Hooking your fish

Having your hook set properly can mean the difference between catching your dream fish and losing it. The bait you use and the style of hook you use will determine how to set your hook properly. This article will talk about the most common ways to set your hook to catch your dream fish.

Snap-set:
The most popular way of setting your hook, it is ideal for single hook fishing. The best times to use the snap-set are when you are bobbing or jig fishing. To perform the snap-set, first drop your rod tip when you detect a strike. Reel up any slack on your line and quickly snap the rod upward.

Sweep-set:
When you are using multiple hooks or bait with a treble the sweep-set is ideal. Another time to use the sweep-set is when you are fishing with a slip-sinker or Carolina rig. The power is then used to lift the weight off the bottom and not transferred to the hook. To perform the sweep-set, when you feel a fish strikes your bait, sweep your rod away from the fish and keep and steady pressure on the line. Reel at a pace to keep any slack from forming.

Down-set:
The best time to use this set is when you are fishing topwater baits. It is similar to the sweep-set but the rod tip is pointed in a steep downward direction. Because the fish are near the top of the water, the downward motion allows you to get the most pressure on the fish and keep the rod in position. Keeping the rod in a downward position will prevent the fish from jumping after they are hooked.
Fly rod hook sets are treated much differently than any normal set. The only way to learn how to properly set is to practice with a fish on the far end of your fly line. To make a successful hook set, you should have razor-sharp hooks on your flies. If the hooks are too dull, you will have a poorer chance of penetrating the mouth of a fish.
Timing is the most important aspect when setting the hook with a fly rod. A general rule is to set the hook as quickly as possible, but there are exceptions to every rule. If your are fishing a surface fly in slack water, fish often feed more leisurely and need more time to suck in the fly. Be patient and wait until you feel the weight of the fish before setting the hook. Do not set the hook as soon as you see a fish snag your fly, you might lose the fish. An exception to that rule is when you are fishing for surface trout in slow moving water. Hesitate for about a second or two when you feel the trout suck in your fly. If you wait too long, they will spit it out and setting the hook too soon will pull the fly away from the trout.
Just because you have something on your line does not mean you should pull the fish and hook out with too much force. Setting the hook with too much zeal can break your tippets (monofilament leaders). Set the hook with a quick upward motion and you will get your fish and keep your tippets in tack.
If you are fishing with a lot of slack on your line or in an upstream presentation, strip in line with your line hand as soon as you set your hook. This will remove the slack on your line and will improve the chances for a good set.
Keep your line under the index finger of your rod hand as you set the hook. This puts you in a good position to plat the fish because you can usually bring your line in during the fight by stripping the line under your index finger. Larger fish will force you into a longer battle and may force you to use the fly reel. Always pay attention to when your fish strikes and how heavy it is to prevent losing a fish.
No matter where or how you fish, always keep in mind that if you do not pay attention to when your fish strikes, you could lose the best catch of your life. That does not mean you cannot have fun, just make sure you are paying attention to your line at all times.