How to Set the Hook

When you’re out fishing and you finally get a strike, one of the most important things to do is set the hook. However, depending on what species you’re catching depends upon how you set the hook.

We have all watched the Bassmasters classic with the angler gets a strike and quickly pulls back extremely hard and the rod and line set the hook. This works great when bass fishing because they are predators; they strike hard, so you must set the hook quickly and with great power. The reason we use great force to set the hook is that bass have very hard mouths. Walleye, musky, pike, and pickerel are some of the more popular predators that require a hard fast setting of the hook.

If you’re trout fishing and you get a bite, you must be careful when you set the hook. If you’re fishing with salmon eggs on a #12 hook, the fish will come up to the egg and try to suck out the inside and leave the shell on the hook. If you pull hard and fast when you feel a strike you’ll pull the egg away so far the fish won’t go after it.

When you feel a trout bite the egg you should move the egg about an inch. The fish will hit it again. Move the egg another inch or two and then wait. Generally on the third strike they will hit it hard enough you can pull back in a slow, smooth steady motion to set the hook. Even on the third strike if you set the hook like you would for a bass you’ll rip off his lips.

This same technique works well for setting the hook on salmon, bluegill, and crappie. They all bite fairly gently and need to have the hook set in a softer manner.