Problems setting the hook with jigs 2025
wapiti reply :
I have just started getting into jig fishing, and I'm struggling having sucess with hooking fish. I find that when I jerk too hard, I seem to just be pulling the bait out of the mouth of the fish. I've had moderate sucess just applying constant pressure on bass - its hard to describe, but I'm basically, keeping the line tight and lifting the rod - but not jerking the rod with much power.
It would help me, if you guys could describe how you set the hook when fishing jigs. When you guys feel a tiny tap and see your line grow tight, do you wait for the bigger strike, or set the hook? Are you setting the hook with great force or more of a slow constant pressure?
My fishing has improved thanks to the advice from this site. I've been using booyah baby boo jigs, with rage tail chunks and have begun catching fish, in lakes that never seemed to yield fish. Tonight will be my fourth time jig fishing . . . .
Wednesday I caught 8 bass (thats the most bass I have ever caught, and one of them is in my avatar) but I was sorta lucky, because on three of the bass, I missed when I got a strike, and my jig just flew up towards me. I had to recast, where I got the first hit and then when I felt my line go tight I just applied like a constant pressure on the line and hooked the fish in the corner of the mouth.
Yesterday night, I had a whopper of a bass on for all of maybe 2 or 3 seconds, he felt huge, but I lost him pretty quickly. I've been missing on quite a few hits and sometimes I just feel a pressure and see my line go tight - should I set the hook with force? How do you guys set the hook when fishing jigs? Thanks
CWilliams reply :
When my line starts moving, I reel down and set the hook.
If you think he does not have the whole bait in its mouth, wait a bit. It Could also be a sunfish/bluegill nipping at your trailer.
grimlin reply :
I set it hard,over the head.You want that hook to penetrate them.A bass will hold on to a jig even if your hook is not penetrated in their mouth.They will let go once they figure out what is happening. It took me awhile too as i wasn't setting the hook hard enough on my first few tries.
Many of my jig bites aren't even felt.No tap in the line,no movement of the line.Almost feels as if you snagged a rock or a branch(heavy feeling as you try to move your lure again).This is where "hook sets are free" saying comes from.
I want to say about 11 of my 16 fish caught so far wasn't even felt.I just set the hook and ended up having one on. Lucky? No,i call it being safe and trusting myself to set the hook knowing i got one on.
If you are pulling that jig away chance are it isn't a bass and it's something small.Or you are setting it too late.
If something,anything feels different than what it should feel like,reel down,SET THAT HOOK!
skillet reply :
I fish T-rigged plastics way more than jigs but here's my take on it. Fish (to me) seem to hold a jig a little bit more than they will t-rigged plastics :-/. If you can stand the suspense, hold off on the hook set for just an instant. If you start hooking up more often you've hit the nail on the head. Bream don't seem to bother a jig and trailer as much as they do T-rigs but it's real possible that is what you are feeling. Time your hook sets in both directions, maybe this will help figure out your problem. Hope this helps 
...
skillet
wapiti reply :
Thanks for the replies, I missed quite a few strikes tonight, tomorrow I am going to try setting the hook harder. I guess it's something only practice will fix.
Another quick question, I have lately been fishing from shore, and I have had a lot of sucess getting bass interested in the jig by sort of slowly twitching the bait along the bottom. When I am twitching, I am holding my rod flat - as in parallel to the water, at 180 degrees. I am comfortable the way I am fishing, but is it hurting my hook sets by not holding the rod at a 45 degree angle?
Thanks again,
Nate
Joe. S reply :
No dancing around it for me, I wack e'm and wack em good, as they say give em the steel
I just have enough confidence in it that I know it's a fish, it will come with time and practice fishing it.
You will gain the 6th sense as that is what it almost is, Also alot of times like Grimlin said especially with smallies, they will crush that jig, maybe not in hitting it terms but actually trying to crush it in there mouth,.
If you don't set the hook hard it won't penetrate, and even still sometimes they come off.
Which also brings up a question to what action/power rod are you using with the jig?
How are the weedguards? if you press it with your finger does it take a littlle force to press it down to expose the hook? That can be altered very easily for surer sets as well.
wapiti reply :
I'm using a 7' Shimano Compre Fast action and medium power. I am fishing a 5/16 oz booyah baby boo jig. I trim the weedguard at a 45 degree angle, so that the weedguard is just past the hook point.
ToledoEF reply :
I dont know rule wise, but I have to jig rods one is 7' MH and the other is 7'6 H and I think you need some backbone for jig fishing! My rule is I feel the bite I reel down and proceed to try and rip thier face off! I have lost a few fish that I set to quick on. I have never lost a fish with a solid hookset! I also use 30lb braid with a 20lb flouro leader or just braid in the real nasty mess!
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Most jigs hooks are a heavier gauge than say a regular EWG. I think you need a more powerful rod first of all. I usually give them about two seconds than try to break the rod. I hardly ever miss one(using heavy fluorocarbon as well). GOOD LUCK
Sam Bass reply :
Sometimes you may need to clip the weed gaurd or fluff it out a bit...To much weed gaurd Might also contribute from getting a good hook set
wapiti reply :
I really really do not want to have to buy another rod. . .
If I am not going through extreme cover, will I be alright fishing 8 pound mono with a medium rod?
I'm going to keep practicing jigging with my current setup and hopefully some experience will allow me to get better at setting the hook. If after a couple weeks, I am still having problems, then I guess I will have no choice but to purchase a MH rod.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
8lb mono with a M rod sounds more like a crankbait combo man! Just curious, why such small line for a lure that has the potential to attract bigger fish? Maybe its just me but all my jigs are fished on a Ex H/Ex F flippin' stick!
wapiti reply :
I bought the rod last summer, hoping it would be a good all around rod that would perform whether I was fishing crankbaits, soft plastics, spinners, jigs, etc. Is Medium or Medium Heavy generally considered a better all around rod?
My family goes up north every year, and my dad is obsessed with walleye fishing. Anyway, I grew up fishing a plain jig with a leech or nightcrawler attached, and my dad always stressed light equipment, and to use 6 pound mono, and not 8 because of the diameter of the line, etc.
A friend introduced me to bass fishing about a or two year ago, and I much much prefer bass fishing to walleye fishing. I had good intentions of buying quality equipment, but I naturally applied what I had always been taught walleye fishing to bass fishing - as in use light equipment.
I am normally fishing small lakes around my house . . . lakes in which I am limited to basically two species of fish - bass and pike. I never tried jig fishing until a week ago --> before I used senkos, fat ikas, 1/4 and 3/8oz spinnerbaits, and crankbaits (rapala x-rap and the Dt-4)
Can I jig and still use my above lures all on the same pole? What would be the prefered specifics on that pole?
Thanks
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Your current jig rod sounds like a great rod for anything with treble hooks to me. I would recommend a MH/F for the other lures mentioned. If $ is an issue, i would look into the St. Croix Mojo rods. They have a spinnbait MH/F that is perfect for spnnerbaits, jigs, T-Rigs, etc. Just my 2 cents though.
grimlin reply :
QuoteI'm using a 7' Shimano Compre Fast action and medium power.
Ouch...could be your problem right there.
Hate to say it....I wouldn't go under a Medium/Heavy fast rated rod at least a 6'6"-7'.
All my jig rods are rated at Heavy/fast action.
wapiti reply :
I'm going to have to sell my rod to buy this one, but if it helps my fishing it's worth it. I really like the feel of the Shimano Compre, so would I be alright if I purchased a 6'6" MH fast from Cabelas?
Thanks for all the advice
Joe. S reply :
If you are really going to get into Jig fishing I just suggest saving up and buying another rod, keeping the one you have for other baits, cranks, topwater etc.
8lb test eeks!!!!!
One thing you could do in the mean time while saving up is put some braid on that rod to help with the hooksets some.
At least 30lb braid, also is it a spinning rod or baitcasting rod?
wapiti reply :
It's spinning, I have no experience fishing baitcasting equipment.
I'm firm on only having one rod. I know it's not the most conventional way to fish for most of you guys, but I have so many other hobbies that I will need to sell my Medium Compre.
I know experienced anglers often have different equipment to best fish each setup. I am limiting myself to only one rod, so for my fishing overall would I be better off with braid or mono? I purchased a Symmetre 3000 FJ this year, and it tells me I should max out at 10 lb test - 140 yards. Do I need a new reel? If I fish my reel with 10 or even say 12 lb test on a medium heavy rod, will it even at all improve my jig fishing?
I was willing to buy a new rod, but I don't want to go through the trouble of selling both my rod and reel. Is it worth it to sell my rod and buy a MH rod, but keep the same reel?
UPDATE --> I thought about it for a bit and decided it's stupid to be fishing light equipment if it's going to hurt my fishing. If I purchase a MH rod, what capacity reel would best match the rod? Am I alright with a Symmetre 3000 or do I need to go bigger? Thanks for all the help
NJAngler609 reply :
i use a 7'0 MH fast action Loomis GL3 with 17# berkely 100% flurocarbon...i wouldnt use any line under 12# when jig fishing
as for the hookset...when i feel that tap,tap,tap or any kind of tension on the line i reel in the slack and wham! literally try to rip the fishes lips off..also,when in doubt SET THE HOOK!...if anything feels different set the d**n hook
grimlin reply :
QuoteIt's spinning, I have no experience fishing baitcasting equipment.I'm firm on only having one rod. I know it's not the most conventional way to fish for most of you guys, but I have so many other hobbies that I will need to sell my Medium Compre.
I know experienced anglers often have different equipment to best fish each setup. I am limiting myself to only one rod, so for my fishing overall would I be better off with braid or mono? I purchased a Symmetre 3000 FJ this year, and it tells me I should max out at 10 lb test - 140 yards. Do I need a new reel? If I fish my reel with 10 or even say 12 lb test on a medium heavy rod, will it even at all improve my jig fishing?
I was willing to buy a new rod, but I don't want to go through the trouble of selling both my rod and reel. Is it worth it to sell my rod and buy a MH rod, but keep the same reel?
UPDATE --> I thought about it for a bit and decided it's stupid to be fishing light equipment if it's going to hurt my fishing. If I purchase a MH rod, what capacity reel would best match the rod? Am I alright with a Symmetre 3000 or do I need to go bigger? Thanks for all the help
Reel is fine.I have done 12# test line on jigs before.You can probably get 100-120 yards on the reel with 12# test.Remember a football field is 100 yards.That's a long ways and a lot of line if you ask me.You don't want to go any lower than 12# test.
wapiti reply :
Thanks for the advice, I'm going to buy a MH Compre and spool some 12 lb test on my reel. Hopefully this well help me be more sucessful on me hooksets when jigging.
bassman31783 reply :
Just my 2 cents. Use 12lb Fluorocarbon not mono. Fluoro is low stretch making it easier to drive that hook in deep. Not to mention that it's also highly abrasive resistant, super sensitive & nearly invisible.
fishfordollars reply :
QuoteI really really do not want to have to buy another rod. . .If I am not going through extreme cover, will I be alright fishing 8 pound mono with a medium rod?
I'm going to keep practicing jigging with my current setup and hopefully some experience will allow me to get better at setting the hook. If after a couple weeks, I am still having problems, then I guess I will have no choice but to purchase a MH rod.
If you keep doing what you are doing you will continue to get what you got.
Not near enough rod or line for correct jig fishing.
wapiti reply :
Fluorocarbon eh? I think I will give it a try. . . Any specific brands out there that I should look for - Berkley?
bassman31783 reply :
Just try a couple and get a feel for them. They are all a little different. I landed on the BPS fluoro and like it alot.
VolFan reply :
Don't go pulling out the benjamins just yet. Since you want to keep it to one rod, I'd say keep the medium. It's going to be a far more versatile and fun rod to fish. I would switch to braid, I use Fireline Crystal, and use a 2 foot flouro leader. The braid has almost no stretch, so you'll get a better hookset with the lighter rod, sometimes its even an advantage to have some give in the rod with braid. That's not a big jig you're using and I'm guessing you're not dragging in a 2 lb fish with 10 lbs of hydrilla. Past that, sometimes I'll set the hook to the side instead of over the top. Finally, and ost importantly: Keep your hooks very, very, very sharp. Keep your hooks very, very, very sharp. Keep your hooks very, very, very sharp. If youset the hook during a cast, check the hook, just in case it was a rock or log.
Catt reply :
QuoteQuoteI really really do not want to have to buy another rod. . .If I am not going through extreme cover, will I be alright fishing 8 pound mono with a medium rod?
I'm going to keep practicing jigging with my current setup and hopefully some experience will allow me to get better at setting the hook. If after a couple weeks, I am still having problems, then I guess I will have no choice but to purchase a MH rod.
If you keep doing what you are doing you will continue to get what you got.
Not near enough rod or line for correct jig fishing.
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got
The Outdoorsman reply :
Here is what I see wrong with this senerio:
1) rod not beefy enough. I use a 7' MH fast tip AllStar rod. You want a rod with good backbone.
2) I didnt see where you stated what line you are using, but I would go with 50# braid. You can tie a palomar knot easily with it and dont have to worry about break offs like you do fluro if you dont tie your knot properly. If you dont want to shell out money for braid, 17# Suffix Elite will get the jog done. IF you go braid, you dont have to reel all the slack up, just get it going and cross her eyes!!! The no stretch of braid will do its work.
3) Dont baby the hookset, you have to get the hook past the weedguard and penetrate the upper jaw. Dont be afraid to miss a hookset, its going to happen. Like I said before, cross her eyes.
spotaholic reply :
Echo the same. I throw a jig 12 months out of the year. Day in and day out catch more fish and win more cash with a jig than anything else. You need a stiffer rod 7' MH is the minimum. I use a7' Heavy for most of my jig fishing. 14 Fluorocarbon is as low as I go and 16 gama is my favorite. I trim every weed guard so it's just a little longer than the hook and then trim the front at a angle away from the hook. I also open the hook up with my needle nose. When the fish bites drop the rod and hammer. I like a short jerk straight up. I miss very few fish with a jig and think you biggest issue is rod and line.
tyrius. reply :
I guess I'm going to have to go a different way than most. I have fished smaller finesse jigs on a M power spinning rod with 8lb test without too many difficulties. The difference here is that I'm not fishing these jigs in heavy cover. Fishing rock shallow rock bottom areas hasn't given me any trouble. I also have a MH baitcasting setup with 12lb test that I use when fishing bigger jigs or in cover.
If you want to use you current rod for jig fishing then focus on lighter wire finesse jigs and you should be fine.
When setting the hook you need to reel down (lower your rod towards the water while keeping the line semi tight) and then snap the rod up quickly and powerfully.
wapiti reply :
Thanks for all the replies,
I got a good deal on a MH Compre that should be here by tomorrow, and although I would have liked another Symmetre, I found a good deal on ebay and settled for a 4000 Sahara.
I'm going to be fishing two setups this year, with my medium Compre for crankbaits and spinnerbaits etc and my MH just for jigging. <-- My paretns should recover in a week or two :-X >
On my jigging combo would you guys recommend 12 or 14 lb test? I had a very very bad experience with Berkley Vanish Transition about a year ago, and so I am hesitant to use fluorocarbon. I for sure will not be fishing braid, as there just isn't enough cover, but I keep going back and forth between purchasing mono or fluorocarbon line.
Thanks
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Since you are set with the spinning rod, I wouldnt go any further than 10, maybe 12lb Berkley 100% fluoro. Spray it down with KVD Line and Lure and you should be fine.
I have the 10lb 100% fluoro on a Symetre 2500 and it is just fine, although all my jig fishing is done with a baitcaster. I use the spinning set up for weightless plastics (trick sticks).
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