Low hook up percentages on the vertical hookset ... try a different hookset angle

**slip sinker** · 09-01-2025, 09:04 PM

In my experience, practically everything in fishing can be quantified, and hook-setting mechanics under the float are no exception. A recent discussion in the media raised the possibility that altering the angle of your hookset ... moving away from the traditional upright motion toward a sidearm approach, can significantly impact hookup efficiency. i have experienced similar results immediately just months ago while creating videos.

Historically, my hookup percentages have been consistently in my mind inefficient sometimes at near 60% using a standard vertical hookset. However, after experimenting with a sidearm technique, I observed a noticeable improvement in consistency, particularly when fishing with circle hooks. Over time, I refined this adjustment and now favor a controlled 45° angled hookset, which has delivered hookup rates approaching 90% or better under a variety of conditions.

This adjustment has now become an integral part of my approach and continues to produce highly reliable results on the water.

so yes everyone is different as well as their setups, this has been a real game changer for me. i never have low hook-up percentages micro jigging with a vertical hookset, but slip floating this seems to improve the numbers greatly

i hate that feeling... setting the hook into nothing but air. minor adjustments slip floating resulting in greater productivity was greatly appreciated

anybody else disappointed in hook-up percentages, and then do some experimenting with rod angle?

**TDMartin25** · 09-02-2025, 06:23 AM

Pretty ironic that you brought this topic up because I've had to change how I've been fishing lately. I was a bass guy, exclusively, for about 30 years before I started crappie fishing seriously, and of course, had to adjust to more of a "wrist snap" when jig fishing. However, because the bite has been so finicky lately, I've been using live minnows under a slip cork. After missing about 4 or 5 fish a few weeks ago, I remembered what our crappie guide at Living the Dream told me and my boys when were there a couple of years ago (he is also a professional bass fisherman). We started the day off catching white bass on small spoons, and we had to really have a hard hook set to catch them, but when we switched to dropping down live minnows to crappie over deep brush piles, he told us to totally forget what we just did. He said with crappie and live minnows, once you felt the tap, just slowly and steadily reel it up....do NOT try to set the hook because you would pull it away from them. So what I've been doing lately with minnows is watch my cork go down and give them 2-3 seconds before I just start reeling with a sideways, sweeping motion, and I've had MUCH better success that way.

**rich mc** · 09-02-2025, 09:01 AM

similar to what i do when fly fishing surface flies i set the hook sideways instead of up, much better hook ups

**Gone Fishin'** · 09-02-2025, 06:06 PM

Set to the left or right at 45 degrees?

**NIMROD** · 09-02-2025, 06:18 PM

I can't see angle of hook set helping much . I like to bend my J hooks point out a few degrees to help .

All I use is jigs . never hesitate to set the hook as the thump you feel is them inhaling the jig .

**DWILL** · 09-02-2025, 08:31 PM

I'm with Nimrod, I've never really noticed a certain hook set angle being better or worse. Being a former strictly bass guy, I had to learn not to rip their lips off. lol I also bend my hooks out a little to grab a little better.

**slip sinker** · 09-03-2025, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by NIMROD

I can't see angle of hook set helping much . I like to bend my J hooks point out a few degrees to help .

All I use is jigs . never hesitate to set the hook as the thump you feel is them inhaling the jig .

yep i agree my crappie and panfish jig bites are already near 100%

no matter what i do...however minnow under the float specifically for crappie ... ive missed a few let me tell ya

**jjue1979** · 09-03-2025, 02:28 PM

I can see the logic behind this since most of my fishing is moving (whether spider rigging, long line, or pitching/casting) and haven't done as my vertical fishing lately, so my hook sets are at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees.

**slip sinker** · 09-03-2025, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by jjue1979

I can see the logic behind this since most of my fishing is moving (whether spider rigging, long line, or pitching/casting) and haven't done as my vertical fishing lately, so my hook sets are at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees.

so you dont notice any difference in your methods commonly used but dont slip float?
i think it is more logical in my case since it is the "method of slip floating"... which was in the topic post. i am pretty much 100% hookup-ratio-ed with microjig method and just a bit lower with the dropshot that angle does not matter

**jjue1979** · 09-03-2025, 08:37 PM

I haven’t really used a float (fixed or slip) in about 10 years (before 360 and Livescope), although it was casting out to a shallow area with an ultralight because the boat would scare the fish away. In a way, my hookset would still be at an angle because of the distance, although it would initially be closer to vertical and increase in angle as I remove the slack in the line. I haven’t tried drop shot rigging for crappie.

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