WSB - coming off my line

I was fishing in Monterey the other day for WSB and twice my bait was picked up, clicker started going off and by the time my rod was in my hands the fish were gone.  Both times my squid was still on the hook.

So what's the trick to making them stick?

Thanks in advance,
Josh

Yikes! were you in free spool or in Gear? Whats your hook set up?(ex. Double circle, Circle/Treble, double treble). What size are the hooks?

 I'm no pro but i'm willing to help, since others have helped me.

 Jae

If I could answer this, I'd have caught a few already this summer.
Lots of folks use trebles on their squid...but some that don't also have good hookup rates so I'm not totally sure it is all about the hook style but sharpness DOES count whatever you use.
Sometimes they just spit the bait.

Papio-you seem to be "the man" this fall, what would you recommend?

 
  Again i'm no pro or claim to be but this is what the guys i've fished with have seen this season. In SC the WSB tend to grab and go, If you're in free spool they will spit the bait right away. So we automatically put the reel in gear with a slight drag so if they grab the bait they stick them selfs.

  Monterey on the other hand, they tend to bump the bait, so we like to put the reel on free spool let them take the line for a couple of seconds before we set the reel in gear.


 I use double octopus circles 6/0, but thats what I prefer. Others have great hook set rates on trebles as well.

  Again i'm no pro or claim to be but this is what the guys i've fished with have seen this season. In SC the WSB tend to grab and go, If you're in free spool they will spit the bait right away. So we automatically put the reel in gear with a slight drag so if they grab the bait they stick them selfs.

  Monterey on the other hand, they tend to bump the bait, so we like to put the reel on free spool let them take the line for a couple of seconds before we set the reel in gear.


 I use double octopus circles 6/0, but thats what I prefer. Others have great hook set rates on trebles as well.

Thanks bruddah. Nice of you to break it down that way. I can totally get what you are saying. Funny how a slightly different locale will have such an impact on how the fish feed.
You may not consider yourself a "pro" but I would say your avatar makes a convincing argument for "excellent amateur".

I'm using a single 5/0 circle hook, very sharp.  I was in free spool, went to put it in gear and nothing. 

Should I let it run longer or put it in gear faster?

Sucks to wait hours, almost fall to sleep and them bam, reel is singing, this is it! and nothing.  Heartbreak!

Trying again tomorrow morning.

Papio, you are now a WSB expert in my book!

I'm using a single 5/0 circle hook, very sharp.  I was in free spool, went to put it in gear and nothing. 

Should I let it run longer or put it in gear faster?

Sucks to wait hours, almost fall to sleep and them bam, reel is singing, this is it! and nothing.  Heartbreak!

Trying again tomorrow morning.

Papio, you are now a WSB expert in my book!

try a double hook rig (with or without a treble). One I got 2 seasons ago was hooked on the gill plate by the trailer hook. In some cases the fish may just take in the end of the bait and may spit it.  Al lassoed one using the trailer hook... two is the way to go in my book.

I'm using a single 5/0 circle hook, very sharp.  I was in free spool, went to put it in gear and nothing. 

Should I let it run longer or put it in gear faster?

Sucks to wait hours, almost fall to sleep and them bam, reel is singing, this is it! and nothing.  Heartbreak!

Trying again tomorrow morning.

Papio, you are now a WSB expert in my book!

 Thats WSB fishing lol. Honestly it happens sometimes and all we can do learn from the experience and if you feel that you should let the WSB run longer try it next time and see. But it does suck to have your reel scream then nothing.  If we all perfected fishing then it wouldn't be fishing would it?
 
 The person who knows a lot a WSB is the person on the home page not me.

 The person who knows a lot a WSB is the person on the home page not me.

Word. I think I have read GB@'s WSB how-to on the home page about 20 times this season . I'm still trying to dial it in, but as you said, that is part of the fun of it!

Sucks to wait hours, almost fall to sleep and them bam, reel is singing, this is it! and nothing.  Heartbreak!

It sucks even more when you hear the reel screaming while trolling, grab the rod and then realized your line is up in the air and there's a Seagull at the end of the line! 

Sucks to wait hours, almost fall to sleep and them bam, reel is singing, this is it! and nothing.  Heartbreak!

It sucks even more when you hear the reel screaming while trolling, grab the rod and then realized your line is up in the air and there's a Seagull at the end of the line! 

     +1...    LOL.       Or a whale !

 The person who knows a lot a WSB is the person on the home page not me.

Word. I think I have read GB@'s WSB how-to on the home page about 20 times this season . I'm still trying to dial it in, but as you said, that is part of the fun of it!

GB2's article got me pretty far.  I just need a little more help.  Gonna ad a treble hook tomorrow.

Thanks guys

I use a 5' fluorocarbon 40lb leader, sliding black Gamakatsu size 2/0 circle hook above a black Owner 2x strength, Size 6 treble. An improved clinch knot on the treble hook and this knot for the sliding circle:



I used this setup in Monterey and Santa Cruz and never had a fish come off once hooked. Had a couple of quick missed strikes that could have been anything, but if they took aggressively, they were on, both halibut and WSB.

Good luck!
Andrew

I was fishing in Monterey the other day for WSB and twice my bait was picked up, clicker started going off and by the time my rod was in my hands the fish were gone.  Both times my squid was still on the hook.

So what's the trick to making them stick?

Thanks in advance,
Josh

Josh

WSB and ling cod hit the bait hard so it was probably a rockfish or halibut. As mentioned by others, a halibut trap or stinger rig with a j hook in the mantle and treble hook through the head of the squid is the most common setup. I use a fixed snell the j hook because it is a stronger knot than a sliding snell. I usually don't mix circle hooks with j hooks or treble hooks in the same presentation because you set the differently. Get a j hook where the eye is bent when using a snell knot.

scott

My commercial wsb friends follow 3 golden rules: DO NOT SET THE HOOK, LET THE FISH RUN AND STOP BEFORE FIGHTING THEM BACK IN, AND NEVER THUMB THE SPOOL.

Josh,
Have not caught my 1st this year so have done just a lot of reading to reinforce what I'm doing, however, I had one similar experience like yours but mine ran longer than 2 secs. and still did not stick.
I'll try to give those 3 golden rule above which was mentioned by Daniel/dpshim in his most recent post on WSB.
Just something to try next time I go out.
Danny