I've been getting a lot of bites this season on soft magic swimmers but am only hooking up about half the time. I typically set the hook over head (being a jig and tube guy), and wonder if setting the hook on a side sweep works better. I know, I know...try it and find out. Well old habits die hard and by the time I think of it, the rod is already in motion. Any experience with these lures? I'm using a MH black carrot stix with chronarch E and 12 lbs. Fluro. Any suggestion...

I have not fished this bait but have used the R.I. Skinny Dipper & Berkely Grass Pig. I had the same issues with missing fish as I used Floro for these baits. What helped me was leaving the hook slightly exposed if using Floro in more open water or when fishing weedy cover I go to braid and rarely miss a fish when fishing it that way. Of course not everyone has the option of using multiple rod/ reel / line combos, if that's the case I would fish it on straight braid or add a Floro leader if you are concerned about the visiblity of braid in open water situations.

I go with a side/sweep hook set on my Magic Swimmers and Keitechs. "I" think most fish are coming up from below (for the most part) to hit these baits, so in my mind (I may be crazy) an upward hookset "may" pull the bait away from them a little. Anyway I go sideways and have noticed better hook ups.

I also wait for a second thump on them because I saw that most all fish were whacking the tails and missing the hook on their initial hit, ESPECIALLY the smallmouths. Once I feel the first hit I slow up and drop the rod, second thump I set the hook.