# Clickers vs not using it.



## Fishman

I've really been thinking about this latley as I'm getting use to missing fish. Do you always use your clicker? By "always" I mean using it when the conditions allow it, like the current isn't so strong it is constantly taking line off the reel.

Seems like any guide catfisherman I've ever fished with never engages the clicker. They leave the rod in a holder and let the fish eat the bait and hook itself all in one spot, as aposed to letting the fish pickup the bait and move with it before hooking it.

I ask because it seems to me, by using the clicker you give the fish extra time to figure out their is a little resistance on the bait, from the weight or any other obstruction. I always use sinkers that slide freely on the line, but I can't help but wonder if the fish is still feeling that little bit of resistance.

Now on the flipside, I can see where letting the fish move with the bait allows the fish to get the whole thing in it's mouth before setting the hook (circles).

What comes to mind is fishing for blues on the James River in Virgina. The blues would still tug at the bait when the clickers were off. Eventually he would just eat it all right there and try to swim away hooking himself. The only instance where we used a clicker was one time, a big fish coming in at 63# my friend caught. Why the guide used the clicker that time I don't know, but every other fish we caught free spool was not engaged.

What do you guys do? What percentage of the time, when the conditions allow it do you use your clicker?

I use it 100% of the time.


----------



## flathunter

Circle hooks no clicker..when I am fishing for channel cats no clicker....Flatheads Clicker when not using Circle hooks...If I am using Circle hooks basically no Clicker, but I do have heavy duty rod holders that stay put in the ground.


----------



## H2O Mellon

Tom, 

Jack hit the nail on the head, I always used the clicker when I had my girlie rod holders, now that I have some heavy duty rod holder, I havent been using my cliker much, unless its @ night. When we meet up, I'll show you these rod holders, they weight a ton, but man, your rod isnt going anywhere. 

PS- Jack, I was so tired the other day walking, I used an extra logn sleeve shirt & made a sling for the rod holders!


----------



## Fishman

Intersting, keep them coming guys.

Looks like I need to invest in some rod holders.


----------



## RiverRat

Yup...i use it 100% of the time(as long as current isnt a pain).
I dont fish circle hooks, so i set the hook not the fish......free-spool clicker, regular hooks.....locked up, circle hooks.

Scott


----------



## catking

I use mine all the time ..that is when I fish....  CATKING


----------



## Doctor

Using cutbait the clicker is off, rod is in the rod holder and we allow them to load it up.

If I'm running live Shad then I use the clicker, allow them to move off with the bait, then engage the reel and let them load the rod up, if they dump the bait then I'll run without the clicker and allow them to load the rod up, we try to let the fish tell us how they want the bait, sometimes they are real picky, other times they just slam it down with out hesitation, and we have been doing this since 1999 when we switched over to the circle hooks, everybody has there favorite way to do it, use whatever method is the most successful to your style of fishing.


----------



## Fishman

I converted to circles back when you took me out Doc  I like them, but sometimes I wonder if I wouldn't be better off using "regular" hooks. I just don't know!

When I finally start fishing for flatheads 100% in a few weeks, I'll decide then.


----------



## Baitkiller

Guys 

Doc's idea is right on in my book, let them tell ya which way is best!

I'm still wet behind the ears on Flatheads guys but with what little they have told me I will share (OPINION). I do own a clicker and have used them in the past. I now bankfish only with very sturdy rod holders and surf spin. I seen and heard where a lot talk about all the screaming runs they had (Clickers) with no fish. That alone would make me pick up my rods and smash them into little pieces (LOL). I know of people passing up a lot of Flatheads because they wanted the Flatheads to run with the bait but they would not, this may be due to too much clicker use in the past, I'm not sure.

To me, with the new super lines them Cats can hear and feel that clicker about 30 times better then we can hear it. To me its a "I"M GOING TO DROP THIS BAIT" alarm. Some do like to play tag with the Flats using the clickers and hoping they come back, but to me being "IT" is not a good thing.

Just an opinion from someone wet behind the ears.
<><Baitkiller><>


----------



## bigjohn513

Its real easy for me..stright hook for live bait with a clicker....cut bait with circles and no clicker unless im outa rod holders to put them in...then i pick the rod up when they run, let them load the rod and reel them in


----------



## blance

Alot of good points in this thread. I've gotten lazy over the last couple years and started using my clicker alot more. Over here in my local river people do a lot of catfishing, but most are the chicken liver and night crawler guys. They mostly tend to stay about 3/4 of a mile upriver of me near the dam. One thing I don't have yet is a good set of heavy duty rod holders. One hard hit from a good sized cat without being in free spool and I'm going swimming for my C3/4. I don't use the clicker full time though. I start hearing it clicking and usually I run over, grab the rod and turn the clicker off leaving it in free spool mode. then when the fish starts moving off I'll thumb the spool to stop it and let the fish hook himself. If I had to pick something that has cost me more fish over the last two seasons, it would be moving up to size 7 circles. There's some good fish in our local river, but most are smaller. With the 'lil guys, it's hit or miss if they get that hook in their mouths. If I had heavier holders and was able to just sit and watch my rods, I might lock them up. But for now I find free spool/clickers work best for me in my situation.

Barry


----------



## catfishhunter33

hghghghghghghghghh


----------



## ChrisB

I always use a clicker when bankfishing also. I can honestly say I have never missed a fish when I hear it going off. Something about the circle hook clicker combo I guess. When in the river I use my Penn 209's which need 1.5 pounds of pull to engage it, which make things easier. On a side note, spinning reels WIILL break when hooking a large fish. The bar broke off on me twice last year while leaning back into some fish, and once while I had it open and the fish hit it hard. As for boat fishing I leave the bail closed and keep an eye on the line and rod.


----------



## firecat

Like Dad said I let the fish decide on what I am going to do. I also do this with my hooks as well there are times when I do not always use circles probably about 2% of the time but in some cases I like to use regular hooks. Again its all up to what is putting fish in the boat.

Larry


----------



## Abu65

You have to be versatile never ever do the same thing all the time! I use J-hooks & circle hooks of all sizes and clickers and no clickers, floats on my leader, no floats on my leaders, floats on my line, no floats on my line. Dont rule out anything ever! When you stop expermenting you stop learning and then you stop catching! Good Fishing....Abu65


----------



## RiverRat

"spinning reels WILL break when hooking a large fish."...very very untrue!!

The statement should of been.."when using CHEAPER spinning reels, they tend to wear out fast and let you down because of breakage"

I have landed both Flatheads over 30 lbs. and Carp over 30 lbs. on 12 lb. line and spinning gear(Shimano BTR's) with no issues and NOTHING in Ohio fights better than those 2 species. I have also caught Aligators to 12-13 ft. on the same Shimano BTR reel with an 11ft St. Croix surf rod, while fishing Santee Cooper. 

Fishing tackles no different than anything else....you get what you pay for...and you get out of it what you have in it.

I dont purposely take my baitrunner spinning reels out after big cats on rivers locally, i have many Shimano Calcutta 700 reels for this job in heavy cover...but in open water where snags are not a problem, i wouldnt think twice about using my spinning gear to tackle them....and do all the time on the Ohio river from shore.

Scott


----------



## Fishman

Wow thanks for all the info guy. Lots of information here.


----------



## ChrisB

River Rat, I've never seen a Shimano Btr in action but already know they are top end gear. They make a lot of saltwater gear don't they? I still use spinning gear for carp and light line to make things challanging. Sorry to go off topic.


----------



## flatty

my parterner and i have been strating to use LO42 eagle claws instead of circles we tight line them like circles then when you get the bite you just set the hook


----------

