I was wondering how do most of you set the hook when fishing swimbaits like the Huddleston? I am tired and frustrated of losing fish. I am using a Loomis BBR966C rod with 20Lb big game. In the last 2 weeks I have lost 3 good fish in the 6-8lb range that could have won a club tourney for me but due to fish coming off or me not just getting a good point in them. I can see the fish engulf my bait and when I set all I see is my bait come flying out of there mouth. My main hook is super sharp and my stinger hook is a super sharp 1/0 Owner stinger. So any clues would be greatly appreciated.

I too have a question. Is it better to dip & side-swipe a hook-set or just dip & pull straight up? Speaking of swimbait bites.

How are you setting the hook right now? Another guy I know lost a bunch of good bites on the huddleston, and I don't really get why since it's a pretty small bait and it's very soft. I usually set with a sweeping type hookset, so that the rod winds up pointing back just behind me a little bit and out to the side, usually slightly up from parallel to the water. I'd only set straight up and down on a bait where the hook is on top only, like mission fish or big hammer or whatever. Even then it seems like I wind up going somewhat out to the side. If you set totally straight up and down, that's when you can pop their mouth open if you don't hit them hard and fast enough.

The other thing to consider is your rod. If the rod is too soft, it will already be loaded up too much when the fish eats the bait and the initial motion will be for the rod to get pulled down. I lost a lot of fish like that early on using rods that were too soft.

I I know that rod is way to stiff! I have one hear at the shop. Also try gumming the bait up with HOT SOUCE, super lube!!!

Tyhe rod I am using is mag-heavy and has the back bone to stick the fish good. I have caught a few on it already but I am just losing fish lately on this Huddleston. I have played around with hook position on my stingers and still losing fish. I even use lots of Hot Sauce to help. So I don't know what the heck I am doing wrong.

Which Huddleston is it? Rof- ?

oh sorry, I forgot to read where you said what rod it was. Yeah, sounds like the problem is not that it's too soft :) It could be like Mickey said, it's too stiff and it's jerking the bait out. I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but the Rainshadow SW976 really is the perfect swimbait rod for 7 to 9" type baits like the huddleston IMO. It's strong but at the same time it's not stiff. If the Rainshadow guys would make a production rod out of that blank I think they could sell a ton of them.

thinkin about this again,I called Ken and asked him and he said hes watched the fish inhale and exhale the bait about as fast as you can think about setting the hook.Also I know for a fact that during the spawn-befor also-the bass are very teritorial.They will run up very fast and slap a bait up side the head. They arent trying to eat it, they are telling the bait to beat it.But I hope it doent keep you from going big.Ya win some and ya lose some!!!

I know how you feel. I fish swimbaits alot and still find myself losing fish on the hookset. Sounds like you've got a good rod, good line size, and most of all the stinger hook. I never use a stinger hook but I find that a good hookset is the sweep rather than the fish-lip rippin' type hookset (you know what I'm talking about). Also, drag-setting is very crucial. That is left to experimentation.Too loose or too tight is a no-no for me. Finding the magic drag setting for your setup means losing some and catching some. You just got to experiment. My catch to loss ratio would be about 90 %. To try to get to a hundred would be unrealistic I feel. Are you like losing close to 50%? Dude, you're the pro and you should be teaching us! Nah, Just kidding. Hope you come out strong at your next tournament.

As hard as it might be, especially when you get the rush after seeing an explosion you have to start winding not swinging. The straight faster wind works but is hard to do. If you fish a stiff rod you will pull the bait pretty easily. That is why the pros fish soft tips on cranks. Also having fish blow up on the baits without hookin em is part of swim bait fishin, ask anyone who throws em consistently. Don't get down on yourself, just try the fast grind with a long sweep and good luck: