hits to hook-ups

[brad mcdonald]

Hi All,

i am obviously very new to the bream on lure sceen and have noticed that i when fishing softs i am pickling up hits or nocks / taps both on the drop and during my retrieve.

the plastics are showing damage, tails missing, and bits taken out of them and considering there were no blowies around i am assuming it was bream having a nibble, or a bit of a suck and spit sort of thing.

my question is, is there any trick or technique i can or should be using to convert the hits to hook-ups?

any advise would be great....

thanks

brad

[Shane]

I generally only have my SP's get little half circle bites out of them from blowies, you sure there was no blowies around?

The main thing I do if I am getting hits but no hook ups is try speeding up and slowing down my retrieves. If that doesnt work then go to another colour of SP.

If you still keep getting mauled either go to a cheaper SP or try a HB.

[Drewy]

yeh as shane said slow down the retrieve a bit. What size hooks/lures are you using? Are your hooks new and sharp?
Maybe a downsize in both is in order as well. l like to add a little sent when the fish are a bit finicy as they seem to gulp it down more regulary, and when l don't hook up they seem to come back and have another go at it.

Good Luck
Drew

[brad mcdonald]

thanks guys,

fairly sure there were no blowies around i didn't see any anyway. i was fishing around ron courtney island in the swan. when i say there were bits missing i probably have exagerated more like the SP was just a bit roughed up.

fishing brand new jigs - thanks to the boys at bream master. as for size - 1/22 with about 2" grubs P3 and atomic.

sound like a catch scent may help and yeah thinking back on it i could have fished a bit slower.

i'm comong from a freshwater back ground so was wondering if a change of pattern would work similar to changeing a fly dose for a fuss trout? also fishing HBs for red fin i am kind of use to a fast retrieve as well....

brad

[lure_muncher]

has anyone noticed this is the 400th thread?

[kamikazeghost]

If you get hits or taps, the best thing is to be a little patient. They'll hit it, then you give it a little quick couple of flicks, and sometimes they'll come back and slam it. Once you feel any pressure on the line, hook up. Even when they're furiously hitting it.

there's other techniques and variations, and it comes down to going out with a couple of guys who do it often enough so they can advise you while on a trip.

I've taken a couple of beginners out and they've caught a good number of fish on their first occassion. It's been good and they're back for more.

[Dave W]

One thing that you can try, and works more often than not, is after getting smacked just dead stick the plastic, even feed it back a bit under slack line.

Keep a close eye out for any line movement and strike as needed, plenty of times you'll lift the rod tip and just have a fish on

I have found this works much better with plastics like Berkley Gulps, which are almost more bait than lures

A few people on here have seen how this works first hand

[brad mcdonald]

great advice guys. i'm very happy to report that i have begun having a bit of success.

allthough i'm still suffering that, tap tap tap ......... where did he go sort of feeling fairly often.

i'll def. try the dead stick mehtod next time out......

thats the best bit about fishing ... there is always a next time

[Richo]

Originally posted by Dave W


A few people on here have seen how this works first hand

Only cause there was no beer on-board or was it more the fact you had 7 fish over the edge before I knew what was going on, regardless its still a technique that worked a treat and well worth trying.

cheers

[Dave Press]

What Dave W said works an absolute treat!!!

Good jigs, patience and technique (such as the one Dave mentioned) should help you out a lot.

Dave

[panger]

A good rod doesn't hurt either. Fast reacting graphite can help stick those hooks when they're touchy.

[DAGGA]

I agree with Dave, dead sticking after a hit looks like the lure has been injured so all the bream has to do is come back and pick up the life less body.
Like stripping a smelt pattern fly real fast then stopping it and it will get hit as it sinks because it looks like its been struck at.

[Zero]

This happens to me and i use the dead sticking method too.
Always surprised when i lift the rod and a fish just shoots off.