Well first and foremost you do not have near the time on the water catching fish with a long pole that Jeff has. What has improved my catching is to use small dia. braid as my mainline on a long pole with a swivel. On to the swivel I tie a 8-10 lb. floro. leader of about 3 ft. that I attach my jigs to. When you get that small tap it is like a flick on your ear no mistake to the bite it is a right now set the hook tap. And a small set with the braid buries the hook.