Saturday on Ontario

we were pulling stickbaits this past weekend, but I've got a ton of spoons too. I know I've got a couple locos that have singles on them, maybe I'll set a couple more spoons up that way. Can't hurt to try something else to get better hooksets.

Thanks for the tip.

I know the downrigger guys like stiff releases so they can really load up the rods - they want to just about rip the fish's face off on the release to get a good hookset.

You still need to set the hook.. look at it this way.. if your 5-10 miles out and fishing 90 feet down... the release is not going to set the hook.. Granted the movement ove the boat will help but I still give it a good yank to to be sure its in.

Nice.:)

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Originally Posted by REDBOAT

You still need to set the hook.. look at it this way.. if your 5-10 miles out and fishing 90 feet down... the release is not going to set the hook.. Granted the movement ove the boat will help but I still give it a good yank to to be sure its in.

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Yeah, a charter captain we went out with last year taught us about setting the hook - even off the riggers. Basically you hit the fish hard 4 or 5 times like your ticked off at it, THEN you start fighting the fish.

The other thing I found out on a board I belong to (with lots of charter guys), is that when you get them close to the boat, you need to keep the rod low, and work the fish to the net slowly because when the line is that short, there's no stretch and a good jump/run/headshake can throw the lure. If you work it to the net slowly so that there is some give left to the rod to make up for the lack of stretch, you cut down on chances of losing the fish.