I lost multiple fish yesterday on "rising bites"??? What am I doing wrong?

I was fishing with the smallest size ESB slip bobbers yesterday. On multiple occasions, I watched my bobber stop come "up" off the top of the bobber (and the bobber starts to tip flat), and I knew there was a fish there. I've read that the fish has come up to get the lure and keeps rising, so that's why it does that. At least that's what I've read.

The problem though, on each occasion, is that there was a fish there - but they could come off seconds after I started reeling them in. I wasn't really doing a hook-set or anything like I do on bass, as I was told Crappie have paper mouths - but should I be doing some sort of hook-set, or am I doing something else wrong??? I'm just reeling up until I feel the fish, pulling back slightly (no hook set), and keeping the line tight while they are pulling out drag (most often, because it's set really light).

All the best,
Glenn

I’d set the hook. Don’t try to launch them to mars though :Rofl

:Rofl I think what I'm doing with the rod lift is kinda a hook-set. Just a very light one. Maybe a bit more pressure next time. I also just thought about something... What if it wasn't Crappie? Might have been something else. But all of the Bass I catch on these lures usually smack it so hard, they kinda set the hook on themselves. I've had rods in the rod holder suddenly bounce and the drag start going out - it's a bass about 75% of the time. Yellow Perch tend to do that as well, but the strike isn't as hard. They just kinda hook themselves on the rods I have in the rod holders (no floats).
All the best,
Glenn

If you have a "really light" setting on your drag ... set the hook like you would when just casting/retrieving a jig. The light drag will compensate for any overly hard hookset. That way you don't have to change how you normally set the hook.

I'm thinking the "pulling back slightly" was enough to get the "hook point" embedded in the fish, but not necessarily past the barb. The only time I sweep the rod or "pull back slightly" on a hookset is when I'm fishing (casting) with braid (& that rod is a 7' IM8 Bionic Blade).

Also, when using a slip float and fishing very deep or from a distance, the power of your hookset is diminished accordingly, with the float acting as a moving leverage point. A "long" rod can take a little of that diminished power out of the equation (like using a 10-12' rod vs a 5-7' rod), because it takes up way more slack (line distance) with the same amount of arm movement.

Thanks. That makes sense. I do have my drag set light on all these rods. Two of them (7' UL) have braid connected to fluoro. The other two (5' UL and 5'9 ML) are straight (Vicious) mono.

All the best,
Glenn

You fishing jigs or live bait ? Hook size ?
We set the hook like they said . Sometimes on a jig we bend hook point out a bit to increase hook ups .

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

You fishing jigs or live bait ? Hook size ?
We set the hook like they said . Sometimes on a jig we bend hook point out a bit to increase hook ups .

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Jigs. Not entirely sure on the hook size, but the jigs are 1/32 oz and something in between 1/32 and 1/16 (they weigh 1/20 oz on my digital scales - don't have the package anymore). I was using some 1/32 oz Berkley Atomic Teasers, and some unknown brand / weight (1/20 oz?) jig heads with Berkley Gulp Alive 2.5" minnows.

I set the hook like every fish is a big northern pike! I’m almost 70 and I’ve only come up with lips once! Set the Hook!

A good sharp hook helps. They are just more grabby and need a lot less pressure to get set.

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

A good sharp hook helps. They are just more grabby and need a lot less pressure to get set.

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I'm looking for some excellent quality jig heads right now in 1/48 and 1/64 oz (separate post). Hoping to find something with Gamakatsu, Mustad (Ultra Point quality), VMC, Owner... hooks.
All the best,
Glenn

The fish was probably grabbing the jig by the tail.

I'd set the hook harder. One thing I've noticed in my fishing is that a limber rod, like my BnM TCB, absorbs a lot of that hookset energy compared to a stiffer rod. Depending on what the action is on your particular rod, you made need to compensate for that loss.

I set the hook like bass fishing.
Gotta have the correct rod to do that.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Imagine your cell phone is on the table and you get a call. The same speed you use to pickup and answer the phone is the speed you want to use when setting the hook on a crappie.

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Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Imagine your cell phone is on the table and you get a call. The same speed you use to pickup and answer the phone is the speed you want to use when setting the hook on a crappie.

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Good advice that I hadn't heard before. Also, try to keep the rod tip pointed directly at the float and parallel to the water if possible. (less slack in the line). I usually crank a few turns while I'm setting the hook- especially if the fish are deep.

Amazing what is discovered by accident as far as hooksets go. Last week I fished this lake I hadn't fished in a year. Windy as all get out in the afternoon so you can imagine feeling for when to set the hook which wasn't a problem in the morning. First, set up:
5 1/2 and 6 foot light action rods (my 6 1/2' rods are in storage unless fishing for bass)
8-15# test braid (4-8# test mono equiv.) (no leader ever)
1/64 - 1/16 oz unpainted ball head jigs; hook sizes 8, 6, 4
various soft plastic shapes and acitons retrieved very slowly mid-depth
areas fish caught: 3' - 6', many - few weeds; steep drops to large shallow flats with weeds 1' beneath the surface

The usual hookset sequence: feel for any change in line back-pressure or retrieve speed of the light jigs used. Once a strike is felt: a rise of the rod tip overhead or slightly to the side, combined with 1/4 reel handle turns does the trick. But on that windy afternoon, like with a float, slight lure p/ups were difficult to feel and worse - when felt, the fish got off more times than not.

Tried out of desperation: larger hook (#4) and 1/16 oz jig - the heaviest I ever use. Got fish hooked far more often from small to decent size sunfish to 11" crappie and a 1.6 lb bass; no change in lure size or action. 42 fish for the day (not great but good for this lake).

Except for jig weight and hook size, the above is my standard for hook sets. That day proved much different than usual - not only for finding fish in the am but hookseting in the pm. (Even saw a 15' water spout:yikeswhich kinda tells you wind speed.)

Suggestion: take off the float when that action happens and try my hookset retrieve.

My feet leave the ground when I set the hook , I use really small hooks most of the time and about NEVER have them come unbuttoned,
Mono and set the drag properly and absolutely NO slack from first blood , most folks lose crappie do to slack in the line after hookups and even if it isn’t noticeable to most people , I see it all thru the ranks from pros down to novices , the amount of times I see rods dip a split second is astonishing.
Lightly setting the hook will cause you to miss and lose LOTS of crappie for sure .

I ain’t set a hook in years. Catch plenty of crappie and very rarely will lose a fish. Part of it is due to the method I use and the other part is the hooks on the jig heads I use. Also the tips on the rods I use are super soft. Don’t set the hook on any other specie of fish either…Smallies….largemouth….white bass….KY bass…..bluegill. Used to set the hook like a madman……but that was years ago.

Regards


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It's more difficult to get a good hook set when fishing a float. You have a slack line to start with, and the float will drag across the surface as the line straightens out. A rod on the longer side will help for sure.

I always get a kick out of the guys that swing their heavy action pool cue rods with 50lb braid like Babe Ruth on a 12" bass. Seems excessive to me, doesn't take much.

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

It's more difficult to get a good hook set when fishing a float. You have a slack line to start with, and the float will drag across the surface as the line straightens out. A rod on the longer side will help for sure.

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7 footer and stiff and set it like ya mean it , will cure it ….like you said

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

It's more difficult to get a good hook set when fishing a float. You have a slack line to start with, and the float will drag across the surface as the line straightens out. A rod on the longer side will help for sure.

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My longest is a 7”, but it’s an UL. I understand what you are saying about the float, but I’m wondering if the slip bobber does it less, as the float doesn’t move as much from that position once the line is going the other way through it on a retrieve.
All the best,
Glenn

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

7 footer and stiff and set it like ya mean it , will cure it ….like you said

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I’m planning on setting the hook on future trips. Got the 7’, but it’s not that action.
All the best,
Glenn

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Originally Posted by Cajuntec

My longest is a 7”, but it’s an UL. I understand what you are saying about the float, but I’m wondering if the slip bobber does it less, as the float doesn’t move as much from that position once the line is going the other way through it on a retrieve.
All the best,
Glenn

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Yeah, a clip on float will move some on hookset and the slip float will (may) move less, but in either case it's gonna dampen the power of the hookset ... like I said before : with depth of the bait or distance of the float.

Normally speaking, when one gets a "lift bite" the fish has sucked the bait in & their forward motion upon striking carries them forward, which causes the line to go slack & the float to tip over (unless there's weight on the line or float). In those cases it's especially important to take up as much slack as possible (either by reeling or with a long rod) before setting the hook, and also to set the hook with more power than you would if the jig and/or float were close to you. And the more powerful hookset is even more important when using a lite action rod, because you aren't getting much penetration power until you load the rod up some (against the resistance of the fish).

You can do one of two things that might also help you get the fish stuck better: one is to remember to put your finger on the spool when setting the hook (to stop the lite drag until playing the fish in) -- and the other is to tighten that drag down just enough that setting the hook on a snag, instead of a fish, will pull drag & not snap the line or rod in the process.