How To Hook A Fish

A number of fish nibble, others pick-pick-pick, and there are some that simply swallow a bait and swim for it. Knowing when to lift the rod and set the hook will bring you the most success. Should you hang on for two nibbles or three? Should you try to set the hook when the tip of the quill float wiggles, or wait until it is reeled beneath the surface?

You could say yes or no to any of these questions. Now and again pickers need to be left for a few seconds, at other times the same fish will need to be hooked the moment it is felt. As a common ruling, a couple of picks will be followed by a decent bite and the angler will react on impulse.

One of the problems new anglers find is that they are often so eager to set the hook they consistently strike at the earliest indication of a bite. Patience in waiting for the right second is not a virtue - it comes with familiarity that is born of the experience of having been there before.

Once you have cast the bait, set the drag of the reel to something like one quarter of the breaking strain of the line. After that, tighten the line on the rod, then place the rod down nearly in the horizontal position, preferably with the rod aimed at the bait.

Having a slight angle on the rod will make it simpler to notice a bite if fishing on the bottom.

With a number of fish, it might benefit you to open the bail arm to let the line to run without restraint from the reel. In this case, the line is not tense and a small chunk of polystyrene on the line indicates a bite. To cease the line running out with the wind or tide, place a small stone on it. Instead, hook the line between the reel and the first guide around an empty can. When the can falls over the bait has been taken.

When using a quill float, the moment to set the hook is when the tip of the float disappears underneath the surface for a second or so. If the fish is fussy, it could pull the float under for a short time without taking the bait properly.

Once you manage to hook your fish, you are still only halfway to achieving your desired result. Once the fish is on, a gentle pumping action, with line gathered in on the downward stroke of the rod is the right style. Don't rush it, make sure you take your time.

Can I Keep It?

If the catch size is an issue - as in the fish are too small but little Johnny or Jan wants to keep them anyway - make sure you have a bucket filled with water, and put the undersized fish in the bucket so they can be kept alive and returned.

Some convincing may be necessary, but after a while the kids will get as great a thrill putting fish back as they do catching them.