blackfish strikes

[Scott Bailey]

need tips from experienced blackfish fisherman  on what the bite feels like and when to set the hook

[Capt. Carl]

Trust me....u will know!.....wait for the thumps
Good luck

[Hunter 2]

Small taps,
Tap,    Tap tap,  keep your line tight with the sinker so you can feel everything. 

The crabs have a hard shell and the tog must crush it before inhaling the bait.  While you feel the taps and the tog is mouthing the crab, lift your rod tip in a steady motion around 3'. When you feel resistance on the line the Tog is gonna make a run for the holes in the structure. So reel hard and fast to raise the fish away from the bottom.   Once it's 10' off the bottom you can slow the reeling to a normal pace.90% of the time you will hook them in the lips.  5%. Gut hooked and 5% you snag them away from the mouth..
     Good luck and always ask the anglers next to you who are catching  for some tips,

[makokeith]

You have to learn to ignore the bergalls. Also sometimes they will just be sitting on the crab and you may need to lift the rod a bit to try to feel the resistance.

[Scott Bailey]

Trust me....u will know!.....wait for the thumps
Good luck

   okay thanks

[Scott Bailey]

Small taps,
Tap,    Tap tap,  keep your line tight with the sinker so you can feel everything. 

The crabs have a hard shell and the tog must crush it before inhaling the bait.  While you feel the taps and the tog is mouthing the crab, lift your rod tip in a steady motion around 3'. When you feel resistance on the line the Tog is gonna make a run for the holes in the structure. So reel hard and fast to raise the fish away from the bottom.   Once it's 10' off the bottom you can slow the reeling to a normal pace.90% of the time you will hook them in the lips.  5%. Gut hooked and 5% you snag them away from the mouth..
     Good luck and always ask the anglers next to you who are catching  for some tips,

okay so dont set the hook just lift fast and start reeling and keep contact with the sinker ?

[Scott Bailey]

You have to learn to ignore the bergalls. Also sometimes they will just be sitting on the crab and you may need to lift the rod a bit to try to feel the resistance.

  okay and the bergals are machine gun taps and lift the rod every now and then thank you

[Luna Sea 5]

If im not mistaken, from my experience, you don't get more then 1 tap.  You almost have to set the hook before you feel the tap.  The smallest thump can be a 10 lbs tog.  If you feel multiple taps, it is a begal. 

[Ms Fish]

taught me to always keep the weight on the bottom with a taught line at all times. If you let it bang on the bottom it will scare the fish away. So when the boat is rocking you adjust your rod with the swells or movement, keeping that weight as steady as you can. Also when you get the hit, which there is no doubt when it strikes, pull straight up in one motion and, like everyone else says, get it off the bottom asap so it can't snag you up. Be careful when pulling up...with the bottom structure being as it is when fishing for the blacks, you can easily snag yourself. Most important HAVE FUN!    

[Zabman]

The hardest thing for me was trying to figure out was that a rock or fish. I think I had it figured out by the end of the trip. I also was using a 5/0 Gama Octo and wonder if a 4/0 or 3/0 would have been more productive or even a Gama Octopus circle in line? Anyway when I think that much I believe I am hooked.

[Scott Bailey]

okay thanks guys

[BigAl13]

everyday the bite is different, sometimes its a scratchy picky bite when youll get taps a few times than nothing, somedays when the feed bag is on heavy you wont have a chance to wait for a tap before your in the rocks

[wb]

The hardest thing for me was trying to figure out was that a rock or fish. I think I had it figured out by the end of the trip. I also was using a 5/0 Gama Octo and wonder if a 4/0 or 3/0 would have been more productive or even a Gama Octopus circle in line? Anyway when I think that much I believe I am hooked.

yeah buddy you are hooked!