Weird hookup at Santa fe 4/29/12

[Carptain_Bao]

Good day with a gentle breeze.Decided to take my bass pro shops cat buster out to SFD for an evening session.
Got into the park around 4:15,met several fisherman but most got skunked.
Headed out to my usual spot, casted out the cat buster with mackerel and set up another pole with pb.
No love on the pb all the time, switched sevral colors but none of em worked out.
Heard the bell on my cat buster ring, waited for 4 gentle pulls and then set the hook, surprisingly nothing. Rebaited and cast out again. Got three decent bites and one short bit total. But didn't manage to hook up any.
Around seven, decided to call it off a day, when I was about to take the bell off, it rang again. Waited until it was on for sure, then set the hook, damn again nothing! I was pissed but baited again and cast out to the same spot, within two mins got another bite, waited patiently for a while and gently pull my pole up, fish on!
Didn't take any effort to get the fish to the shoreline, to my surprise, it is a small stocker, around 11 inch. How did that happen? Totally lip hooked so I released it right away. Packed up and peace.
I was using 12lb mainline with a 8 lb leader with a #2 circle hook on a 2 oz flat weight. Who said trout only dig light tackle?! Heavy gear owned it!

One question: Do u need to set the hook with a circle hook? Or u just pull ur rod up gently?

Bao

[t3rry]

I think you're supposed to just reel until you really feel the fish then pull away from the fish but not a swing.

[white belt]

How weird... When I fish two poles at SFD they also prefer the heavier line. As for the circle hook, I read you just start reeling and pull the rod to the side instead of straight up.

[Carptain_Bao]

I think you're supposed to just reel until you really feel the fish then pull away from the fish but not a swing.

Will do, thank you!

[Carptain_Bao]

How weird... When I fish two poles at SFD they also prefer the heavier line. As for the circle hook, I read you just start reeling and pull the rod to the side instead of straight up.

I know right. Getting ready for the catfish season!

[bman90278]

I think you're supposed to just reel until you really feel the fish then pull away from the fish but not a swing.

Yep, the circle hook doesn't need a hook set!

[smokehound]

normally I just let the fish pull it, this usually sets the hook right in the corner of the mouth. To set it, I keep the rod still and give it three hard cranks.

These days I prefer just using a worm hook, the long shank makes removing the hook alot easier.

[DynoDan]

Good day with a gentle breeze.Decided to take my bass pro shops cat buster out to SFD for an evening session.
Got into the park around 4:15,met several fisherman but most got skunked.
Headed out to my usual spot, casted out the cat buster with mackerel and set up another pole with pb.
No love on the pb all the time, switched sevral colors but none of em worked out.
Heard the bell on my cat buster ring, waited for 4 gentle pulls and then set the hook, surprisingly nothing. Rebaited and cast out again. Got three decent bites and one short bit total. But didn't manage to hook up any.
Around seven, decided to call it off a day, when I was about to take the bell off, it rang again. Waited until it was on for sure, then set the hook, damn again nothing! I was pissed but baited again and cast out to the same spot, within two mins got another bite, waited patiently for a while and gently pull my pole up, fish on!
Didn't take any effort to get the fish to the shoreline, to my surprise, it is a small stocker, around 11 inch. How did that happen? Totally lip hooked so I released it right away. Packed up and peace.
I was using 12lb mainline with a 8 lb leader with a #2 circle hook on a 2 oz flat weight. Who said trout only dig light tackle?! Heavy gear owned it!

One question: Do u need to set the hook with a circle hook? Or u just pull ur rod up gently?

Bao

This sounds like the doing of a turtle. They are starting to love Mac and Bonita. Shrimp also.

[LGHT]

This sounds like the doing of a turtle. They are starting to love Mac and Bonita. Shrimp also.

Yeah I had that almost exact same problem at legg. Because the turtle mouth is so small they don't take the bait just nibble it until you yank it out of their mouth.