Yeah, Hosey, amazing how it is hard to change the habit of loaded hooks. I never loaded hooks to cover the pointy catchy bit even with normal hooks, never had the hook point not exposed for a hook up, but yeah a slightly nibbed up bait works, just need to get used to it with confidence.Hosery wrote:Once you learn to pin the bait only in the corner etc and up rod not strike circles will be your friend.Bugatti wrote:Hosery wrote: I admit I used to chock up the hook (bigger bait-bigger fish thing) with hook covering amounts.
But the really hard bit for me was the not stricking and letting the loaded rod or loading the rod do the trick. I was fine with the smaller fish (whiting bream etc) , , , , but with the larger fish like Snapper and Gummies, when you hear that sweet sound of the drag , , , , zzzzzzzzzzz , , , , we instinctively strike. I now refrain BUT what has helped me (and with less toothie bite offs) is a firmer drag with a lighter tip rod with still a good back, so the combination of the lighter tip to allow a "take" and the firmer drag with the action of the rod on it's own seems to load the fish up to give me a better rate of hook ups and in the corner of the jaw