BLACKFISH-WHEN DO YOU SET THE HOOK?

[rossg]

I can find the fish. Put the boat on good structure but still struggle with when to set the hook. Some say wait for the second pull but most of the time there is no second pull.
WHEN DO YOU SET THE HOOK ON ?

Ross
The Lady J
Belmar NJ

[Capt. Mike]

Hi Ross I have read and hear the same.

What I find that works for me is, I let the fish eat a little and slowly and I mean slowly lift the rod feel the slightest bit of weight and then send it home.

[Bucktail]

Set it... NOW!
Darn it! 
Not now. 
Wait a minute. 
Tap, tap, tap. 
Now? 
NOW! 
Crap!
Get a new crab. 
Send it down. 
Tap, tap, thump. 
Swing NOW! 
Yes! 
Got him! 

Seriously, although I always have a blast when I fish for tog, I don't fish for them all that much.  But what I was always told is to ignore the little taps and nibbles, and set the hook when you feel the solid thump.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't!  That's why it's so much fun!  

[captainbailey]

Hi Ross I have read and hear the same.

What I find that works for me is, I let the fish eat a little and slowly and I mean slowly lift the rod feel the slightest bit of weight and then send it home.

[Luna Sea 5]

you have to set the hook, almost before you feel the tap.  (if that makes sense).  The very first tap, don't wait for a full tap when your rod goes down and back up again.  You have to set the hook before the rod tip goes down on that first tap.

[Hotrod]

What I learned on Sunday..  That Capt Mike's technique Works well.. IF!.. you have a good hook set into the grab.. ( thru the leg socket and back out the bottom shell without breaking it.  They had a little more trouble removing the crab. when I wasn't hooked up that well..  it was gone on the first or second tap  

[gottog]

All depends on the bite.  They can slam the hooks and hang themselves when on the feed especially when you're down in south Jersey, DE, MD, etc.  Up "north" the bite can be alot tougher with more pressure on the fish, less fish overall, etc.

Tog will bite differently at different spots, depths, tides, currents, etc.  probably what makes them so much fun and frustrating

Heck, there are times when you have to watch your slack line "jump" a bit and never really feel the bite.

Try to drop down or cast out to the same spot you get some life on, ie nibbles.  Generally the bergals aka cunners will sniff out your bait first.  Of course there's always porgies, seabass, and other fish that will take your tog offering first as well.
You want to wait out the first few quick bites or soft nibbles.  Tog are curious and will actually push away smaller ones or bergals when they want to sniff your bait.

While being patient may make you reel up an empty hook or sucked out crab carcass, it'll make you hone the feel for the "right" bite.  Swinging madly and too often can actually scare the tog away.  It ain't like flounder fishing where bouncing your sinker attracts them

Many, many times I have stood at the rail and got a bite that I knew I should have swung at, that's half the "fun"

The slight lift will work and sometimes that'll even cause a more aggressive strike, though other times they'll back right away.  Tog can "spit" out a bait very quickly.  When you catch one, put them in some water and you'll see them "spit" as they have a flap that basically closes off their throat.

The short of it is there is no one simple answer.

[IrishAyes]

When I was out the other day, I noticed the line MOVE just slightly. I set the hook and got the bigger fish on them occasions. The ones where I felt a good pull were from smaller fish. Don't know why but that is how it was.

[Hotrod]

yea joe you were landing the bigger ones

[gottog]

If fishing braid and the line is taunt, a tog can feel that resistance while testing out the bait and many times will back away, thus it's always good to fish with some slack in your line.  Even with a slack line you can feel the bite with braid.

They be real crafty critters at times.

[rossg]

Thank you all for your comments and experiences with that amazing creature called TOG

Get a couple and bring them to your local chinese restaurant

Blackfish in Black Bean sauce cant be beat WOW
Ross
The Lady J
Belmar NJ

[Hotrod]

http://njsaltwaterfisherman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=293&Itemid=90   

[Capt -Jerry P]

There is no answer to the question

Its more a feel, they bite different everyday.

Giving a slight bow in your line after the first bite makes them finish the crab better, which makes the bite better, which makes it easier to know when to swing.

If that makes any sense

Ah

hard to explain

Mostly the guys who swing at everything, every bite wind up with all the shorts.

Mo+whitecrab will let ya know when to swing

[ped579]