[b]HOOK SET[/b]

DOUBLEHOOK · 01-05-2006, 05:15 PM

I have been out about four times for swords in the last year and have only managed to get one to go boating with me. Last week we had two hook ups. Both times it seemed that there was no way that the hook was going to pull, yet it did. On both occasions, I picked up the 50lb class rod and set the hook as best as I could. I was thinking of hitting the throttles next time out to set the hook. I would like to hear from those with more experience for suggestions. Also, what would you estimate is the catch to loss ratio?

Double Hook

Shark Tagger · 01-05-2006, 05:47 PM

There is no hook setting with swordfishing. If you are fishing light drags, then slowly push it up to strike when they take the bait.

I prefer to fish the drags at about 10 pounds, when the fish strikes, they are on like donkey kong

If you try to set the hook like you would on a kingfish or something, you could rip it out of where it was...

Good Luck

Beerman · 01-05-2006, 08:32 PM

A few words you will hear from me, when a fish hits......REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL....dont stop reeling !!!

I leave it in the rod holder and reel until you can comfortable transfer to a belt and harness!!

rafter · 01-06-2006, 07:06 AM

From what i've learned reading before i got into swordfishing, swords have a soft mouth. You don't set the hook, just reel. Also, don't tight the drag too much or you will rip the hook out of their mouth.

quack quack · 01-06-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beerman

A few words you will hear from me, when a fish hits......REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL....dont stop reeling !!!

I leave it in the rod holder and reel until you can comfortable transfer to a belt and harness!!

That is the best advice not only for swords but just about any type of fishing. I say it a little different {reel dummy reel} People see fishing shows that show an angler striking the fish with a hard hook set. Most of the time it's just for show.

Unless your bass fishing then feel free to be like the pros on tv and do a macho man yank and yell! ye haw!

CAPTINMITCH · 01-06-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beerman

A few words you will hear from me, when a fish hits......REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL....dont stop reeling !!!

We finally found the one common link between our two styles of swordfishing. Although mine's more like:

REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL

quack quack · 01-06-2006, 11:26 AM

Mitch you forgot the REEL :!:

:!:

NSBsailsandtails · 01-06-2006, 12:41 PM

i always get the "Let him eat!!! Ok now REEL, REEL, REEL

FishbyNite · 01-11-2006, 01:22 PM

Beerman & Mitch,

Are you fishing circles with the "reel, reel, reel" technique or do you do the same with J's?

FN

CAPTINMITCH · 01-11-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishbyNite

Beerman & Mitch,

Are you fishing circles with the "reel, reel, reel" technique or do you do the same with J's?

FN

In typical Beerman/CaptMitch fashion, I use circles - he swears by Js. Either way, if your hook is sharp enough, there's no need to 'slam the steel home'. In fact, you want to be somewhat gentle because they have soft mouths. Now if you are intentionally gut hooking then you don't have to worry about it.

On the other forum I posted about a trip I ran where we went 1 for 11. Guy on the rod thought he was Jimmy Houston. Fish 11 I put Sword Buddha on the rod. That fish came home for dinner.

jerry · 01-11-2006, 01:52 PM

Agreed, reel, reel, reel. I use all J's and we leave the rod in the holder until the fish is smoking line, thats when we transfer it to rod belts etc. Sometimes that fish doesnt know its even hooked until its within 30ft or so from the surface. Many a sword caught on my boat allowed us to get the LP unclipped prior to its making a china bound trip.

CaptainMitch, I am gonna be trying circles this year on swords for the first time, hope they work as well for me

Litetackleredneck · 01-12-2006, 10:00 AM

Its not circle hooks, set the hook. I mean SET it. reel tight and try to break his neck. Fishing 50lb gear at 300+ ft of line out, get the strech out. Your not really putting that much force on the hook, your just getting strech out.
And if hes eatten the bait, its either gonna find a good point of purchase, or your gonna pull later in the fight.
P.S. Take the rod out of the holder, you can reel much much faster.

quack quack · 01-12-2006, 10:12 AM

P.S only if you know what you are doing and safety line is on the rod. 20lb drag big reel small rocking boat fish going 30mph away from you be carefull

Litetackleredneck · 01-12-2006, 10:16 AM

Thats very true, good point.

CAPTINMITCH · 01-12-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Litetackleredneck

Its not circle hooks, set the hook. I mean SET it. reel tight and try to break his neck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Litetackleredneck

SM;I was thinking about a circle hook, but with the soft mouths and all it might work aginst me when i get to the leader.

:-k

Slamming the steel home is a great defensive strategy. It eliminates the problem of getting the boat all bloody, finding space in the freezer for steaks and that annoying phone call to report the fish.

Litetackleredneck · 01-12-2006, 07:05 PM

You did forget to mention how long ago that was, hell i dont even remember it. IF setting the hook isnt your thing so be it. it works for me. You do your thang, I'll do mine. Just my opinion

CAPTINMITCH · 01-12-2006, 08:51 PM

I was just curious as to why you would recommend a hard hook set when you know they have soft mouths?

FishbyNite · 01-12-2006, 10:11 PM

Captain Mitch,

What size/model circles are you using. I'd like to give them a go since I've only used J's...

Thanks,

FN

CaptainEd · 01-13-2006, 12:00 AM

I use ownwer J 9o's 10o's and 11o's. Rat season I rig smaller, 9o's. The rest of the time I rig 10 or 11o's depending on what sized squid I'm using. I have a very good hook up ratio. As soon as the drag starts buzzing count to three and then just ease the lever forward. There is no "set" like with a bass... If the fish grabs a bait and I see a balloon/jug moving and no drag peeling I reel my ass off with the drag at about 6-8 lbs and just get tight. So simple yet so many struggle with this. I think more of the reason a lot of guys are missing the fish isn't from the way they try to get tight it's a defecit in their squid or live bait rigging. Rigging is what put my swording on the A list.

CAPTINMITCH · 01-13-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishbyNite

Captain Mitch,

What size/model circles are you using. I'd like to give them a go since I've only used J's...

Thanks,

FN

The circles I use I picked up from a longline guy. Since circles have no standard size, I look for ones where the gap between the shank and the point is wider than my thumb. Ray had some 14/0s that fit the bill.

01-05-2006, 05:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
DOUBLEHOOK Grunt Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: miami,fla Posts: 7	[b]HOOK SET[/b] I have been out about four times for swords in the last year and have only managed to get one to go boating with me. Last week we had two hook ups. Both times it seemed that there was no way that the hook was going to pull, yet it did. On both occasions, I picked up the 50lb class rod and set the hook as best as I could. I was thinking of hitting the throttles next time out to set the hook. I would like to hear from those with more experience for suggestions. Also, what would you estimate is the catch to loss ratio? Double Hook

01-05-2006, 08:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
Beerman Hooked Up Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Stuart, FL Posts: 621	A few words you will hear from me, when a fish hits......REEL, REEL, REEL, REEL....dont stop reeling !!! I leave it in the rod holder and reel until you can comfortable transfer to a belt and harness!! __________________ Word of Wisdom: Many a problem will solve itself, if we forget it and go FISHING!!!!

01-06-2006, 07:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
rafter Lines In Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 48	From what i've learned reading before i got into swordfishing, swords have a soft mouth. You don't set the hook, just reel. Also, don't tight the drag too much or you will rip the hook out of their mouth. __________________ The best vitamin for making friends is, B1.

01-06-2006, 11:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
quack quack Old Salt Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: lake worth Best Catch: 25lb codfish 5 yrs old first hanger Posts: 4,527	Mitch you forgot the REEL :!: :!: __________________ Either we can be a part of the solution or we can be the victims of a decision.

01-12-2006, 10:12 AM	#13 (permalink)
quack quack Old Salt Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: lake worth Best Catch: 25lb codfish 5 yrs old first hanger Posts: 4,527	P.S only if you know what you are doing and safety line is on the rod. 20lb drag big reel small rocking boat fish going 30mph away from you be carefull __________________ Either we can be a part of the solution or we can be the victims of a decision.

01-05-2006, 05:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shark Tagger Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sunny Isles Best Catch: 475lb Mako Occupation: Engineering Posts: 920	There is no hook setting with swordfishing. If you are fishing light drags, then slowly push it up to strike when they take the bait. I prefer to fish the drags at about 10 pounds, when the fish strikes, they are on like donkey kong If you try to set the hook like you would on a kingfish or something, you could rip it out of where it was... Good Luck

01-06-2006, 12:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
NSBsailsandtails Lines In Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Smryna Beach FL Boat: Fishing, Surfing, Free Diving/Scuba, Dirtbikes Posts: 62	i always get the "Let him eat!!! Ok now REEL, REEL, REEL

01-11-2006, 01:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
FishbyNite Lines In Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 23	Beerman & Mitch, Are you fishing circles with the "reel, reel, reel" technique or do you do the same with J's? FN

01-11-2006, 01:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
jerry Hooked Up Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Jamaica Boat: 35ft Contender Best Catch: they are all good Occupation: Operations Manager Posts: 355	Agreed, reel, reel, reel. I use all J's and we leave the rod in the holder until the fish is smoking line, thats when we transfer it to rod belts etc. Sometimes that fish doesnt know its even hooked until its within 30ft or so from the surface. Many a sword caught on my boat allowed us to get the LP unclipped prior to its making a china bound trip. CaptainMitch, I am gonna be trying circles this year on swords for the first time, hope they work as well for me

01-12-2006, 10:00 AM	#12 (permalink)
Litetackleredneck Hooked Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Occupation: HS student, and employee at Kingsbury Tackle Posts: 115	Its not circle hooks, set the hook. I mean SET it. reel tight and try to break his neck. Fishing 50lb gear at 300+ ft of line out, get the strech out. Your not really putting that much force on the hook, your just getting strech out. And if hes eatten the bait, its either gonna find a good point of purchase, or your gonna pull later in the fight. P.S. Take the rod out of the holder, you can reel much much faster.

01-12-2006, 10:16 AM	#14 (permalink)
Litetackleredneck Hooked Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Occupation: HS student, and employee at Kingsbury Tackle Posts: 115	Thats very true, good point.

01-12-2006, 07:05 PM	#16 (permalink)
Litetackleredneck Hooked Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Occupation: HS student, and employee at Kingsbury Tackle Posts: 115	You did forget to mention how long ago that was, hell i dont even remember it. IF setting the hook isnt your thing so be it. it works for me. You do your thang, I'll do mine. Just my opinion

01-12-2006, 08:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
CAPTINMITCH Hooked Up Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 404	I was just curious as to why you would recommend a hard hook set when you know they have soft mouths?

01-12-2006, 10:11 PM	#18 (permalink)
FishbyNite Lines In Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 23	Captain Mitch, What size/model circles are you using. I'd like to give them a go since I've only used J's... Thanks, FN

01-13-2006, 12:00 AM	#19 (permalink)
CaptainEd Hooked Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dania beach Occupation: USCG Master Captain Posts: 264	I use ownwer J 9o's 10o's and 11o's. Rat season I rig smaller, 9o's. The rest of the time I rig 10 or 11o's depending on what sized squid I'm using. I have a very good hook up ratio. As soon as the drag starts buzzing count to three and then just ease the lever forward. There is no "set" like with a bass... If the fish grabs a bait and I see a balloon/jug moving and no drag peeling I reel my ass off with the drag at about 6-8 lbs and just get tight. So simple yet so many struggle with this. I think more of the reason a lot of guys are missing the fish isn't from the way they try to get tight it's a defecit in their squid or live bait rigging. Rigging is what put my swording on the A list.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Best Hook Size For Tarpon Fishing	Shark Tagger	Tarpon	3	12-18-2007 06:57 PM
hook woes	Belize	Deep Dropping	7	11-07-2006 06:12 AM
CANT KEEP ONE ON THE HOOK	MANATEE MANGLER	Rigging Corner	10	08-19-2005 11:24 AM
Need Hook Learning	Finlander	Introductions	0	02-24-2005 07:13 PM
Chafe Gear at Hook Connection?	Mike	Rigging Corner	10	12-09-2004 02:00 PM