How To Properly Set Your Hook When Using Soft Plastics [VIDEO]

Don’t be that angler…

Have you ever fished with someone who frequently puts every bit of energy he/she can possibly muster into setting the hook only to be embarrassed that “the big bite” was only a little weed that their lure bumped into?

And if you’ve targeted redfish, snook, and trout on shallow flats using soft plastics lures and braided line, you surely noticed that the anglers who seem to be aggressively setting the hook all the time don’t actually catch many fish.

Well, I’m here to admit that I was that person for a long time…

I know firsthand how ineffective the overly aggressive hook set is because that is exactly what I did when I started targeting snook and redfish on the flats.

And it’s a common problem with many other anglers like me who transition from the bass world to the inshore saltwater environment because it seems like all the freshwater TV shows show the pros putting every ounce of energy they have into setting the hooks when using soft plastic worms and swim baits for bass.

But over the years of targeting redfish, snook, and big trout up on shallow flat, I have realized that the aggressive hook sets typically do more harm than good…

Why Aggressive Hook Sets Should Be Avoided On The Flats?

The core reason why overly aggressive hook sets should be avoided when targeting redfish, snook, and trout on the flats is because it spooks fish… here are the 2 most common ways:

1. Spooks fish from jolting the boat (they feel a large presence is nearby)
2. Spooks fish that only had the bait half way in their mouth (no natural prey can move that fast)

But most importantly, it simply is not needed because braided line doesn’t have any stretch, so quickly moving the rod tip a full 4 feet on a full 45-degree set has a direct result in moving the lure 4 feet with a lot of power…

Which will all but guarantee that the fish (nor any others nearby) will not come back to eat the lure if the hook doesn’t set on the first try.

How to Set the Hook When Using Soft Plastic Lures

Knowing that braid doesn’t have any stretch, the ideal hook set is just a firm pull back as you’ll see in the video below.

This shorter hook set method will provide plenty of power to get the point of the hook through the tough mouths of redfish and snook, while at the same time providing the appearance of a more natural prey trying to escape in the event that the fish didn’t have the full bait in its mouth when the hook set went into motion.

Watch the video below to see the most effective hook set technique for soft plastics…

And be sure to check out the on-the-water examples showing exactly how the rod tip should move when getting bites from snook, redfish, and trout.

How To Set The Hook [VIDEO]

Conclusion

Setting to hook doesn’t need to require an all-out burst of high energy. In fact, that over-aggressive hook set can do more harm than good.

The most effective overall hook set involves a firm pull back only after feeling the weight of a fish on the end of the line…

When doing the technique shown in the above video, you’ll ensure that you’ll never be the one who’s putting all of their energy into setting the hook on a little pinfish that’s nibbling on your bait.

P.S. – If you think any of your angler friends would like this, please Tag them or Share this with them. It would mean a lot to me.

Fish On!

Related Article: “How To More Easily Find And Catch Redfish, Snook, and Trout With Artificial Lures“