fishingaddict Posted December 19, 2020 Report Share Posted December 19, 2020 Hey all, I've lost a lot of fish this year, which I do not have a history for. I normally use Stiff Hinge rig or Chod as my lake has fair bit of weed plus silty bottom. It is also shallow (2-6ft). I have been sharpening hooks up more by taking the point down and definitely pricking fish more often. BUT, when I pick up the rod after a take the fish is lost 5-10 seconds later. So my question is, is it the rig? Soft mouths? Is it the way the fish feed in shallow water whereby they do not tilt as much? Or am I over thinking it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpmaster Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 11 hours ago, fishingaddict said: Hey all, I've lost a lot of fish this year, which I do not have a history for. I normally use Stiff Hinge rig or Chod as my lake has fair bit of weed plus silty bottom. It is also shallow (2-6ft). I have been sharpening hooks up more by taking the point down and definitely pricking fish more often. BUT, when I pick up the rod after a take the fish is lost 5-10 seconds later. So my question is, is it the rig? Soft mouths? Is it the way the fish feed in shallow water whereby they do not tilt as much? Or am I over thinking it? I’ve dropped a lot of fish this yr also and like you sharpen my hooks etc also like you few seconds they’re gone hooks fine etc I think it’s how they’re feeding tbh I know I’ve lost mine to weed or roots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 12 hours ago, fishingaddict said: Hey all, I've lost a lot of fish this year, which I do not have a history for. I normally use Stiff Hinge rig or Chod as my lake has fair bit of weed plus silty bottom. It is also shallow (2-6ft). I have been sharpening hooks up more by taking the point down and definitely pricking fish more often. BUT, when I pick up the rod after a take the fish is lost 5-10 seconds later. So my question is, is it the rig? Soft mouths? Is it the way the fish feed in shallow water whereby they do not tilt as much? Or am I over thinking it? I had a similar run of losses this year I deduced there wasn't enough separation between the hook and the hook bait, and I wasn't hooking them far enough back in the mouth, Carpmaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salokcinnodrog Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 3 hours ago, elmoputney said: I had a similar run of losses this year I deduced there wasn't enough separation between the hook and the hook bait, and I wasn't hooking them far enough back in the mouth, 4 hours ago, Carpmaster said: I’ve dropped a lot of fish this yr also and like you sharpen my hooks etc also like you few seconds they’re gone hooks fine etc I think it’s how they’re feeding tbh I know I’ve lost mine to weed or roots 16 hours ago, fishingaddict said: Hey all, I've lost a lot of fish this year, which I do not have a history for. I normally use Stiff Hinge rig or Chod as my lake has fair bit of weed plus silty bottom. It is also shallow (2-6ft). I have been sharpening hooks up more by taking the point down and definitely pricking fish more often. BUT, when I pick up the rod after a take the fish is lost 5-10 seconds later. So my question is, is it the rig? Soft mouths? Is it the way the fish feed in shallow water whereby they do not tilt as much? Or am I over thinking it? In the land that time forgot, 😖 back in the 1990's, I used helicopter rigs quite extensively, and came across a number of problems, one of which was losing fish to hook pulls. Outurned eyed hooks like current chod hooks was not the answer with pop-ups, the cure was go to inturned eyed hooks like B175's, (or bent hook rigs, now banned) and or stop fishing helicopter set-ups if we used bottom or critically balanced baits. On most occasions I work on a simple premise: If I am losing fish to hook pulls, or the hook is right at the edge of the mouth, lengthen the hair. If I am hooking in the cheek, or the back of the mouth, the hair is too long. If hooked dead centre perfect. If not hooking anything, no runs, fishing in the wrong place. However, regarding hooking, by increasing the amount of free bait by the hookbait, more boilies, more particles or groundbait, can act in the same way as lengthening the hair... elmoputney and crusian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 4 minutes ago, salokcinnodrog said: In the land that time forgot, 😖 back in the 1990's, I used helicopter rigs quite extensively, and came across a number of problems, one of which was losing fish to hook pulls. Outurned eyed hooks like current chod hooks was not the answer with pop-ups, the cure was go to inturned eyed hooks like B175's, (or bent hook rigs, now banned) and or stop fishing helicopter set-ups if we used bottom or critically balanced baits. On most occasions I work on a simple premise: If I am losing fish to hook pulls, or the hook is right at the edge of the mouth, lengthen the hair. If I am hooking in the cheek, or the back of the mouth, the hair is too long. If hooked dead centre perfect. If not hooking anything, no runs, fishing in the wrong place. However, regarding hooking, by increasing the amount of free bait by the hookbait, more boilies, more particles or groundbait, can act in the same way as lengthening the hair... That also reminds me lol, I actually switched from Inlines to leadclips as I wondered if having a 3oz inline flapping about in front of the fish wasn't helping during the battle, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishingaddict Posted December 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 What about straight point hooks vs beaked point? I use straight points (chod hooks or muggas a fair bit). Always though hook points was a load of old pony as long as it is sharp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouchthathurt Posted December 29, 2020 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Did you find that the majority of hook pulls came to the chod rigs? The chod rig can produce hook pulls with the mega short hook length with a heavy lead swinging around so close. Is the chod fixed or free running on the line? There is a school of thought that a free running chod may prick the fish but may not drive the hook home fully. Have you tried lengthening or shortening the boom section on a hinged stiff rig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpmaster Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 7 hours ago, ouchthathurt said: Did you find that the majority of hook pulls came to the chod rigs? The chod rig can produce hook pulls with the mega short hook length with a heavy lead swinging around so close. Is the chod fixed or free running on the line? There is a school of thought that a free running chod may prick the fish but may not drive the hook home fully. Have you tried lengthening or shortening the boom section on a hinged stiff rig? I’ve increased the kook link by 2 inchs and the baitfloss hair a few mm I’m also using a method feeder but it’s set up bolt style so if mr carp try’s shaking the feeder will move down the line when I’m able I’ll try this out if no sucess I’m going to use the feeder with a pully rig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishingaddict Posted December 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 17 hours ago, ouchthathurt said: Did you find that the majority of hook pulls came to the chod rigs? The chod rig can produce hook pulls with the mega short hook length with a heavy lead swinging around so close. Is the chod fixed or free running on the line? There is a school of thought that a free running chod may prick the fish but may not drive the hook home fully. Have you tried lengthening or shortening the boom section on a hinged stiff rig? Normally with stiff hinge rig, sometimes choddie. I use chod length with aggressive curve and loop knot. Have started using longer booms (14 inches). Straight point hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouchthathurt Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 I use helicopter rigs for 90%+ of my fishing and very rarely suffer hook pulls. I notice you said you don’t have a history for hook pulls before, so did they start when you started using the hinged stiffy or choddie? Do you use the hinged stiff rig with a “traditional” amnesia/stiff boom, or with the “soft” booms, coated braids etc? I understand their use - to allow the hook link to rest naturally over the choddy substrate, however perhaps the soft boom gives the carp too much rope? With the amnesia boom, the carp usually prick and hook themselves on the weight of the lead immediately. Worth a thought. Carpmaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevtaylor Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Could it be that your experiencing lifting into a trailer, initial resistance then it's gone. I think at least a couple of my recent hook pulls were in fact trailers not hooked at all, particularly possible as your using pop-ups not rigs lying on the deck - just food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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