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    Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 9:01am
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Hey everyone
I have recently starting using softies again after a long break as have been using either bait or jigs for a long time.
 
Had a couple of frustrating days when not hooking fish properly.  Rig is a Nitro stealth 3/0 1oz jighead with a 4" zman paddler.
 
Getting plenty of hits but a lot of them turn into nothing.  Had a couple on the weekend where I had the fish on for 7 to 10 seconds and it was peeling line etc. but would then just drop off.  Only thing I can think of is the rod I was using had a reasonably light tip and maybe the hook wasn't penetrating well enough but other than that only thing I can think of is that the fish were just grabbing the tails and not being aggressive.
 
Any thoughts?
 
Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Polar_Kiwis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 9:41am
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Set a good drag. I don't strike like with a bigger rod. Soft bait rods don't put much pressure on hook. (Also new sharp hook works best)

As the fish nibbles I relax my rod holding hand let the tip drop down and fwd with the nibbles until the rod is inline with the line. Then strike by doing a few things at once:
1/ Pull your elbow back while rod and line is inline (This puts more pressure on hook than striking)
2/ Sweep rod back and to the side. 
3/ Wind some line on.

We have swapped our handles so rod in our stronger right hand and wind with our left. Takes half a day to get used to.

This works with us and we have some pretty light soft bait rods. Even caught a 14lb snapper like this last week.

Some fish probably just holding onto tail of Z-man.

Cheers




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Espresso Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 11:36am
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It can be just a its thing on the day e.g. full moon, smaller snapper (or mackerel!) biting tails... holding on especially with the stretchiness of SBs . Happening over several trips or just one or two? Whereabouts were you fishing?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote riga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 12:11pm
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Originally posted by Polar_Kiwis Polar_Kiwis wrote:

Set a good drag. I don't strike like with a bigger rod. Soft bait rods don't put much pressure on hook. (Also new sharp hook works best)

As the fish nibbles I relax my rod holding hand let the tip drop down and fwd with the nibbles until the rod is inline with the line. Then strike by doing a few things at once:
1/ Pull your elbow back while rod and line is inline (This puts more pressure on hook than striking)
2/ Sweep rod back and to the side. 
3/ Wind some line on.

We have swapped our handles so rod in our stronger right hand and wind with our left. Takes half a day to get used to.

This works with us and we have some pretty light soft bait rods. Even caught a 14lb snapper like this last week.

Some fish probably just holding onto tail of Z-man.

Cheers




 
I have been finding that a lot of the strikes happen when I am at the top of the lift so there is limited ability to strike anyway so the sideways movement might work well and I guess then winding down hard and striking again may be the way to go to ensure the hook is set.  Will also switch to a stiffer rod and see what happens there.
 
I already wind with the left, do that on my strayline sets for the same reason.
 
Lets say you are at the top of the lift and then get a nibble or strike, do you then drop the rod tip and let the fish keep mouthing/running with it and then strike/wind/lift once the pressure comes back on?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote riga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 12:15pm
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Originally posted by Espresso Espresso wrote:

It can be just a its thing on the day e.g. full moon, smaller snapper (or mackerel!) biting tails... holding on especially with the stretchiness of SBs . Happening over several trips or just one or two? Whereabouts were you fishing?
 
True, it was around the full moon on the weekend and the bites were generally soft, have also found it in the past but did seem to be worse on the weekend.
 
Snapper weren't big either only around the 40 to 45cm mark but it felt like the ones I did loose were better models hence why my first thoughts were I wasn't penetrating the jaw very well.
 
Tried squashing down the barb too but didn't seem to make much difference.
 
Fishing was around Motuora and back a little towards Tiri.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Downtown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 12:17pm
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3/0 is a pretty big hook for a 4inch bait try dropping to 1/0
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote JW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 2:44pm
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It really is on the day. 
I use 1/0 as well. Find 3/0 too big. Not sure the fish care but I don't like them on a 4" lure. This weekend I was hooking alot of fish around the mouth using a 1/0. Other days they'll inhale the lure. On Sunday, I started playing around with a 1/8 oz, size 1 hook with 10lb trace and 3.75" lures. It worked better than anything else catching the most and the biggest. I had more problems getting the hook out of the fish than into them. I'll definitely be ordering more.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 4:07pm
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Some days the bigger snapper just shake away the hooks I still find it happens you just have to accept some will get away. But like the guys have said I definetly find the 1/0 hooks have a better rate of holding the fish on.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 6:35pm
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Try worm hooks - always found a better hook up rate with them.
Could just be lots of smaller fish?
Could also be just plain bad luck too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote riga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 8:23pm
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Cheers team.

Will try some 1/0 on the weekend if I get a chance and go from there.

Just seems like a really small hook but will see how go. Obviously works for the rest of you.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Polar_Kiwis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Dec 2015 at 8:27pm
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Never had a problem with the 3/0. Always use them. Enjoying the shorter shanked lightbulbs at the moment.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote gmacx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 10:25am
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Also a 3/0 fan, perfect size for the 5"
I had difficulty setting the hook with a spin reel, found with an overhead locking down the drag and striking far easier.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote JW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 10:34am
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I use them occasionally but more on the 5" lures which look just right for that hook. They are well designed - the lures sit very nicely on them thanks to the short shank and the hooks are much better quality than they were on the older ones. I'm sure the fish aren't thinking 'sh*t! that's a 3/0 lightbulb' but I'd still like them to make a 1/0 hook for the 4" & 3.75" lures - I'd buy a lot more. At the end of the day these things have to catch the anglers first. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote strx7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 2:49pm
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When you have wound in, have you found a scale on the hook point by any chance???
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 4:41pm
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Found the new Mustad range very good.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote riga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 8:43am
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Nah have never found scales on the tip of the hook or on the hook, usually foul hook a few straylinning but not many softbaiting.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote strx7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 8:59am
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I often hook up fish when soft baiting, only for them to get off after 30 seconds or so and I get left with a scale on the hook tip, I put it down to to thicker guage hook not pentrating on a facial hook up.

Defintily try using a worm hook and a ball sinker, it does result in a better hook up rate
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Olfart Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 9:03am
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I find setups like these

work well especially in a bit of current.  I am actually preferring these to jig heads at the moment.   These are 3/0 hooks with half ounce sinkers moulded around a standard swivel.
Semper in excreta sumus, solum profundum variat....



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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote riga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 9:53am
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I think I have some 3/0 worm hooks I might have a go with as well if I still struggle with the 1/0s in the morning.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Garry 23041 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 6:57pm
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It's not the hooks. Those hooks are good enough if sharp, I rate them.
 
As guys have said it can be the day, it happens.
 
In terms of striking hard I refrain from that, as often if you "lift" on a fish and it's not hooked you can drop the rod tip and get him on the second go.
If you strike hard it moves the softie out of his strike zone if not time zone if he doesn't stick.
 
I have had days when you feel the bite or enquiry and count to three then lift the hook in and they just won't stick if you go any faster.
Not very often but often enough that I will try this if I'm not getting fish to stick.
 
I had a slow start the other day and opted for Kavemans micro's and I was getting the odd small snap and my mate was just getting tugs on his softies (he's a very onto it fisher).
 
Later when the bite came on you could have caught fish with a rag on a hook as long as you fished for the snapper in the mid water.
Fun times.
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