I have taken the advice of many here in learning to fish a jig. I have a Black Max on a MH/Fast Clarus with 15# Floroclear that is my jig rod (for now, most likely).

I have only taken this rig to honey-hole water that I know are loaded and know them fairly well. I am catching fish on the jigs and they are bigger fish than I normally pull from these waters.

The problem is I only catch about 40% of the bites I get.  I seem to be ducking jigs flying past my ears some, other times just moving more water back for the next cast.

I have been, somewhat quickly after I am sure of the bite, reeling down the slack, dropping the tip and trying to cross their eyes.  

I would like to know "how" to set the hook on a jig and trailer, to see if I am doing something incorrectly. Sweep, sharp snap straight up, or away? I know it's me, just not sure which part of me that is fouling up this great process.

Thanks in advance - TwitchFish

every hookset i do is usually straight up. Only other way is if i see my line moving left then i set right or vice versa. I hook a lot of fish but i lose some every now ans then

Here are a few thoughts. Many times I will miss bites if my trailer is too big. Sometimes they like it that way and you will catch bigger fish. Other times they might only be getting the trailer in there mouth. I personally like extra wide gap jigs because I feel like it gives me room for a better hook set. It sounds like you're doing it fine. If they are slamming it and then releasing it real fast sometimes it takes a fast hook set. I've also found that sometimes you have to give them a second to get the whole thing in their mouth if they are toying with it. It really just depends. Nothing can take the place of on the water experience. The more you fish it the more you will understand what to do and what no to do.

Since fish don't have hands, if I can feel them then the bait is in their mouth.  I don't drop, reel up and set the hook.  I keep my rod at or below 11:00 o'clock all the time and just set the hook when I feel a bite or extra weight.

If pitching/flipping or fishing close in, then a vertical "cross their eyes" hookset is fine. If you are casting out any distance and more horizontal than vertical, a sweep set will have a better hookup ratio on a jig.

-T9

I was watching Hank Parker schooling, I think his nephew on VS.  The kid was missing a bunch of hook ups jig fishing.  Hank noticed the kid was lowering the rod tip before the set.  Told him when you feel the bite, take in the slack without lowering the rod tip and sweep set.  Bottom line it worked, at least on TV.

Drop the rodreel the slackset the hook!

Flipping/pitching requires less rod drop & less slack to reel in

Consider which direction the bass is moving or not moving then decide if the hook set should be vertical or to one side.