big worms

[buzzinbass]

How long do wait before you set the hook with 12" worms after you feel the bite?

[pccustomtackle]

I wait just long enough for my brain to tell my arm to set the hook !!!! And set it HARD too !!!

[lunkerhunter1982]

I wait just long enough for my brain to tell my arm to set the hook !!!! And set it HARD too !!!

I second all that he said. Just like a jig, feel the bite, jerk like $^%$.

[brwnbass]

Yea, dont wait til your float pops back up,it'll be too late then!

[Guest]

its hard for me to wait...but some say wait for a few seconds till they start swimming away...i have always felt that hooksets are free...

[softbaitmaker]

If you feel the bite set the hook cause that fish ain't got no hands which means your bait is in it's mouth so time to give that bass SHOCK JAW...........

[worm]

ASAP.

[whj812]

I was going to add a new post about Big Worm fishing but I hope Buzzinbass doesnt care for me adding/"hijacking" to this thread.

On Saturday night at the TBF Tourney on Douglas I was 75% of the time I was fishing a big worm 7-12 inches in length. Had some problems getting the fish hooked good enough to get to the boat(if they were even hooked at all).

Here is what i was using, 6'10 MH Shimano Clarus jig/worm rod, 17lb Sufix Pro Mix, Gamakatsu EWG 4/0 for 7s - 5/10 for the bigger ones, and a 1/4 or 5/16 oz bullet for T-Rigs, or a Mojo 5/8 or 3/4 for the C-rig. (leader for C-Rig was 15lb sufix floro)

My problem was that when Id feel the fish take the worm, I would hesitate like normal, and hit them so hard I was about to fall out of the boat. Normally on other nights and times fishing this, Id be on, and ok. But Saturday night it was missed fish after missed fish. At times they would feel like they were on and fight for a few seconds and be gone. Others I think I was pulling it out of their mouth. What could be the issue, the fish not taking the worm all the way in? Angler issue? Gear Issue? Just need some opinions.

I hope this helps Buzzinbass with worm fishing in the process.

Thanks in advance!

[Tracker1861]

Yea, dont wait til your float pops back up,it'll be too late then!

That's hilarious right there.

As far as when I set the hook using larger worms, I normally set it the second I feel the bite but I will add that I've seen times that if you don't give them a few seconds you will miss the fish 99% of the time.

[brwnbass]

That's hilarious right there.

As far as when I set the hook using larger worms, I normally set it the second I feel the bite but I will add that I've seen times that if you don't give them a few seconds you will miss the fish 99% of the time.

Yea, & come back with half a worm or less, ive had it happen alot.Ive also caught some tiny bass on them, caught about an 8" sm on a 10" power worm last week. He had the whole worm down his throat.I couldnt believe it.

[BassinHomer]

Well it would probably be hard to do this at night but if I'm fishing a worm or other soft plastic if I even think I'm having a bite or something is going on I'll lower my rod tip and put slack in the line and watch my line like a hawk, if it pops or swims I swing for the fences, granted I've had times when you had to hit em as soon as they hit but I've had more times when I had to wait on them to take it.I look at it like this, jigs are mostly a hard bait therefore it isn't going to take as long for the fish to figure out that he didn't swallow a rock with that crawfish, but soft plastics are mostly well soft and if the fish doesn't think something is going on they'll usually hold onto it.

[softbaitmaker]

I will add a little more to this thread. I know most anglers may already know this but maybe some won't. Bass do have a certain technique about eating baits and eating food in general and that is in about 95 % of their bites of strikes they will in most cases pick up the bait and most cases mouth it and spit it back out and then sit near it and watch it and reposition their approach so they can take the food head first. I have made adjustments to compensate for that and it has helped me in the past. If or when I lose contact with the bait on T-rig I am sure a fish has picked it up and then I will see the line jump again telling me the fish just spit it back out. I will at that point turn the reel crank just enough to pick up most of the slack and wait for that second pick up. That is usually an indication the fish has picked the bait back up head first and the hook should be positioned for the good hookset. I have noticed that this takes alot of patience and nerves but it pays out good in the end in many cases. Also I ave found that once the fish spits it back out if I think the fish is still trying to decide on eating it once he has crushed it thinking he killed it on first hit I will skae the bait or even begin to move it and that will trigger and even harder hit because he thinks his meal is trying to get away. These are some things you folks might want to try next time your fishing those big worms. just my

[brwnbass]

Well it would probably be hard to do this at night but if I'm fishing a worm or other soft plastic if I even think I'm having a bite or something is going on I'll lower my rod tip and put slack in the line and watch my line like a hawk, if it pops or swims I swing for the fences, granted I've had times when you had to hit em as soon as they hit but I've had more times when I had to wait on them to take it.I look at it like this, jigs are mostly a hard bait therefore it isn't going to take as long for the fish to figure out that he didn't swallow a rock with that crawfish, but soft plastics are mostly well soft and if the fish doesn't think something is going on they'll usually hold onto it.

You need to get yourself a better blacklight if you cant see your line at night, because you could be missing ALOT of bites, on the fall, when they pick it up & swim at you with it or when the go sideways with it. & softy has a good point about fish dropping the bait, then coming back for it,if i get a drop bite i always give 'em at least 30 seconds to hit again,then if they dont i'll just quiver it in place before moving it again.Then i'll just pull it a couple inches.

[softbaitmaker]

You need to get yourself a better blacklight if you cant see your line at night, because you could be missing ALOT of bites, on the fall, when they pick it up & swim at you with it or when the go sideways with it. & softy has a good point about fish dropping the bait, then coming back for it,if i get a drop bite i always give 'em at least 30 seconds to hit again,then if they dont i'll just quiver it in place before moving it again.Then i'll just pull it a couple inches.

I use black lights all the time at night. I have sufix ProMix florescent line that looks like boat rope hanging off the end of my rod under the lights. I also make very long casts and because I fish 10foot+ deep water 90% of the time I will get hit many times on the fall. Because my baits float so good the sinker begins falling away from the bait almost as soon as it hits the water and seeing the line tick or jump on the fall is a must for me. I think that is really the best time to really get a hook up cause they don't spit it out to reposition it. They have it and swimming with it. JMHO

[whj812]

I use black lights all the time at night. I have sufix ProMix florescent line that looks like boat rope hanging off the end of my rod under the lights. I also make very long casts and because I fish 10foot+ deep water 90% of the time I will get hit many times on the fall. Because my baits float so good the sinker begins falling away from the bait almost as soon as it hits the water and seeing the line tick or jump on the fall is a must for me. I think that is really the best time to really get a hook up cause they don't spit it out to reposition it. They have it and swimming with it. JMHO

+1 on the Pro Mix for my casting rods!!! Ask AlexH what it looks like at night!! Although on my spinning rigs Ive been using Berkley Trilene Maxx in Photochromic. It explodes under a UV light too!

[SJK]

Sometimes when fishing big worms, a bass will grab it short of the hook initially, and then inhale it a second or two later. I didn't learn that from college or a book, but from fishing a lot of farm ponds over the years. They would grab the tail....turn...then suck the rest of the bait in. Now, all of them didn't do this, but it happened often enough for me to take note and compensate.

It's impossible to tell this in the lake, so there isn't a lot you can do about it a lot of times. But, if I consistently set the hook and reel in a worm that is halfway off the hook I may delay the set for a split second...if that doesn't help, I go back to the ole quick draw. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

[MTBROWNING]

What about hook size?

[Triton196]

What about hook size?

No less than 5/0 if your fishing with a Mag II or Old Monster. And set the hook as soon as you feel the fish. If its starting with the tail you don't want to catch it any ways.

[Mountainman]

No less than 5/0 if your fishing with a Mag II or Old Monster. And set the hook as soon as you feel the fish. If its starting with the tail you don't want to catch it any ways.

As far as hook size, im with you, Jeff. Ive got some 7/0's and 11/0's from tackle warehouse last summer and the 7/0's are awesome with a mag 2 or a 10" berkeley power worm. And, Im gonna +1 on the second part of that too. If he dont eat it, forget him, I aint interested in him....I want his grandmomma!

[Rattler]

An old addage on worm and jig fishin' for youse guys that

I learnt a long time ago......

I was once told that the first tic or tug you feel is the

bass picking it (the bait) up or the initial strike.

The second tic you feel is usually the

bass mouthing it or turning it to swallow it.

The third tic you feel was it hitting the bottom

when after the bass spit it out...

I don't know how many times I've set the hook after

waiting only to draw nothing but water and have my

ol buddy say, GIT BIT?!

I'd generally reply with, Nope, just practiceing

Rat

[31Airborne]

Rat, you ain't right, dood. That there was funny - just practicing. LMAO

[AlexH]

+1 on the Pro Mix for my casting rods!!! Ask AlexH what it looks like at night!! Although on my spinning rigs Ive been using Berkley Trilene Maxx in Photochromic. It explodes under a UV light too!

That stuff looks like a tug boats tow rope under the UV!