On 5/11/2017 at 9:23 AM, connorwallin said:

I'm fairly new, I began fishing last year and have only went out probably a total of 6 or 7 times. My biggest problem is knowing when to set the hook, I don't think I know when the fish is eating the bait because every fish I've caught I've just began reeling in and the fish is hooked. I don't understamd the whole setting the hook and how to do it or when to do it. 

Set the hook when you feel the bite. Aha! not feeling the bite. try keeping a little (very little) more tension on the line, and keeping the rod tip higher, that will help. You will get better with time on the water. There will always be fish that bite plastics and other contact baits, where you won't feel or see a thing, part of the game. What works for me is if I feel (or think I felt) something different or weird that might be a bite, I'll crank tight quickly but smoothly. A smaller fish will move a bit, a really big one will feel like you are stuck on the bottom. A power sweep set will end up with a fish or the bottom. I find most fish won't spit the bait out most days, except on those days where they are totally neutral, in which case they are usually just mouthing it, and spiting it out in one motion.

About one second ago....