When to set the hook?

[TogueHunter]

I have a question for all you tipup experts out there...

When you get a flag, and the line is running out, what is your technique of when and how do you set the hook.
  I suppose it varies from species to species, and the lakes I fish have, trout, togue (lakers), smallmouth and largemouth bass, and no pike. 
  Here is the method I was taught:
1. Let the fish make it's initial run until the line stops, at which point it's supposedly stopping to turn the bait around and swallow it.  (Is this really what's happening down there?) 
2. Wait until the fish starts to run again, then gently pull your tipup out of the water so there is no extra resistance on the line.
3.  Lay your tipup down on the ice so it will free-spool, or hand it to someone and let the line run through your fingers, then gently tighten the line.
4.  When the line goes tight, set the hook with a quick pull but not too hard.

  Only problem was, that I was with this method I was missing a lot of fish.  Often the line would never stop moving again after the initial run.  I would wait patiently and if there was no more movement, slowly and gently retrieve the line stopping every now and then it hoping to feel some weight, or if the fish was following the bait it would provoke a strike.

 Most of the time there would be no more sign of the fish that took the bait, and I would pull in a dead minnow or an empty hook. 

Late in the season last year I got tired of the method I was "taught", and decided to try something different.  and if the fish was running when I got there I would do the same as step-3, only set the hook immediately when I felt the weight of the fish.  That technique worked for me more times than the first method did, so I guess I'm on to something.

Just wondering what other guys do... what is your preferred method of when and how to set the hook?
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!   

[Hood]

TH- I have had similar thoughts on the same issue. I have tried lettin them stop then run but alot of the times i think they feel the hook and spit it. This year if the fish is runnin im gonna lay into him. You know for sure the fish is there if line is runnin, lord only knows whats goin on down there if the line is slack(could be nothing at all). May also depend on the speed of the run, if the fish is screaming line then I say let em have it, slow runs you may need to play a little. Also some people cant lay into em on a dead run due to leader strength and have to slow em down or wait for a pause to come tight. No two fishermen will ever agree 100% and this thread ought to acquire many opinions and personal experiences, cant wait to see what everyone has to say. A solution may be circle hooks, just hold on to the line and let the fish hook itself, that will prolly spark a debate as to when to hang tight....

[TogueHunter]

A solution may be circle hooks, just hold on to the line and let the fish hook itself, that will prolly spark a debate as to when to hang tight....

Hood, thanks for the response...
That's funny you should mention circle hooks, because that is one of the things I changed in my setup last year.  I went with #8 red Octopus hooks, with a 6ft, 8lb Maximan Ultra-Green leader. and maybe that was what was part of me getting a good hook set. 
I don't want to get into the rig setup too much, but rather looking for a discussion of when and how people drive the hook home!

The fish I did hook were solidly inside the mouth, not lip hooked so from that I'm thinking that they did have the entire 3" shiner in their mouths during the initial run. 

I've often wondered about what you mentioned in them feeling the line resistance and spitting the bait if you let them go too long and too much line is out.  I suppose that is determined by the size and species of fish as well?

 I can't say that any of the fish I hooked and iced when I set the hook during their initial run were really burning the line off the reel except for some short bursts.  Also I never really "layed into 'em", but let the line slide between my fingers and then gripped it tight until I felt a solid weight and then just gave them a quick tug and let the hook do the rest.

[WntrMrngWood]

nice thread fellas.  Personally, i let that initial run slow down mostly, but agree with hood on wondering what could be happening with slack line.  For the hook set itself, i prefer a steady pull as opposed to a ripping jerk.  I don't have any experience with the circle hooks, but it sounds like you guys don't have anything bad to say about trying them.

[NickP]

Fish only run away from the line when A. they relise they are hooked (not often) or B.THERE ARE AT LEAST 1 OTHER FISH DOWN THERE TRYING TO EAT THE SAME PIECE OF BAIT.

Keep in mind fish stay tight during winter and aggression is low untill food is introduced to the mix, thats why you can get a 20 yard run. The fish is tryign to get to a spot where he can swallow the food- now if he feels the hook while swallowing *this happens 90 percent of the time, unless he's still got buddys looking for scraps*then he will simply spit the bait and leave it there- no fish on the line

I suggest leave your line alone if you come over and the spools not running, reset the flag and dont touch the line. If it is running off- gently pull the tipup outta the water and in the freespool mode- gently let the line go through your finger with some force- as the fish slows down (it will as it feel pressure) set the hook GENTLY- no need to set the hook like its a striper.

Modify it with w/e you have sucess with.

Tight lines and purdy women,
Nick

[sphynx_000]

I fish tip ups for walleye and I get 2 scenarios with a flag

1.) Come to a flag and find no movement, or very slow movement (line marker anywhere from surface to  several feet in the water).
   - I carefully pull line till I feel weight. If it is dead weight I set the hook and rarely ever miss a fish.
   - If the fish is still biting when I get there I dont know exactly what to do. Sometimes set the hook
      immediatly, sometimes wait. I find fish harder to catch when they are still biting on the bait.

2.) Come to a flag and find the fish running.
     - I pull the tip up out of the water and let the line run through my hand (no tension). As soon  as the
       run stops, (or slows down), I set the hook. I dont miss many in this scenario either.

[penna]

This is what I do.If its not moving don't touch it. If its running lift tipup out of water while spool is turning at the same time grab line and give fish more line to run. keep hold of slack line with tight grip and lay down tipup and as soon as the running fish takes up the slack you just gave it, set the hook.And if you're fast the fish should have this look on his face a minute later

[teamtip-up]

I  also set up quick on a running fish.  I lift the tip up gently while feeding slack to the moving fish.  As soon as the slack is taken up, I give the line one quick snap.  If the fish is not running, I hold the line in my hand.  If I feel nothing I will wait for a quick minute.  If the fish is there, I will gently tighten up the line and set up on him.  The percentage of bites to hooked fish is very high. 
 
If you use split shots or swivels, the line can get hung up on structure (weeds , rocks, etc. ) if you let the fish go.   Some species may even be sensitive to just the drag of the line in the water.   

Skippy

[Sax_]

If the is running I immediately set the hook mostly because I'm afraid its going to drop it . If the fish is stops I will wait for about 30 seconds to see if theres any movement if not I pull the tip up out and lay it on the ice taking the line in my hand and lightly pull and see if theres any weight if there is i set the hook . when I set the hook I always make it one solid fast motion , Ive had little perch come flying at me from setting the hook that hard 
I rarely miss fish and they rarely come off once there on . If I'm using a circle hook i just slowly apply pressere to the line , I still haven't got use not setting the hook with them.

[Auger]

No advise from me, I usually only pike fish with quick strikes so there's no problem.  I wanted to say, though, that this is the basis for one of my favorite games on the ice.  We love to watch groups of guys do "the tip-up dance."  We sit and watch as they all converge around a flag with hands in pockets and ponder when to set the hook.  We bet on which one will bend over and get the tip-up and when he will set the hook.  We do voice overs and imagine what they are saying.  OK, so maybe it's funnier at zero with 6 beers in you.  Still one of my favorite non-catching thins on the ice.

[IceTroll]

Im with you Auger on two counts. I too use quick strike rigs or a close facsimili there of, so I rarely have issues with when to set the hook. I also like to watch the comedy that usually ensues when a group of guys gathers around a sprung flag. Heck, I have seen guys reach down and grab the whole tipup and just rip it out of the hole to set the hook  . It actually worked for this guy but its not a technique I would highly recommend.

 

[Sax_]

Heck, I have seen guys reach down and grab the whole tipup and just rip it out of the hole to set the hook  . It actually worked for this guy but its not a technique I would highly recommend.

The tip-ups I have I can do that with, the have a piece on top that is connected to the spool its shaped like a "T" u can grab on to that it works just as good as setting the hook on the line . It wont harm the tip-up .

[PeRcHsLaYeR]

Most large fish will engulf it on the first bite.  Otherwise as you can see on some underwater fishing videos they may be reall finicky and just start from the head and then take off with it.  It's always a safe bet just to set the hook when you get to the tip-up.  I dont really set it but moreover just start pulling htte line in.

[Haywood]

I think it is going to depend on the size of the bait.  I mainly pike fish with tips and just let them go until I feel like setting the hook.  Never when they are on a dead run, unless they are getting to the end of the spool.  This year, I am going with quick strikes as well.  It is probably going to take a little getting used to. 

[BUCKSKI]

Quick strike, big bait, fast hook sets, lost too many fish on non steel quick strikes, may miss some walleyes but rather catch the ones that take the bait.
PS do not land the fish by the quick strike rig, ask fishfiend, on clasp broke and I had a 5 lb walleye going back to the depths tail first.
Had to reach in the hole and pin EM to the bottom of the ice and finally landed him.

[water walker]

I'm impatient.  I like to set the hook once I get to the tipup, unless the line is screaming off the spool, then I'll wait for the fish to slow.  I've lost more fish by waiting for them to stop running to set the hook than I do when I set it right away.   Also, to set the hook, I just hold the line tight and give a short tug.

[icemonster]

In general I have found that setting the hook as soon as you feel a bite or resistance seems to work the best.
If I slowly pull line in and don't feel anything by the time my line marker gets to the surface, I usually it jig for awhile before checking my minnow. Often times this will induce a strike and a hookup.

[iceintheveins]

When employing quick strike rigs with small sharp hooks, you set the hook when the fish has the bait, which is signaled by the spool steadily turning. "Letting them run" with it is a good way to miss the fish. I rarely miss fish that have the bait in their mouths.

[Timmey9]

I mostly fish pike and I like to hit them on the run.  If I get to the tip up and they are running i will pull the tip up out of the hole and grab the line and let the slack tighten up and set the hook as soon as i start to feel the weight of the fish.  If they aren't running i like to wait until they do run and then do the same thing.  If they won't run after like a minute or so i will pull up slack and set the hook when i feel the fish.  Some days they are finicky and you will have to let them sit for a few minutes with the bait before setting the hook.  I perfer to wait till they are moving because i know they will have the bait in their mouth with a good grip on it.


I used to wait for them to run stop then run again, but they dropped it or swallowed it too much.  I use a single treble on an extra fine steel leader.

[kirkwooders]

 Set the hook as soon as you get there, wether its runnin or not.  If a fish is runnin it must have the bait in it's mouth.  after all fish don't have hands.  If it isn't peeling line I don't like to give em time to think about the hard sharp thing tht's in their dinner.

[BillP]

I am not no expert but i wait till he starts tuggin a little then i set the hook and keep pressure or hell spit it happens to me a bunch of time today

[northernnyice]

Weird as it sounds, pike often like to "suck" on the minnow, so its kind of hard for me to set the hook really quick. Like today i came to a flag and this fish was taking line fast, so i hurried up and set the hook while i had tention, and I think I basically ripped the hook from its mouth, I don't like when a fish swallows my hook because I release most, but I like to give it what I feel is just enough time to get a good firm mouth on my hook to set it.