Feeling a little hung up...

I've been fishing with a 6'6" Quantum Code MHF rod with 20# Sufix braid with a pretty good hook-up ratio. A week and a half ago I went out to a new spot a caught 2 fish missed 0.

Few days later, bought a new 6'6" Shimano Compre MHXF rod and Citica reel and put 20# Sufix braid on it. Been going back to the new spot to learn them and in three outings now I've missed 5 fish and caught 1. This is disgusting to me but I really like the rod and waaaay better sensitivity than my other one so heres the question:

Anyone have any tips on how to not overplay the rod or likely mistakes I'm making because I'm not used to such a sensitive rod?

This is disgusting to me but I really like the rod and waaaay better sensitivity than my other one so heres the question:

Anyone have any tips on how to not overplay the rod or likely mistakes I'm making because I'm not used to such a sensitive rod?

There´s the answer, the rod is more sensitive so you are setting the hook too fast not giving the fish enough time to mouth the bait, it´s only a matter of delaying a little bit your hookset.

What lures are u using that would help.

4-6" Plastics, 0-3/8oz. weights.

There´s the answer, the rod is more sensitive so you are setting the hook too fast not giving the fish enough time to mouth the bait, it´s only a matter of delaying a little bit your hookset.

What do you wait for? How loaded up should the rod be?

I'm going to also step up my hook size, getting lots of half-worms back, too.

There´s the answer, the rod is more sensitive so you are setting the hook too fast not giving the fish enough time to mouth the bait, it´s only a matter of delaying a little bit your hookset.

Most likely. They usually pick the bait up by the tail then in a second motion inhale it into there mouth.

I feel the tap and then watch the line, it should tighten up a bit or move side to side, if this does not occur simply lift the rod a bit and feel if there is extra weight there.

4-6" Plastics, 0-3/8oz. weights.

What do you wait for? How loaded up should the rod be?

I'm going to also step up my hook size, getting lots of half-worms back, too.

Definitely need to wait a bit on the hook sets, they only have the end of the worm in there mouth therefore the worm rips in half and no fish on the hook.

I don't think you will need to step up hook size as this might change the action of the plastics, and it looks as if you don't have any problems getting them to bite.

in my experiences, bluegills are to blame when you only pull half a worm back...

Thanks for all the replies. I will be trying again tonight. I'll try to be more patient this time around and wait for bump #2.

I'll like the rod even more when I can put some fish on the end of it!

I'll post back.

Most likely. They usually pick the bait up by the tail then in a second motion inhale it into there mouth.

I feel the tap and then watch the line, it should tighten up a bit or move side to side, if this does not occur simply lift the rod a bit and feel if there is extra weight there.

Good to know. Hehe one of the fish I missed shook me a bit. He hit the bait hard and then swam straight for me. When I felt the bump I went to load the rod a bit... nothing, started reeling in really fast and thought, 'man I have a lot of slack in my line' and right when I caught back up to him he spit it out. No doubt he was laughing at me!

in my experiences, bluegills are to blame when you only pull half a worm back...

5" plastic worms?

4-6" Plastics, 0-3/8oz. weights.

What do you wait for? How loaded up should the rod be?

I'm going to also step up my hook size, getting lots of half-worms back, too.

Who said anything about loading the rod ? Delaying your hookset means delaying a little bit the time between you feeling the bite before you pull to make the hookset, the rod isn´t loaded, it loads when you pull.

Haha I had a gill on a bed try to take my bronzeye 65 down yesterday!

Re: the post that said to wait until a count of 5. If I did that here, 99% of the fish I've caught wou;d be gut hooked, something I try to prevent. I've fished worms ect. since 1973, and as soon as I feel a tap, I count 1-2 and set the hook. Sure I've missed some fish over the years, but then everyone misses fish from time to time.

T rigged, Ds'd or c rigged, the 2 count works for me. Make sure your hooks are Sharp, and be a line watcher..

Re: the post that said to wait until a count of 5. If I did that here, 99% of the fish I've caught wou;d be gut hooked, something I try to prevent. I've fished worms ect. since 1973, and as soon as I feel a tap, I count 1-2 and set the hook. Sure I've missed some fish over the years, but then everyone misses fish from time to time.

T rigged, Ds'd or c rigged, the 2 count works for me. Make sure your hooks are Sharp, and be a line watcher..

I would be another member of the gut hooking club if I waited for a 5 count to set the hook. I set as soon as I feel the fish and don't miss many fish. It's possible they're just small fish that are biting. If a bass isn't big enough to suck in a 4 or 6 inch bait I really have no interest in catching it anyways.

Like most, you're moving from a fast to Extra Fast and a minimally sensitive rod to a reasonably sensitive rod. You're feeling more of the initial "bump" and setting off that alone. You'll learn what it feels like when they've taken it before long.

The bite may very from day to day based on the mood of the fish too.

5" plastic worms?

yeah, its a common thing on worms with the twisty tails, not so much shakey style worms. bluegill are voracious fish and ive seen them attack things they know they cant fit in their mouth. a bluegill can fit a plastic worm in his mouth, just not the typical worm hooks people use. bluegill bite and pull the tail off the worm or you think its a bass and go to set the hook and rip off the tail in the bluegills mouth. bass like to pick up a worm and sit there with it or swim off with it in whatever direction, with a bluegill youre likely to feel more of a "yank yank yank" on the bait. not saying a bass wont bite the tail off a worm or plastic, but the usual culprit are bluegill

You have already received a lot of great advice, and it could be a little bit of everything, from the increased sensitivity of the fish (I suffer from this when using my better rods too).

Sometimes the take is quick and an instantaneous hook set works, and other times you feel the take but they haven't gotten to the hook yet so when you yank you wind up ripping it from them. A variation of that is they hold on enough to make you think you set the hook and then the let it go. Since the hook wasn't in its mouth, they was no chance for to set the hook. Other times on the hook set, somehow the hook fails to meet up with the fish's mouth. Also, just because a blue is small doesn't mean it won't take a 5" senko. They will!

I would chalk this up to, "You win some, you lose some."

when you get a more sensitive rod sometimes even trying to pull through a weed can feel like a bite. there is a bit of a learning curve. you had better hookups before because if you felt it they were on, but now you feel it when they bump it or when a little fish tries to bite the tail.

I'm having the same problem you are sir.. I'm also using a new more sensitive rod w/ a fast tip.. I love the sensitivity but I'm not sure I'm liking this " mushy" feeling I'm getting when I go to set the hook, after 3 outings w/ the new rod I feel like I have no confidence in my hooksets AT ALL!!! the rod is a bps extreme 7ft mh fast tip... HELP?!?!!!

in my experiences, bluegills are to blame when you only pull half a worm back...

Yep, when a bass bites, it flares it's gills and inhales the bait. Bass GENERALLY do not pick up the back half of a worm.

in my experiences, bluegills are to blame when you only pull half a worm back...

Or one armed rage craws