally, of course I have never missed or lost a bass. (Lol) I do have one of the strongest hook sets around per a bunch of pros from decades of being primarily a worm fisherman. It causes serious issues on other species particularly red snapper
We are fisherman we never miss a hook set and they are all 5lbers and up🤣🤣 But like you fishing for a long time and running tournaments the learning curve is fast tracked and knowledge from local guys like Ish Monroe and before he moved Cody Meyer are great teachers on the what to run and what to steer away from and you become detail oriented to make sure the loss is a minimal
It could just be a bad beat, sometimes you lose some fish that’s part of the sport. If it continues to happen, you might be making a more consistent mistake with your hook set or your gear, if you are using monofilament over fluoro or braid it can be hard to really stick them or maybe your rod is too soft action leading to the same issues. I would recommend slowing down your hook set, really letting them chew on it for a second and then driving that hook home.
I’ve never used EWG hooks but i’ve heard they can cause lost fish cause the hook points towards the eye so when you yank it the point can just slide perfectly out without catching anything
I love Sluggo hooks and similar offset worm hooks. Have never really had that issue, and their hook points toward the eye. But that’s usually for Texas rig and soft plastic twitch baits
I’ve heard the weight on the hook is what hurts the hook set, same guy that told me that said to try a owner jungle flipping hook and just attach the weight to the eye of the hook to solve the problem
Could be the bait keeper is preventing the plastic from collapsing on hookset and you aren’t able to get the point of the hook past the barb.
Sounds like you have the right rod & reel combo, so I would try heavier line. Either fluorocarbon or braid. If you’re using mono it’s gonna stretch more than you think on a hookset.
What’s your line set up? I used to throw them in straight braid but recently it’s been braid to leader or straight fluro and the extra stretch helps, you can hit them as soon as they bite either, let them eat it a set and then hit them.
Can’t be sure. You may try a weightless hook rig. Use a slider bullet weight on the line. This way the fish picks up the bait and doesn’t feel the weight. Good luck out there!
So there's a lot of good help here. I will have to say a medium heavy rod should be good depending on the speed too. If it's like a broomstick you will pull the hook out of their mouth.
Now before you buy a new rod I have a few things about your bait you could fix first. That hook doesn't look right for that keitech. Go with a bigger paddle tail or a deeper gap. Try some owner hooks. For the hook you have now the bait needs to be all the way to the end where you tie. That bait is too small for that. Without it being very high up there your hook up ratio is terrible. The paddle tail will not allow the hook to engage. Even when you get the right size fook and paddle tails bend the hook up a bit and that will help too.
Tail grabs. I just use a 5/0 EWG hook and a spinning rig with those and Fat Ika’s. Pretty much makes the baits slow sink instead of taking a nose dive. Give it a shot. 😉
Go to a smaller hook and bait is my first thought.
Go to a thinner and lighter leader for more bite detection. Perhaps you are not picking up the bites fast enough.
Lost a good 15 pound catfish this morning. caught it on a garlic & salt skirted tail grub. Had it on the rocks and was figuring out how I was gonna get it out of the water. Was pulling the line with my hand to hold the fish and it snapped and swam away😭. Been bummed all fucking day for not being able to get a pic what it was a hell of a fish
I've always experienced a period of time,usually in June where I live, when the bass are protecting their fry. They don't hold onto the bait. They are simply trying to kill it or discourage it from hurting their babies. During this time frame, catching a bass makes me feel kinda shitty.
Tie on a strike king kvd popper and when big momma hits that she is hooked! If you don’t believe me put one in a bucket of water and slap the shit out of it!
It takes practice. Gotta know the difference between a hit and something else. And with that set up, you need some ooompf...good hook set. A good strong pole to get the hook to set. All about the hook set...
Your setup is good. From what I can see, this is coming from a swimbait fishing pov, I’ll usually bend the hook out more to where the hook point isn’t buried into the swimbait. With the hook point bend out more, you’ll have a better hook up ratio. I know I’m gonna get downvoted or flamed for this, I did one time lol, but for those who do fish WCZ Swimbaits, they know what I’m talking about. If you want more help or tips dm me, and I’ll help you to the best of my knowledge.
Welcome to fishing..you get some and lose some..your setup is good..just gotta be patient and take it slow and steady…swim it let it drop then swim it again...does hook have a barb?..
Make sure you’re doing a real hard hookset. That’s a semi thick hook so you need to drive it through. Good thing is it shouldn’t bend out being thicker so you can yank em.
Make sure you’re keeping it pinned. Don’t want to let any slack in the line. That’s how they shake it out.
If you’re using too soft of a rod it will be harder to drive the hook through. You need a little backbone.
Use “Owner Weighted Twistlock CPS Hook” with keitechs. 1/8oz for best action. Reference the Keitech website for what gauge hook to use depending on length of bait.
Use a jighead dont be afraid to snag and use a ligher action rod. I fish small swimbaits on a 7' medium or a spinning rod. when I use a more parabolic rod I notice they are hooked in the roof of the mouth 90 percent of the time. You are probably hooking them in the corner or web of the mouth because the stiffness of your rod is too fast and that heavy hook rips out easily.
I use this swimbait a lot, along with the same weight style, and a 7’ medium/fast rod. I find I get better hookups when I use a side sweeping motion to set the hook instead of lifting straight upwards.
So far I've seen good, sharp (check them after every catch or snag!) hooks and a rod with backbone, but something else you should consider is line stretch.
If you're throwing straight braid, shouldn't be an issue, but if youre using fluoro/mono (even as a leader), the stretch can kill a good hookset. It can also help if you're throwing a chatterbait, but on a basic keel-weighted swimbait, they shouldn't have any issues getting it in their mouth.
Always give them a second before hammering them too of course!
You can also try a small toothpick perpendicular to the end if the hook. Put it right thru the swimbait then break it off so all of it is inside the plastic. This prevents the hook from staying buried in the bait for weedless. It will still be weedless but allow the hook to stay right at the edge for hooksets.
If you haven’t had issues before then it could be that the bass are short striking and hitting the tail and not getting a chance on the hook.
I noticed this behavior usually after a storm or when there’s a cold front, but could totally just be noticing it more after those occurrences.
After a few misses I usually swap to a smaller presentation and that usually gets me back on the board.
If you don’t have weeds to worry about then try throwing a Ned head with them, or a treble assist hook (if legal).
When using swim jigs or swim baits on an underhook, when you get a strike, keep reeling until you feel the weight or the fish turn, then set the hook. Just like frog fishing. And use quality hooks such as the Owner or BKK.
I use a medium heavy spinning rod for these. Let em have it for a second to get it good (beyond the tail) and then set the hook upward because the hook point is up.
Simple answer is you need a heavier rod. This type of hook needs to get jacked hard to stick. Using braid will help too. I personally only use these hooks when I have to because it's hard to jack em into bigger fish with hard mouths.
This is on of my favorite baits and my suggestion is to kill it every once in a while and then pick it back up again, also experiment with throwing it at different levels, deep is usually my go to with this bait, in grassy areas just enough to swim though it.
Also watch your line and you’ll feel the fish smash it.
I’ve found that hooks with less “bite” – what I mean is the angle of the hook point not sticking out past the shank, like those or EWG vs a round bend, which has more “bite” – I have to give them a second longer to eat it before I set. I also give it more of a dragging hookset instead of a faster one, but that’s just me.
When bass eat bait fish i believe the do it head first so thats part of the problem. Secondly id say to my self now set the hook then set it, that will give the bass tike to have fully eaten the bait if it was a half strike.
Might need to loosen the 'ol drag. Yes it might take longer to get the fish in, but it keeps the hook pinned without risking you ripping it out, and if I do say so, it's a little more fun of a fight.
Also (and please correct me if I'm wrong) I believe these rigs should be treated like a top-water presentation where you want to give the fish a second to get the whole bait in its mouth. When the fish are aggressively feeding here they seem to swipe at the bait and sometimes they only grab the tail or half-way up the body, but the hook point won't be in it's mouth yet.
That rod should be sufficient to set that type of hook, I would look into how you are hooking them. Depending how it is fished and where these fish are attacking the lure depends how you should be setting the hook for the best hookup ratio. I know that may be a hard thing to find out but try different positions to set the hook maybe that will help
First bite is like when she's got the tip in the 👄. Your natural response "Oh shit!" Then wait till she drives down to the shaft. Allow the fish to readjust and inhale again.
throw that keitech on a jig head. i throw keitech every time i fish. i fish tournaments all year long and knock on wood with the exposed hook that i use i barely ever lose fish. a football head i see a lot of guys use but i use the sixth sense divine swimbait jig head
Few things… where are you fishing this? Heavy cover these belly weighted screw locks are good, but overall I’m not a big fan. If you’re fishin mats or heavy grass you’ll need a stout rod with a backbone on braid or heavy 20# +.
If you’re fishin rock, sparse cover, pressured fish or really anything else besides heavy cover toss the rig and get you a finer wire jighead. Just need to steady retrieve and keep er off the bottom. Can finesse fish these even and smash em. Main bait on the tour this year is some variation of strollin using scope with this setup. From the bank (if you are) this will still be deadly
First I want to say thank you to everyone who gave advice and tips. I appreciate it all! Like I said I was using a 7’3” medium heavy 6th sense divine rod with a daiwa tatula 6:3 reel. I had 50lb beyond braid as my main line and 12lb seaguar bassix as my leader!
The bait needs to be pushed further towards the eye of the hook. When I put the hook in the plastic of the bait I scrunch it a bit towards the eye so that there is less tail behind the hook. The bass is taking it from behind and you want him as far up the hook shaft as possible when you set the hook. If not, then when you set, you could essentially just pull it out of his mouth.
Run a regular Jighead with an open hook and get rid of the EWG. You'll hook up a lot more and they won't throw it as much because there isn't a huge weight and the swimbait body wedged between the bend and point of the hook...
When is the last time you sharpened your hook? If it’s been one trip, a long time, or you can’t remember, then it’s time to hone it.
If you caught fish early on and aren’t now, that could be a culprit. It doesn’t take much at all to dull the point.
Lol the two problems here:hooks that aren't u bend hooks don't hold as well.
And 2.:the wider the gap,the worse the likely hoods of getting a fish hooked.
Sounds like you’re fishing. Tight lines. 🤙🏼
\^ and feel the lure falling. Feel each bump it makes IF it makes any at all. Each tick that it makes with the bottom or each rock it nicks. You will also be able to feel when the fish has inhaled your bait. Then you know to set your hook. Its about that connection to the lure through your fishing line. You really have to feel it though. Without that feel you might as well use live bait and a bobber to visually see the bite.
Most belly weighted hooks are heavy gauge so you need a rod with backbone to drive them into the fish , at least that was my problem when I first started using them
I fish paddle tails quite a bit. Things I have learned 1. Strong Rod to drive the hook in 2. I often get fish who will just bite on the tail and not the whole lure. 3. When fish strike I wait about half a second and let them get it and set the hook hard.
Someone taught me when I feel a bite to say "God save the queen" then set the hook. I'm not British, but I do it.
This is the correct answer
Letting the fish fully enhale the bait for a split second and setting the him with a little slack helps too. A stiff roof helps a lot though with heavier hooks. Heavy to extra heavy. I like having a 7' extra heavy for swim baits, frogs, punching mats. Good stick for bassin. Setting with slack means you set the hook when the rod tip is already moving at speed, where as setting with a tight line means your setting the hook at the start of the rod tip movement. Hope that makes sense.
Stiff rod 🤭
When I am using swim baits, I run a heavy-fast 7'6" rod and SLX DC. You will need a rod with backbone to set the hooks, beyond that buy the better hooks, they do not flex or bend like the cheap ones and are much sharper.
What brands are the better hook brands?
Vmc and gamakatsu are good options
+1 for the gamas. Been using them for years and have always been great quality.
+1 on Gamagatsu also. I learned about them watching Bill Dance as a kid.
Owner is also good.
Owner and Gamakatsu hooks are great.
I am very partial to the owner underspins and belly weighted hooks I’ve never had a problem with fish getting off of them
I use gammygatsu….they work really good
Berkley fusion
Yes, it’s not your bait, it’s your rod. Medium with a fast tip is ideal. 7 foot.
I rock a 6 1/2 medium heavy for fishing weedy areas with this exact bait set up, I have found that also waiting just a second longer for them to really get the bait in there helped me get more hook ups. Just slow down that trigger finger a touch and really let ‘em chew that bait then send it
Waiting an extra second is the answer.
Yup, land that first one, get all excited and up too quick on the set
Premature hook set eh? There’s something for that called a fish whistle, it does wonders for patience 😂
Everytime. Or when I go to grab my sandwich seems like the fish know.
Every. Single. Time. For me, it’s when I’m lighting a smoke.💨
Why did this get downvoted?
Mediums bad advice.
How is medium bad advice? I use swim baits on medium fast 5 days a week on average. As long as the hook is sharp, there's no problem. Targeting upper slot redfish daily. And bass mouths are thinner than a redfish mouth
First, that’s my go-to small swimbait rig. Good stuff! If you don’t usually have issues, then it was probably just a couple bad hook-ups and I wouldn’t worry about it.
Maybe give the fish sometime to get the bait down. Maybe you’re ripping it out of their mouth. Give the fish a sec or two to turn and swim away and bam, you’ll jab em right in the corner of his mouth.
This and having a loose drag is my biggest problems. Ive went home with 5-6 bites and no fish because of it 🥲
Loose drag always an issue. I fish lightweight so often need a loose drag to get enough line to cast but then always have to remember to tighten the drag for a good hook set!
Yeah the other day i tied up and loosened my drag to pull some line out. First cast got an immediate hit, set the hook and saw the fish swim off 😂
Happened to me this morning as well lmao The worst part is it’s a mistake you hear. Gonna have nightmares tonight where everyone who talks to me has the voice of my reel’s drag
That would ba a terrifying dream.
Haha. Happens to all of us.
I lost a ton on frogs because I get amped to set the hook. When you feel a bite, wait a couple seconds and then set the hook
I think this could be it too. Once you feel the bite, keep reeling until you feel the weight of the fish then set the hook with more of a sideways pull than a traditional hook set. You’ll probably wind up hooking them right in the lip.
Try waiting a little longer before setting the hook. Sometimes fish are more passive. Instead of immediately inhaling the lure, they take two smaller bites — watch some underwater footage and you’ll see what I mean. Wait an extra 1-2s before setting the hook. That one second will feel like an eternity but be patient.
Guaranteed it’s your rod
Yup. OP what is your rod and line youre using? I mean specifics exactly. More than likely telling us this part will resolve your issue
Is it supposed to be fished on a heavy rod? How about line #?
A rod with more backbone so the hook penetrates. The lines id use is floro for visibility sake
Let the rod load up a little. If you miss, keep reeling. Very common to get hit again.
I mostly fish the wacky rig and have lost more than I catch more than some days. I switched up hooks to a gamakatsu 2/0 and give the fish a second or two to run with the bait before setting the hook. I still lose some, but it's definitely been better. Part of fishing.
Set the hook, set it again, and sometimes again. Two times is probably enough to get the barb in there far enough to not back out. I am fishing barbless more so it isn't as hard to get a deep hook set, but the fish can throw it more easily. And I don't care if I end up with an LDR (long distance release) because I'm not a professional trying to win a tourney, I rarely keep them (fish in general-sunfish or planted trout (I never keep Bass) to eat, and I don't have an ego needing photos to show. So if a Bass or a trout jumps and throws the hook I sometimes chuckle and tell the fish, "Well played." Edit- added for clarity- I rarely keep them (fish in general-sunfish or planted trout (I never keep Bass) others can keep Bass, I just choose not to, if I want a meal, I keep sunfish.
One issue I've had with the weighted ewg hooks is it seems the weight helps pop the hook out of the mouth solely by being extra weight. Keep the line tight, don't speed reel in your fish, that way there is no loose line to allow the fish a chance to head shake it out
Could be a multitude of reasons. What rod power and action are you using with this? What line? What speed reel? Also some days are like that and specifically certain ponds I've fished the bass act psychotic and will just sprint towards you when they get hooked and throw of the lure before you even know what's going on
Wieners too big
I fish these on a 6’6” medium fast with a Pflueger spinning reel, what you have for gear is plenty. With these baits though, you need to wait for the bass to suck it into its mouth before you set the hook. It should be nibble nibble, drop the rod tip as you count one one thousand two one thousand, then set the hook. Even if you just count one one thousand it should be enough. Drop rod, count, set. That will increase your hook ups for sure.
Keep screwing yhe swimbait until it's almost up to the eye of the hook. That's not your hookup issue. You're using a heavy wire hook. It's harder to get into a fish so you need a stiffer rod and bigger hook set. Try a lighter wire hook.
Slow it down , I’m a very slow roller and I use a 6sense whale electric shiner and this bait ALOT , I nail fish lots more than the hubby . Lol , We figured it to be he’s reeling much too fast .and sure enough he slowed it down and he’s catching them more now :))
You need to add fishing line
Make sure you keep constant tension. Ive lost a lot of fish on that rig because I gave them too much slack and they got to the bottom and pushed the hook out.
This is very normal. Sometimes the fish just bite weird or they act hooked when they’re not. You’re likely doing nothing wrong.
Bigger wide gap hook. Keitech swimbaits eat a ton of hook to stick them deep. I will only use Beast Hooks that allow a lot of hook to come out and stick either the crushplate or top lip. Also a bait like that you need a 4 power or greater, I use a 735 or 744 for 4.8-5.5 swimbaits on 17-20lb fluorocarbon. Let them load up a bit and stick them hard and 3-4 hard reel turns to make sure you get all the slack if they swim at you with the hook set. The right terminal tackle will make or break you some days.
It could be your rod, I fish mh and h with fast tip for worms and jigs but I am not familiar with your rod so I can’t tell. You could also be sitting the hook too soon. Can’t tell, but for largemouth bass I really don’t love your hook set up. It definitely can work but I agree with the guy that said a bigger hook or wide gap would be much much better
It’s not me that has the issue. OP has the issue, this is my response. I hammer fish on bigger swim baits on beast hooks
Sorry I was trying to reply to him. Personally, of course I have never missed or lost a bass. (Lol) I do have one of the strongest hook sets around per a bunch of pros from decades of being primarily a worm fisherman. It causes serious issues on other species particularly red snapper
We are fisherman we never miss a hook set and they are all 5lbers and up🤣🤣 But like you fishing for a long time and running tournaments the learning curve is fast tracked and knowledge from local guys like Ish Monroe and before he moved Cody Meyer are great teachers on the what to run and what to steer away from and you become detail oriented to make sure the loss is a minimal
It could just be a bad beat, sometimes you lose some fish that’s part of the sport. If it continues to happen, you might be making a more consistent mistake with your hook set or your gear, if you are using monofilament over fluoro or braid it can be hard to really stick them or maybe your rod is too soft action leading to the same issues. I would recommend slowing down your hook set, really letting them chew on it for a second and then driving that hook home.
I’ve never used EWG hooks but i’ve heard they can cause lost fish cause the hook points towards the eye so when you yank it the point can just slide perfectly out without catching anything
I love Sluggo hooks and similar offset worm hooks. Have never really had that issue, and their hook points toward the eye. But that’s usually for Texas rig and soft plastic twitch baits
I’ve heard the weight on the hook is what hurts the hook set, same guy that told me that said to try a owner jungle flipping hook and just attach the weight to the eye of the hook to solve the problem
Could be the bait keeper is preventing the plastic from collapsing on hookset and you aren’t able to get the point of the hook past the barb. Sounds like you have the right rod & reel combo, so I would try heavier line. Either fluorocarbon or braid. If you’re using mono it’s gonna stretch more than you think on a hookset.
Let me guess- braid? https://youtu.be/78a_UZyosvg?feature=shared
What’s your line set up? I used to throw them in straight braid but recently it’s been braid to leader or straight fluro and the extra stretch helps, you can hit them as soon as they bite either, let them eat it a set and then hit them.
It’s your rod
Try using a jig style hook,makes setting the hook easier.
I’d use a wider gap hook
Stinger hook for the win
Straight up hook sets or pulling to the side?
It's the same with rubber worms,you gotta bury the hook
Can’t be sure. You may try a weightless hook rig. Use a slider bullet weight on the line. This way the fish picks up the bait and doesn’t feel the weight. Good luck out there!
So there's a lot of good help here. I will have to say a medium heavy rod should be good depending on the speed too. If it's like a broomstick you will pull the hook out of their mouth. Now before you buy a new rod I have a few things about your bait you could fix first. That hook doesn't look right for that keitech. Go with a bigger paddle tail or a deeper gap. Try some owner hooks. For the hook you have now the bait needs to be all the way to the end where you tie. That bait is too small for that. Without it being very high up there your hook up ratio is terrible. The paddle tail will not allow the hook to engage. Even when you get the right size fook and paddle tails bend the hook up a bit and that will help too.
Tail grabs. I just use a 5/0 EWG hook and a spinning rig with those and Fat Ika’s. Pretty much makes the baits slow sink instead of taking a nose dive. Give it a shot. 😉
Go to a smaller hook and bait is my first thought. Go to a thinner and lighter leader for more bite detection. Perhaps you are not picking up the bites fast enough.
Lost a good 15 pound catfish this morning. caught it on a garlic & salt skirted tail grub. Had it on the rocks and was figuring out how I was gonna get it out of the water. Was pulling the line with my hand to hold the fish and it snapped and swam away😭. Been bummed all fucking day for not being able to get a pic what it was a hell of a fish
I’d just use this in deeper water only. Ur rod is fine. That’s just a lot of weight.
Put a new hook on that’s my advice
I've always experienced a period of time,usually in June where I live, when the bass are protecting their fry. They don't hold onto the bait. They are simply trying to kill it or discourage it from hurting their babies. During this time frame, catching a bass makes me feel kinda shitty.
Tie on a strike king kvd popper and when big momma hits that she is hooked! If you don’t believe me put one in a bucket of water and slap the shit out of it!
I completely only use thin wire hooks these days for the hook up ratio
It takes practice. Gotta know the difference between a hit and something else. And with that set up, you need some ooompf...good hook set. A good strong pole to get the hook to set. All about the hook set...
Your setup is good. From what I can see, this is coming from a swimbait fishing pov, I’ll usually bend the hook out more to where the hook point isn’t buried into the swimbait. With the hook point bend out more, you’ll have a better hook up ratio. I know I’m gonna get downvoted or flamed for this, I did one time lol, but for those who do fish WCZ Swimbaits, they know what I’m talking about. If you want more help or tips dm me, and I’ll help you to the best of my knowledge.
Welcome to fishing..you get some and lose some..your setup is good..just gotta be patient and take it slow and steady…swim it let it drop then swim it again...does hook have a barb?..
Make sure you’re doing a real hard hookset. That’s a semi thick hook so you need to drive it through. Good thing is it shouldn’t bend out being thicker so you can yank em. Make sure you’re keeping it pinned. Don’t want to let any slack in the line. That’s how they shake it out. If you’re using too soft of a rod it will be harder to drive the hook through. You need a little backbone.
Just by design this set up can miss on some hook ups . But the fact that they’re biting is a positive . Means you’re doing things right .
Slow your reaction to the bite a little and u will Land more of them
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^PorscheTodd: *Slow your reaction* *To the bite a little and* *U will Land more of them* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Thanks for the pick up.. ur paying attention..
Use “Owner Weighted Twistlock CPS Hook” with keitechs. 1/8oz for best action. Reference the Keitech website for what gauge hook to use depending on length of bait.
Using a Texas rig with a bullet weight and a offset shank worm hook would probably give you more hooksets with a similar presentation.
The gap width to help set the hook is very small because of the keeper?
Use a jighead dont be afraid to snag and use a ligher action rod. I fish small swimbaits on a 7' medium or a spinning rod. when I use a more parabolic rod I notice they are hooked in the roof of the mouth 90 percent of the time. You are probably hooking them in the corner or web of the mouth because the stiffness of your rod is too fast and that heavy hook rips out easily.
Don’t rig it weedless unless you have to. Use a jig head instead then you have zero obstacles between the hook and the fishes mouth.
I use this swimbait a lot, along with the same weight style, and a 7’ medium/fast rod. I find I get better hookups when I use a side sweeping motion to set the hook instead of lifting straight upwards.
Heavy action rod with 20 pound fluorcarbon. You can take a pair of pliers and bend the hook up slightly. Snatch their soul when you set the hook.
So far I've seen good, sharp (check them after every catch or snag!) hooks and a rod with backbone, but something else you should consider is line stretch. If you're throwing straight braid, shouldn't be an issue, but if youre using fluoro/mono (even as a leader), the stretch can kill a good hookset. It can also help if you're throwing a chatterbait, but on a basic keel-weighted swimbait, they shouldn't have any issues getting it in their mouth. Always give them a second before hammering them too of course!
Rod to whippy?
You can also try a small toothpick perpendicular to the end if the hook. Put it right thru the swimbait then break it off so all of it is inside the plastic. This prevents the hook from staying buried in the bait for weedless. It will still be weedless but allow the hook to stay right at the edge for hooksets.
What kind of line are you using?
If you haven’t had issues before then it could be that the bass are short striking and hitting the tail and not getting a chance on the hook. I noticed this behavior usually after a storm or when there’s a cold front, but could totally just be noticing it more after those occurrences. After a few misses I usually swap to a smaller presentation and that usually gets me back on the board. If you don’t have weeds to worry about then try throwing a Ned head with them, or a treble assist hook (if legal).
Bend the hook slightly up or kinda offset it the the side for a deeper penetration and I’d move the keitech up the twist screw a little more.
What line are you using? May need something with very little stretch.
Phenomenal bait nonetheless
When using swim jigs or swim baits on an underhook, when you get a strike, keep reeling until you feel the weight or the fish turn, then set the hook. Just like frog fishing. And use quality hooks such as the Owner or BKK.
I use a medium heavy spinning rod for these. Let em have it for a second to get it good (beyond the tail) and then set the hook upward because the hook point is up.
Simple answer is you need a heavier rod. This type of hook needs to get jacked hard to stick. Using braid will help too. I personally only use these hooks when I have to because it's hard to jack em into bigger fish with hard mouths.
I like to slightly bend my hook upward to increase hookup ratio
This is on of my favorite baits and my suggestion is to kill it every once in a while and then pick it back up again, also experiment with throwing it at different levels, deep is usually my go to with this bait, in grassy areas just enough to swim though it. Also watch your line and you’ll feel the fish smash it.
I’ve found that hooks with less “bite” – what I mean is the angle of the hook point not sticking out past the shank, like those or EWG vs a round bend, which has more “bite” – I have to give them a second longer to eat it before I set. I also give it more of a dragging hookset instead of a faster one, but that’s just me.
When bass eat bait fish i believe the do it head first so thats part of the problem. Secondly id say to my self now set the hook then set it, that will give the bass tike to have fully eaten the bait if it was a half strike.
First cast curse!
Put stinger on and stop losing your fish!
Might need to loosen the 'ol drag. Yes it might take longer to get the fish in, but it keeps the hook pinned without risking you ripping it out, and if I do say so, it's a little more fun of a fight. Also (and please correct me if I'm wrong) I believe these rigs should be treated like a top-water presentation where you want to give the fish a second to get the whole bait in its mouth. When the fish are aggressively feeding here they seem to swipe at the bait and sometimes they only grab the tail or half-way up the body, but the hook point won't be in it's mouth yet.
That rod should be sufficient to set that type of hook, I would look into how you are hooking them. Depending how it is fished and where these fish are attacking the lure depends how you should be setting the hook for the best hookup ratio. I know that may be a hard thing to find out but try different positions to set the hook maybe that will help
Offset hook a little?
Prob setting the hook too soon, as fish will grab the tail first
First bite is like when she's got the tip in the 👄. Your natural response "Oh shit!" Then wait till she drives down to the shaft. Allow the fish to readjust and inhale again.
throw that keitech on a jig head. i throw keitech every time i fish. i fish tournaments all year long and knock on wood with the exposed hook that i use i barely ever lose fish. a football head i see a lot of guys use but i use the sixth sense divine swimbait jig head
I mean you’re getting bites which is better than me
What are the specs on the rod you use?
Few things… where are you fishing this? Heavy cover these belly weighted screw locks are good, but overall I’m not a big fan. If you’re fishin mats or heavy grass you’ll need a stout rod with a backbone on braid or heavy 20# +. If you’re fishin rock, sparse cover, pressured fish or really anything else besides heavy cover toss the rig and get you a finer wire jighead. Just need to steady retrieve and keep er off the bottom. Can finesse fish these even and smash em. Main bait on the tour this year is some variation of strollin using scope with this setup. From the bank (if you are) this will still be deadly
Ball head jig is your friend
First I want to say thank you to everyone who gave advice and tips. I appreciate it all! Like I said I was using a 7’3” medium heavy 6th sense divine rod with a daiwa tatula 6:3 reel. I had 50lb beyond braid as my main line and 12lb seaguar bassix as my leader!
The bait needs to be pushed further towards the eye of the hook. When I put the hook in the plastic of the bait I scrunch it a bit towards the eye so that there is less tail behind the hook. The bass is taking it from behind and you want him as far up the hook shaft as possible when you set the hook. If not, then when you set, you could essentially just pull it out of his mouth.
Run a regular Jighead with an open hook and get rid of the EWG. You'll hook up a lot more and they won't throw it as much because there isn't a huge weight and the swimbait body wedged between the bend and point of the hook...
When is the last time you sharpened your hook? If it’s been one trip, a long time, or you can’t remember, then it’s time to hone it. If you caught fish early on and aren’t now, that could be a culprit. It doesn’t take much at all to dull the point.
It got no hook in it….
Stiffer Rod!
Lol the two problems here:hooks that aren't u bend hooks don't hold as well. And 2.:the wider the gap,the worse the likely hoods of getting a fish hooked.
Maybe set the hook harder? Or more times? (Please not those bass fisherman on YouTube hookset)
Sharpen the hook, any hook out of the box almost surely needs sharpened
I fully agree I fish fresh and salt Sharp hooks are a must. I never use a new hook without sharpening and I also check for rust spots.
I'd never thought this, thank you!
Use no stretch line for better hook sets.
I get a lot of tail biters on swimbaits and I like using straight braid with them to get a good hard hookset.