Sorry to hear, id have to wonder if they were bass or crappie. I do my best to always set the hook fairly strong as id rather lose a fish to a pull out or mouth tear than than lose a good fish because he was never really stuck. While fishing weedless bass jigs i have watched my friend lose fish after fish because he is not setting the hook, more like just lifting or loading the rod tip and never really hooking them. I use the ron popiel modow "set it and forget it". If you set it good enough initially they are on for good.