i heard a guy on t.v., cant remember who it was, and he said that while he was fishing with some sort of soft plastic that he would never "drop his rod" before setting the hook. his theory was that when you do this, causing the line to go limp, actually causes the bait to fall out of the fishes mouth.

any thoughts?

Drop the rod reeling the slack at the same time

With the flavors, scents and softness of most plastics today, the likelihood of a bass dropping the bait is not very high. Have you ever had a bass pick up your offering and keep on going with it! Sometimes I'll just hang on without setting the hook, just for fun.  

But I agree...reel down to them without throwing slack and then set.

With the flavors, scents and softness of most plastics today, the likelihood of a bass dropping the bait is not very high. Have you ever had a bass pick up your offering and keep on going with it! Sometimes I'll just hang on without setting the hook, just for fun.

But I agree...reel down to them without throwing slack and then set.

ok, thanks a lot guys that does make sense.

Not to mention if your line is too tight the bass is likely to feel you,at least that is what I believe. If you don't work the bait with a little slack in the line in the first place it doesn't give it freedom to move correctly when you twitch it and if you don't work it with you rod tip up you have more trouble feeling subtle bites or discerning between snags and feeling bottom.

Watch any or all the pros on tv too and they do it they same way,drop,reel,set, except it is so lightning quick that their rod almost cracks thunder. I guess what ever works for that show host though :

The only difference I can see is if fishing a heavy jig or pitching/flipping in close quarters with say a 1/2 oz or more.Then you gotta keep the line somewhat tight and stick them the very microsecond you feel them.

Feeling a worm/jig bite requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.

Feeling a worm/jig bite requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.

Every technique has its vagaries, which at times contradict the "rule of thumb" for others.

I never gave jigs much of a shot in the past, and set as one of my goals for this year to catch bass on jigs.  One goal met.

It certainly demands concentration.  Is that weight on the line a stone, log, bottom muck, or a fish?  Each seems to have its characteristic feel, and in my short experience, it seems at times, that a bass can mimic any of them.

At times, a bass strike will be obvious.  At others, impossible (for me) to distinguish.

I've adopted the, gradually increase the tension in the line.  At the slightest sign that something living is on the other end, set the hook.

It's like solving a puzzle.  Challenging, and rewarding, plus it heightens the senses, keeping one alert.

Feeling a worm/jig bite requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.

Yeah what he said.I tried to say it also but was much more elaborate in my description ;D

his theory was that when you do this, causing the line to go limp, actually causes the bait to fall out of the fishes mouth.

If bass ate/swallowed with their mouths wide open while suspending at a 60 degree downward angle, that might be a problem. ;D

Of course if the mouth was open would your tight line pull it out of the mouth?  

i heard a guy on t.v., cant remember who it was, and he said that while he was fishing with some sort of soft plastic that he would never "drop his rod" before setting the hook. his theory was that when you do this, causing the line to go limp, actually causes the bait to fall out of the fishes mouth.

any thoughts?

Yea, change to another fishing show.

i heard a guy on t.v., cant remember who it was, and he said that while he was fishing with some sort of soft plastic that he would never "drop his rod" before setting the hook. his theory was that when you do this, causing the line to go limp, actually causes the bait to fall out of the fishes mouth.

any thoughts?

Yea, change to another fishing show.

lol

when drop shotting, there are guys who just lift the rod without reeling down when they get bit.  

Catt is trying to give everyone good sound advice.

Lumping jigs with plastic worms can be difficult because bass can spit out a jig faster than you can drop the rod tip and set the hook.

Here is some advice on hook setting soft plastics; worms creatures and jigs with larger size soft plastic creature trailers. The hook setting technique is dependant on how far you have made your cast and how deep the lure is. IF the cast is within 30 feet or so and not deeper than 10 feet or so and you are using a soft plastic that is over 6" long or bulky enough the fill the basses mouth, take the time to quickly lower the rod tip, reel in the slack and snap set the hook. The bass tends to hold onto a mouth full of soft plastic, so you have a few seconds to make a hook set.

IF you have made a longer cast over 30", you should consider the reel and sweep set. You will have more bow in your line the further away it is from your rod tip. This means to take up the slack and bow in the line you need to use the reel to tighten the line very quickly and sweep the rod back against the snug line to get a good hook set. The reel moves more line faster then the rod can.

IF you are casting a jig with a smaller 3' to 5" trailer over 30 feet, you have less time to get a hook set, so don't lift the rod tip up high, keep it closer to the water when retrieving the jig, this reduces the time needed to reel in the slack line and sweep the rod that is already in position.

The reel set with the rod pointed at the jig creates the highest hook setting power the the hook point. Rods are designed to bend and that is exactly what they do and you loose most of the hook setting power because the line only moves a fraction of the distance the rod tip does.

The old cross there eyes rod hook set, doesn't apply much movement or force to the hook point, unless the lure is within 30'.

How long will a bass keep your lure in it's mouth? who knows, the faster you can get the set the better, the more bass you will hook, when fishing plastic worms and jigs.

WRB

Great response WRB. Heck all of your responses are great

great reply WRB. I love this fourm its a wealth of info

i heard a guy on t.v., cant remember who it was, and he said that while he was fishing with some sort of soft plastic that he would never "drop his rod" before setting the hook. his theory was that when you do this, causing the line to go limp, actually causes the bait to fall out of the fishes mouth.

any thoughts?

Yea, change to another fishing show.

lol thats funny, but yeah im agreeing with everyone here. I just wasnt sure of it and i never thought of it. So when a professional brings something up like that its your first decision to believe it.

Thanks a lot though guys

With the flavors, scents and softness of most plastics today, the likelihood of a bass dropping the bait is not very high. Have you ever had a bass pick up your offering and keep on going with it! Sometimes I'll just hang on without setting the hook, just for fun.

But I agree...reel down to them without throwing slack and then set.

exactly what i was gonna say word 4 word even the toying with them part. lol

8-)

  Not to mention if your line is too tight the bass is likely to feel you,at least that is what I believe. If you don't work the bait with a little slack in the line in the first place it doesn't give it freedom to move correctly when you twitch it and if you don't work it with you rod tip up you have more trouble feeling subtle bites or discerning between snags and feeling bottom.

  Watch any or all the pros on tv too and they do it they same way,drop,reel,set, except it is so lightning quick that their rod almost cracks thunder.  I guess what ever works for that show  ;)host though :

The only difference I can see is if fishing a heavy jig or pitching/flipping in close quarters with say a 1/2 oz or more.Then you gotta keep the line somewhat tight and stick them the very microsecond you feel them.

Hey Fin, well thought out explanation. It takes years of worming n' jiggin to tell a pick-up vs. a stick. But what do we all say "hooksets are free"

Thanks, Hookset on3

It got to the point on the KY lake road trip that you could tell when you had ANOTHER smaller fish on.  The larger fish generally nailed the bait.  The smaller ones would tap, tap, tap.  Tired of catching the smaller ones, I tried everything to get them to let go.  Pulling the line tight, allowing slack.  Nothing worked.  Those fish usually would start swimming away with the bait in their mouths.

Could the guy have been flipping heavy mats of grass with a 1 1/2oz weight?  I know that they will spit the bait out if they all of a sudden feel the big weight when you drop your rod tip.

After KY Road Trip and speaking with Glenn he told me about the three tap rule of a bass bite:

1. The first tap is a bass eating your bait.

2. The second tap is the bass spitting out your bait.

3. The third tap is me hitting you in the back of the head for not setting the hook on the first tap.

This is a great way to remember a hook-set! When ever I feel anything I will set the hook. Even if it is a rock or hung up a little. I will sometimes even get a reaction strike after a hook set when there is no fish so just be ready. I would rather set the hook than missing a fish.