# What am I doing wrong??



## Guest (May 31, 2010)

I recently got back into catfishing after a dry spell of a few years. After fishing last night I have been bit by the catfish bug all over again and my love for catfishing has been rekindled!!

I seem to have a reoccuring problem though. I have a very low hookup rate for the amount of runs that I am getting. Last night I had a great night and from 8:30pm to 5:30am I would say I had close to 20 runs, yet only managed to hook 4 catfish, and one of those 4 was snagged in the adipose fin.

I guess I have a couple questions.
#1. What type and size of hook do you generally use??? I primarily fish a large river system so the potential for huge fish is there, and I use both cut bait and live bait including shad, bluegill, chubs and suckers. I was using 1/0 and 2/0 hooks last night.

#2. What is your hook setting process?? I use Abu 6500's on both my cat rods, so I use a bait clicker. By process, I mean how long do you let the fish "run" before picking up the rod?? How long after you pick up the rod do you wait until you set the hook?? Do you use a sweeping hook set or strait up???

I have found that the Flatheads will generally just consitently take the bait with a flat even pull of the clicker, while the channel cats will have mess around with the bait before they send the clicker screaming. Do you all handle these kind of runs in different ways???

Sorry for all of the questions but I just realized last night how many fish I could have caught over the years, but ended up missing. I know everyone misses fish that is the name of the game, but I have been missing way too many and am eager to learn what I can do to get a better hookup ratio. 

Thanks for the advice and look forward to hearing back from you all!!


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## catalac (Jan 13, 2010)

traphunter,

the minimum hook size i use is 6/0 the max i use is 10/0. also while setting the hook i will set it during the run with the clicker on with a straight up hook set because i use an octopus hook. i will turn the clicker off while reeling in the fish. also make sure you have enough weight to keep your bait in one position because current could easily get confused as a run from time to time. usually i stick with around 3oz. and sometimes thats not enough. hope this helps


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

I would use 4/0 to 6/0 for cut bait, and i would use 7/0 to 9/0 for live bait depending on the size of live bait, live bait 3inches to 6 inches i would use the 7/0 and baits bigger than that 8/0 or 9/0. i use gamas octopus hooks. You are rite 95% of flatheads will make a steady slow run and the channels will usualy rip line out and then stop. for the channels keep a little presure on the spool with your thumb when you take the clicker off, for some reason they like presure, and dont set the hook until they are on a steady run. flatheads you shouldnt have a proplem hooking up with them because they usualy have the bait and hook engulfed by the time you even pick up the pole. I set the hook strait up, as hard as i can, and if i have dropped baits i run back 10 feet before i set the hook to get the slack and stretch out of the mono. It sounds like your missing fish because of small hooks, also make sure you only hook the cut bait once in the corner of the chunk, dont try to hide the hook, and hook the live bait in the tail. im sure this will help, good luck.


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

ducky152000 said:


> I would use 4/0 to 6/0 for cut bait, and i would use 7/0 to 9/0 for live bait depending on the size of live bait, live bait 3inches to 6 inches i would use the 7/0 and baits bigger than that 8/0 or 9/0. i use gamas octopus hooks. You are rite 95% of flatheads will make a steady slow run and the channels will usualy rip line out and then stop. for the channels keep a little presure on the spool with your thumb when you take the clicker off, for some reason they like presure, and dont set the hook until they are on a steady run. flatheads you shouldnt have a proplem hooking up with them because they usualy have the bait and hook engulfed by the time you even pick up the pole. I set the hook strait up, as hard as i can, and if i have dropped baits i run back 10 feet before i set the hook to get the slack and stretch out of the mono. It sounds like your missing fish because of small hooks, also make sure you only hook the cut bait once in the corner of the chunk, dont try to hide the hook, and hook the live bait in the tail. im sure this will help, good luck.


what he said


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Just because you are missing runs, does not mean you were missing catfish runs,

If I am missing that many runs I uaually consider the culprit turttles or gar.


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## jmackey84 (May 15, 2010)

i havent fished cats in the river yet, but when i cast out its on a bottom rig, i will real in the line taught and hold the line with my finger to be able to feel the line hit, when they pull i set the hook. i have caught 8"-10" bullheads on a 3/0 circle hook, next time i go im going to try to use a 5/0 hook, i never use a rod holer when fishing, only time i use one is when the person im fishing with gets one and need some help. the only problem is the places i go, the fish in an area stop bitting around 12:30 or a little befor.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

flathunter said:


> Just because you are missing runs, does not mean you were missing catfish runs,
> 
> If I am missing that many runs I uaually consider the culprit turttles or gar.


Flathunter is rite, its that time of year now. kinda glad i started fishing more lakes, dont have to deal with gar.


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks for the replys fellas, looks like I need to up my hook size. 

As far gar, that could have been the case but I dont know. How do gar typically bite?? Slow? Fast??

Also, I have always perfered to hook my chubs and suckers through the lips rather then behind the dorsal, as their soft flesh usually rips right out when I go to cast them if I body hook them. What is you all's felling on this??


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

gar make a run very quickly and then stop, and then they do it agin, Usualy if you let em run and stop 3 or 4 times thell have the hook swallowed then you can reel em in and throw em on the bank I dont like hooking my baits in the mouth but i no some who do and they do ok. It seems like the guys who do hook their baits in the mouth miss more fish than what they should.


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## Booosh (Jun 2, 2006)

i use 5500 and 6500 abu's 

5/0 circle hooks for cut bait
8/0 circle hooks for live bait

2oz slip sinkers for lakes
5oz-10oz for rivers

as far as run and setting the hook goes...you just have to find what your good at...definately let them get running first. I dont set the hook like its a whale. it doesnt take much pressure for the hooks now days to penitrate


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