Missing Topwater Hooksets. What Can I Do? 2025
NEBasser101 reply :
Lately, I have been fishing a lot of walking baits. I have noticed that I have been missing a lot of hooksets. Is there anything I can do? Thanks
poisonokie reply :
Be patient, grasshopper.
NEBasser101 reply :
Thanks.
Mike L reply :
If you're walking treble hooked baits sharpen or replace them, even if new out of the package. Don't trust that they're good to go just because they're new.
If you're walking a frog of any size, style or brand hold your set till you feel the fish...It's not easy I know.
But if you're walking it good you should have plenty of slack as is, just give it a second more.
Mike
EvanT123 reply :
After a miss try stopping the bait in its tracks for a few seconds. Sometimes they will come back for a second swipe.
J Francho reply :
Frog/mouse or treble hook baits? You don't need much of a set for trebles, just start reeling and put pressure on it.
gardnerjigman reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 10:14 AM, J Francho said:Frog/mouse or treble hook baits? You don't need much of a set for trebles, just start reeling and put pressure on it.
Agree. If frog or mouse, set the hook when it disappears.
If a treble bait, change out trebles. This is the one top water technique that I say you don't set the hook immediately. Feel the fish, set it and bring her home.
Montanaro reply :
1. The fish should hook themsleves. Just wait for bait to disappear and not pop back up and start reeling with a slight sweep of rod.
2. Fish aren't committed to eating your bait. Switch color...if not that cadence or style of topwater can be modified.
poisonokie reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 9:35 AM, NEBasser101 said:Thanks.
Lol, I'm serious. You shouldn't really try to set the hook with trebles, anyway, but even if you start reeling or sweeping the rod to the side when the fish blows up on it all you'll manage tondonis pull the bait away.
scaleface reply :
Walking baits are one lure I have had trouble with . I can walk them real well but the bass just have never hooked up good for me .
poisonokie reply :
*to do is. Tondonis sounds like a game of thrones character.
Scarborough817 reply :
Go by feel and not sight I always sweep after I feel the fish haven't lost one yet
A-Jay reply :
If you haven't already, try switching to braided line for top water; especially waking type baits.
I noticed an immediate & decided improvement in both hook set authority & success.
Additionally, "walking" the bait seems effortless with the braid as compared to nylon line.
A-Jay
J Francho reply :
I don't like brad so much, but I do like no stretch, and I mean ZERO stretch. If you like that part, don't like the limpness of braid, take a look at Tuf-line Supercast. I did, and haven't looked back for top water. It's like it was made specifically for them.
poisonokie reply :
Braid is always a good idea, but if you neglect to tie on a couple feet of mono leader you'll have to untangle your line from your hooks after every other cast.
the reel ess reply :
You can actually get your hook point through the braid. Bad scene. Since braid is limp, it won't get out of the way when you twitch the bait left or right.
I find 15# mono to be the best line I've ever used with topwaters-except frogs. It has the stretch to keep you from yanking the hooks away from a fish or ripping them out when you do make contact. If the fish are really after it, they'll get some hooks and you'll have at least a full second to react. I caught a bass mid-summer that ate the plug so well, I picked out a backlash before I set the hook and I landed it.
I use Berkley Big Game specifically for topwaters and I tie directly to the eye with an improved clinch knot, no snap or ring. The bouyancy of a heavier mono also can't be beat for the action of topwaters. Braid and FC sink. Walking baits are easy to use and don't require limp line or hardware to help. If you really want limper line, try Trilene XL in a heavier weight.
A-Jay reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 11:07 PM, the reel ess said:You can actually get your hook point through the braid. Bad scene. Since braid is limp, it won't get out of the way when you twitch the bait left or right.
I find 15# mono to be the best line I've ever used with topwaters-except frogs. It has the stretch to keep you from yanking the hooks away from a fish or ripping them out when you do make contact. If the fish are really after it, they'll get some hooks and you'll have at least a full second to react. I caught a bass mid-summer that ate the plug so well, I picked out a backlash before I set the hook and I landed it.
I use Berkley Big Game specifically for topwaters and I tie directly to the eye with an improved clinch knot, no snap or ring. The bouyancy of a heavier mono also can't be beat for the action of topwaters. Braid and FC sink. Walking baits are easy to use and don't require limp line or hardware to help. If you really want limper line, try Trilene XL in a heavier weight.
A section of mono leader completely eliminates that.
A-Jay
the reel ess reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 11:25 PM, A-Jay said:A section of mono leader completely eliminates that.
A-Jay
Why add another knot as well as cost? That said, I have used braid for topwater on a very moderate spinning combo in a pinch. That's how I discovered the hook/braid issue.
Just one guy's humble opinion.
A-Jay reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 11:54 PM, the reel ess said:No offense, but IMO a section of mono won't fix a spool full of line that doesn't stretch or float. I'd rather put wax on FC than add a another knot to braid. Lower cost, better bouyancy, better stretch, no extra knots. That said, I have used braid for topwater on a very moderate spinning combo in a pinch. That's how I discovered the hook/braid issue.
Just one guy's humble opinion.
And yet - I always use Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; and it performs perfectly.
Interesting.
A-Jay
the reel ess reply :
If all else fails, have another rod handy with a wacky rigged or weightless worm. After the miss reel the topwater in quickly and toss the worm over and let it sink. Often it won't make it to the bottom. Bass love a consolation prize..
J Francho reply :
You need no leader with Supercast and it floats.
NathanW reply :
On 9/24/2015 at 9:24 PM, A-Jay said:If you haven't already, try switching to braided line for top water; especially waking type baits.
I noticed an immediate & decided improvement in both hook set authority & success.
Additionally, "walking" the bait seems effortless with the braid as compared to nylon line.
A-Jay
I agree. braid is really nice on walking baits. If you watch a lot of fishing like I do you will notice most of the pros are doing this too. You will want about 2.5 foot of 15-20lbs test mono to avoid tangling your bait with the braid. Also first thing you should always do is make sure each hook point is sticky sharp.
WPCfishing reply :
Use braid with a leader. Buy a different bait or put a larger hook set on the one you're using.
When you get a hit be sure the line is tightened and your tip is down, ease the rod back while you continue to reel him in.
What rod are you using?
WPCfishing reply :
When I set on toads or frogs it's a short thump and I know he's mine. It's like a drug for me...
Mike2841 reply :
Just let them take it, if your hooks are sharp it'll hook itself most of the time. Sometimes when walking a bait the fish just miss it completely, if that happens just stop the bait and if they don't hit that they'll usually hit it on a second cast
ogbfishing reply :
For baits with trebles, like torpedoes and spooks, if you miss the hookset, odds are you waited too long, or jumped the gun. If it's a slurp I just rip it. However, if it's a blowup I wait to feel the fishes weight and then set the hook.
For topwater frogs, you want to take a second or two so as to be able to tell if the fish brought it under, in the case that it has, again, just rip it.
Most of the fish you'll lose on topwater are gonna be small, if you hook into a big one, you won't have to worry about timing, they'll just run with it. I consider myself as being pretty good at keeping 'em on, not just some amateur.
Bluebasser86 reply :
With walking baits like a Spook, I walk the bait until the fish loads up, kind of like a buzzbait hookset. Smallmouth are the worst, sometimes missing a bait half a dozen times before they connect. If you're patient and don't set the hook until you feel them though, they'll keep coming back until they get it a lot of the time.
NEBasser101 reply :
Thank you all, I think I will switch out the hooks on my walking baits.
68camaro reply :
On 9/25/2015 at 12:06 AM, A-Jay said:And yet - I always use Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; and it performs perfectly.
Interesting.
A-Jay
A-Jay, newbie question, but does a mono leader tied to braid create a weak point and what knot do you use to attach mono to braid and how long of a mono leader?
This sounds like a good idea when using same rod/reel for topwater and heavy pitch/jigging. I can put mono leader on for topwater and take off for jigs in heavy stuff or frogs. Does this make sense?
BTW I was thinking to spool my reel with 40 braid so what ln mono would you use? Nee rod is Dobyns 735C.
Thanks
A-Jay reply :
On 10/1/2015 at 8:08 PM, 68camaro said:A-Jay, newbie question, but does a mono leader tied to braid create a weak point and what knot do you use to attach mono to braid and how long of a mono leader?
This sounds like a good idea when using same rod/reel for topwater and heavy pitch/jigging. I can put mono leader on for topwater and take off for jigs in heavy stuff or frogs. Does this make sense?
BTW I was thinking to spool my reel with 40 braid so what ln mono would you use? Nee rod is Dobyns 735C.
Thanks
Every Knot is a "Weak Point" ~ that's just the way it goes. However that's a relative term.
Remember the OP is discussing the use of Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; this is not a situation where I'm ever applying Max Pressure during the fight. This does not mean knots & terminal tackle are not tested. They are, just not to the point of failure.
40 lb braid sounds fine. For me, the mono leader size for that would be something between 12 - 15 lb. depending on the baited & technique used.
I use back to back uni-knots when connecting braid to mono. There are several options when it comes to knots there. The uni-knot works fine for me.
Finally, I do not own any of Gary Dobyns sticks, but according to Tackle Tour "The 735C is a very versatile stick and can be used for the full range of retrieve styles independent of what lure you have tied to the end of your line. The rod's tip is soft enough allowing you to rip your baits through the water, yet stout enough to respond in slower presentations when you're lifting and dropping your bait. One of Gary Dobyns's favorite lures is a topwater frog and the 735C is an excellent stick with which to cast these baits and twitch them back along the surface."
Good Luck
A-Jay
the reel ess reply :
NM
JOBU1967 reply :
I replaced the rear hooks on all my Sammy's & chug bug's with feathered gamakatsu trebles. Hookup ratio is a lot better now.
J Francho reply :
Maybe this will help.
https://youtu.be/AVZT2im0dhA
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