When do you hit it?

[Jennie@ifish]

OK, first scenario...
You are fishing for springers, trolling with prawns.
You feel a slight nibble. You freeze, right?
It comes back and pulls you a little.
Do you hit it? Do you wait?

Scene two:
You are fishing for springers, trolling with prawns... Still, cuz you missed fish A.
You feel a fish hit, and it feels like a goat running on a rope!
Do you hit it? Right away?

Scene three:
Your rod is in the holder, and you are fishing, anchored with a Kwikfish. Your rod goes down. Grab it right away, or take your time getting to the rod?

What is your theory?

When do you hit fish? How long do you wait?

I have seen some people hit them right away, no matter how hard the bite. Others wait with the patience of an angel!!!

When do you hit it?

Do you have trouble waiting, or have you learned the yoga-like salmon breath of patience?

:smile:
Jen

[RichH]

With bait I don't think you can wait too long. Pretty much the same with kwikfish. If the rod ain't flat, don't touch it or its a wood shampoo for you. :wink: :grin:

[JeepMcMuddy]

I'd give it the old...breath...1...2...3 YANK! Well with kwikfish anyway.

[nooknabber]

With bait I have seen either way, but
the more you can wait the better in my book.

With Kwikfish, definitely WAIT until rod STAYS
bent over....it's hard to do!!

David

[Jennie@ifish]

It's frustrating to me.
I know, that trolling spinners, you hit ANYTHING, just in case, and RIGHT NOW!
With all the rest, you wait... but how long?
Just fish with a bunch of different guides, and you'll see.
Just when you think you've learned what is right, another guide has another opinion.
The first thing I do, when I hop in the boat, is go through the methods...
"O.K., now, a fish hits, do I hit back right away?"
I get a different answer almost each time, and I learn TONS!
But the most important thing I have learned, is to review before you get that fish on!
Learn what the paticular guide thinks is best.
It's interesting to hear different people's opinions.

"When you feel it going AWAY from you."
"When you feel it take off to the side."
"When the tip hits water."
"Don't wait, baby!!! HIT IT!"

Jen

[Uncle Bob]

1.) No, don't set the hook
If they're going to eat the bait, then let them do just that. When your rod is doubled over, the fish is hooked.
2.)What the heck does a goat on a rope feel like??? :grin: If you mean that it's stripping out line, then the fish is on, and you know what your next job is. (put it in the boat)
3.)As crazy as it sounds, this strainge hard chunk of plastic wiggling back and forth...
You'd think that as soon as a fish hits it, it would realize that this isn't what it wants. Not so! I was with David Johnson and Catch & Eat a while back. we were using plugs. My rod went tap tap and then it paused and then another tap and then another pause a few more taps and then it finally was on. The complete bite took almost 10-15 seconds. If I was to set the hook on the first little tap, I would have caught nothing.
Like Dave tells his clients; "wait....wait....wait....OK, NOW!!!
I'm now a firm believer that you need to wait until the rod is loaded up.

I learned the hard way.
I was with my neighbor trolling Nehalem Bay. Rocky reminded me, "now Robert, DON'T set the hook". yeah yeah I know. It wasn't 10 minutes later when I got a bite. You guessed it, I set the hook and had nothing but the top half of the herring left.
On the other hand, I've seen where the hooks were almost gone. Just barely able to see the top hook in the bottom of its throat. Which would be impossible to spit out.

To each there own :smile:

UB

[Thumper]

Jennie ..... Are we to assume that you did not bring home a springer?????? Hmmmmm???

[Jennie@ifish]

You are to assume that I did not bring home a springer home.... YET.

[Jooky]

well I NEVER use bait for springers but thats just me.

bait is more lucrative to sell then spinners so thats why everystore stays use bait.

I learned from the old timers and thats the way I do it. So for your answer...
I fish in a line up and only use spinners. As for setting the hook. I do not.
Let the fish take it untill you hear your drag clicking and your rod doubled over. then grab the pole and reel em in.
every once in a few years a fish will gum the spinner and the action stops working, picks up again, then stop working..just kinda looks funny, then and only then i will set the hook

[HOGTIDE]

....dude??????...you ARE supposed to set the hook? Dude!

[David Johnson]

Wait till the fish has the rod "flat" that is no more throbbing, just a steady pull.

Every fish is different and some will be on there right away while some will take 30 or 40 seconds, some will go to the side, some will come right at you and the line will go slack.......it all takes experience to know what is going on down there.

[Deleted User]

I've learned that patience is a must when fishing with Kwik Fish. I've never seen a Tap Tap using a Plug. Its always a violent hit :shocked: I like to keep the drag somewhat on the light side. You will get 3-5 hard jerks(This is the initial bite and several head turns) when the fish is turned and going away from you, you will get a steady rip on your drag. This is when I grab the rod and use a little thumb pressure to get that good hook set. Dont reef to hard or youll lose the fish and your plug!

[Mrdorkfish]

I can see if you're using herring that you would "wait", but when i'm anchored... fishing in the Columbia for steelhead or Fall fish when my pole goes down that means Fish on :smile: I can't remember losing a fish cuz i picked up my pole too soon.... If you lose one then the fish didn't get the hook good enough. There's no doubt.

Dave !!! In 30 or 40 seconds my bouy has been thrown out and i'm 30 or 40 yards from the rest of the boats anchored next to me.

It's almost time :smile:

Mrdorkfish

[Thumper]

Jennie ... Are you carefully taking notes???

It's really simple. You are either:

Too danged quick(!!!)

or ....

Too unbelievably slow (!!!!)

[crabbait]

When working bait, especially trolling in deep water, I make the guys leave the poles in the holders until the fish is on.

No matter what I say, the dude holding the rod when a fish hits has got to try to rip its lips off on the first bump.

One effective method if you do happen to be holding the rod, or if you are fishing in a situation that requires that you hold the rod to constantly adjust depth and reel in to clean the salad, is to drop your rod tip back a couple of feet and wait for things to come real tight again. Salmon will come up and slash at a herring to wound it. When they see it start to drop they have got to gobble it. Its instinct.

[Joe Schwab]

To each is own but given my druthers and a crew of experienced salmon fishermen I would rather have them holding the rod and reacting to the bite. No two bites are the same and there are lots of missed opportunities when the rod remains in the holder. Granted there are hookups in the holder. But why do you see a lot of guides holding their rods and hooking fish for their clients? And why have the guides opposed the hand off restriction?
When the fishing is low I go for the holder, but when it picks up I want to feel the bite.

[crabbait]

I agree, with experienced anglers who know how to work a bite. I'm talking about my typical boat load of first time and once a year fishermen plus their kids.

I have seen plenty of "experienced" fishermen snatch a herring away from a hungry chinook, however.

[Jim]

In my boat...which doesn't fish Kwikies very often if at all. The rule is: Rod in rod holder, there is Power Pro as the mainline, lighter than normal drag, they hit there stuck...don't set the hook! I repeat...do not set the hook it simply...fish on! Time!

No other line for mainline other than Power Pro if that hook is even close they are stuck!!

Thats my .02

Jim

[roundbelly]

you guys and gals must have some unreal sharp hooks if you never set the hook. i have lost more fish than i care to admitt by not setting the hook even though the line is ripping off the reel. if the rod drops to a steady pull, better set the hook

[spooner]

I like to hold the rod and feel the bite. when I get a bite, I start to crank away frome the fish, if I feel the weight of the fish I set the hook. If I feel him let go I drop it back about four feet and start to crank agin untill I feel the weight of the fish and the line is tight then I set the hook. I always CRANK BEFORE YOU YANK. If you yank just to yank when you see your rod go down If you miss that will bee the only chance you will get because youre bait will be gone you mite as well reel in and put a nother bait on. If you crank first and not yank untill you know its there you may get three or more chances before you loose your bait. just my opinion It only worked for me a few thousand times. :rolleyes: :wink: