HOOKSET problems....any suggestions

[OU812]

Seem to be having problems with the slack line after the flag trips. We are considering replacing those single hooks with trebles (#6 or #8). Getting alot of missed fish and I am thinking they swipe at the bait and shake the hook with all the slack line until I can get my hands on the line. Ideas...anyone??
Thanks in advance 

[Russellman]

OU812-
From one VH fan to another, are you trying to set the hook while the fish is running away, or has the reel stopped ?  My opinion is to give it a yank only when it's moving away at a decent speed.  It takes a lot of patience some days...  My kids haven't figured it out yet, but it seems to work for me. 
Bass, pickerel, & panfish seem to be tougher than trout or salmon in my experience.  I think that the trout & salmon grab it and then swim away to swallow it down.  I know that bass will mouth it and just hold their water for a while.   Patience, patience, patience...

[OU812]

Yeah...that might be the problem. We are used to getting crappie off the tipup and old "papermouth" seems to throw the hook easy if we don't give the line some tension right away. Ever use tiny treble hooks? Whats your setup for bass/ panfish?

[Russellman]

OU812,
I typically use #4 or 6 baitholder single hooks for almost everything.  I hook the minnow under the dorsal fin with the hook above the body when fishing live bait.
For togue (lake trout), I step up to a #2 to get a bigger hunk of dead bait on the hook.  I've never tried trebles on my tip ups.  In fact, I don't know if they're even legal on tip ups in Maine.   
I have done some experimenting with circle hooks this year & have yet to miss a fish.  BUT, we're only up to two or three flags on traps with circle hooks, so this jury is still out.

Good luck - be patient &  when it's running, stop them in their tracks !

[Hockey19]

What we do is clip one of the hooks off of a treble hook leaving two(double hook??).  This is also nice when putting them in your bucket, that third hook isn't sticking out to snag something.

Chris

[Big Dawg]

im with russellman on this one. i like to set the hook while the fish is going at a slow pace but others in the family like for the reel to be stopped before they set it. i guess the reason i like doing it while theyre going is because you know they have it in thier mouths whereas if u take it while theyre stopped, they could be long gone with the bait

[Mongo]

I have had good luck this year since switching to Octopus hooks. Seems to me that all the fish have the hooks in the sided of their mouths.

[WVBoy]

Go to circle hooks or octopus hooks.And just put the brakes on instead of setting the hook.I get good hookups in the corner of the mouth and for some reason alot of pike i catch get hooked through the end of their top lip.Awesome,especially when using fluro line.

[CrappieGuy]

Yeah...that might be the problem. We are used to getting crappie off the tipup and old "papermouth" seems to throw the hook easy if we don't give the line some tension right away. Ever use tiny treble hooks? Whats your setup for bass/ panfish?

If you are mainly trying to catch Crappies, I would suggest using TipDowns instead of Tipups.  They work great for all panfish and can be a blast if you get a Walleye or Northern on.  Most often a Northern will cut/break you off but if you get lucky and play it slow you can get them in.  If you need pictures of how to build TipDowns just send me an email to [email protected].  They are easy and cheap to make out of scrap wood.  All you need is some scrap wood, a few nuts and bolts, and one of the cheap 24" or 28" plastic or wood handled jig poles, total cost around $6.00 to $7.00 each which includes the jig pole.  The only thing you need to check is your local laws, some states consider them the same as Tipups and some consider them the same as jig poles.

[iceintheveins]

I always use quick strike rigs with a pair of #6 or #8 trebles for pike and catfish. I always set when I see them running off with line, because I know they have it in their mouth. For lake trout, I use the same tube jigs on my tip ups as I do for jigging. Seems to get more flags than just plain deadbait for some reason. Never have a problem setting hooks when the fish is running.

Tyler

[MeadowPikeman]

i have always missed pike if i set when the fish is running. always end up with broadside teeth marks on the bait. on a big bait 8-12" a pike will grab it run sideways and then usually stop and turn the bait, sometimes they will run twice before stopping and turning. beofre they turn the bait a lot of the time they barely have it in their mouth, so it is very important to be patient and wait for a pause, especailly with big baits for big northerns.

[chrisN]

so should you wait till it stops our set it while its running?

[MeadowPikeman]

depends i guess conventional wisdom for pike and trout is to wait till they stop. trout will just lip a bait then inhale it after, and big pike baits usally i wait for one or two runs then set on the stop.

[camo_fish]

Yeah...that might be the problem. We are used to getting crappie off the tipup and old "papermouth" seems to throw the hook easy if we don't give the line some tension right away. Ever use tiny treble hooks? Whats your setup for bass/ panfish?

I use #12 trebles for my perch, crappie, LL salmon, lakers, pickeral, etc with the smaller bait, hooked behind the dorsal-fin. And when I get to tipup I open the latch (to allow for free spool) then lift the tipup out slow and grab the line with an open hand, in case they run, there is the least resistance on the line and you can set the hook quicker and smoother. Then will pull on the line easy until there is resistance, if your after crappie, don't pull hard when setting the hook, yes, as you know you'll pull the hook out, anything else pull it good.
I like the small trebles cause they don't fell the hook and will hold onto the bait longer. They just shallow with out thinking about it. I've even got some eyes on the smaller trebles. I do end up cutting alot of hooks off cause they just shallow it with out even knowing there's a hook there. But my catch ratio is close to 90% or 95% for flag to iced fish.
I use #6 or #8 trebles for bass and walleye with the middle to large shiners.
The trebles are the way to go for the better and easier hook ratio.
Hope this help at all, good luck. 

[fishuhalik]

Are you fishing pike, bass, trout, etc.?  I know with northerns I was missing alot of fish, and I was wondering what was up.  One time I went sight-fishing (angling through a spearhole) w/ a buddy, & a nice pike came slowly up the minnow & just mouthed it.  Right about that time another buddy came running up to our house to show us the nice pike he just got, & I that pike just took off.  Since he just had the head of the minnow, when it took off it ripped the minnow off the hook.  Moral of the story is this-try tip-toeing up to the tip-up.  It's definitely helped my hooking %.

[camo_fish]

Moral of the story is this-try tip-toeing up to the tip-up.  It's definitely helped my hooking %.

yes indead, good one. the thumping on the ice in shallow water with spook the fish.  Nice one.