Light bites, terminal fishery

[el.Pereh]

I have been experiencing more light bites that I ever have off the sandheads. General bites are up too so I am sure it has a lot to do with the volume of fish!

When running chovies or herring, do you reel down/pop and reel as soon as you see the tip dip or do you give it a couple of seconds to see if it starts pumping hard/pop the clip?

I seem to be loosing a good chunk of my light bites. Some I do feel a quick initial connection with. I am very quick to jump on the reel when I see the tip do the dip dip dip.

 

[Rain City]

I have been experiencing more light bites that I ever have off the sandheads. General bites are up too so I am sure it has a lot to do with the volume of fish!

When running chovies or herring, do you reel down/pop and reel as soon as you see the tip dip or do you give it a couple of seconds to see if it starts pumping hard/pop the clip?

I seem to be loosing a good chunk of my light bites. Some I do feel a quick initial connection with. I am very quick to jump on the reel when I see the tip do the dip dip dip.

I give it a bit until it hammers home. I'll also bring the rigger up a touch to see of entices a harder hit.

 

[ILHG]

When I'm getting light bites I use my downrigger to see if I have a fish and set the hook. My Scotty 2106 move fast and pulling up 10' will bury the hook and pop of the clip. Also it will trigger a bite.

I wouldn't wait. As soon as you see that tap, pull the rigger up.

 

[ReelSlim]

I agree with the light bites this year. I bet almost half the fish I caught this summer on the beach were light bites and even the bigger fish. I lost a few pulling it off the clip and ended up running my anchovies with a #3 stinger hook right at the end of the tail. Quite a few fish that were landed only had the small #3 in there mouth. I also fished a bit faster this year and that seemed to help with the hook up rate as well.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

I had that issue a few years ago, down at sandheads, light bites on anchovy but the fish never got hooked. I increased my hook size by 2 sizes and don't really have that problem anymore.

 

[Sentinel]

I believe when you see a light bite the fish is swimming with it in it’s mouth and an immediate response is needed.

 

[walleyes]

I agree with the light bites this year. I bet almost half the fish I caught this summer on the beach were light bites and even the bigger fish. I lost a few pulling it off the clip and ended up running my anchovies with a #3 stinger hook right at the end of the tail. Quite a few fish that were landed only had the small #3 in there mouth. I also fished a bit faster this year and that seemed to help with the hook up rate as well.

We had the same issue at Ukee this summer and I did the same. Didn’t take long to see they were biting short. Spun up two teaser heads with trailer hooks and that ended that. Lowered the drop ratio drastically. The next day we went 4 for 4 in the boat. The day after I think we dropped 2 on a short bite. Personally I find sharp hooks and the stored energy in good tension kept in the rod bend on 10’6 rod is more than enough to set a hook. That’s also why I don’t like a noodle for a rod, I like my fishing rods to have some back bone to them. No need to be yankin on the darn thing to set it home. But that’s me I’m sure we’ll have many different opinions.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Had a few but they are generally when i don't set the stinger hook far enough back

 

[Tips Up]

I believe when you see a light bite the fish is swimming with it in it’s mouth and an immediate response is needed.

I agree with this.
When I see this I don't panic but get to rod quick... take from holder with line still on rigger and reel as much slack out as possible (rod tip right to the water) then pop off and reel like hell or even speed up the boat.
Had a couple good size fish this year swim with and straight to the boat while I was running with the tide. Hard to keep up with them until they got to the boat then decided to run.

 

[Birdman]

Dropping the rigger ball (not total free fall) also works well and then you don't have to worry about slack in the line when you get a pop off reeling it up on the rigger.

Don't do this when your tacking tight to shore in a rock pile or it can get expensive, don't ask me how I know.

 

[Dogbreath]

It depends sometime it's just a squib.

 

[Rain City]

It depends sometime it's just a squib.

I hate squibs

 

[Steplift]

I sometimes pop it out and start pulling line by hand as quick as I can trying to flutter the bait like it’s been badly crippled. Often I get picked up I think the fish figures it mortality wounded the bait and returns for the easy meal. Got my biggest chinook that way. Plus it feels neat hand feeding them.

 

[el.Pereh]

It depends sometime it's just a squib.

What’s a squib?

 

[el.Pereh]

I had that issue a few years ago, down at sandheads, light bites on anchovy but the fish never got hooked. I increased my hook size by 2 sizes and don't really have that problem anymore.

To what size? I’ve been running #2 trebles and 4/0 Octo stingers

 

[ab1752]

I have been experiencing more light bites that I ever have off the sandheads. General bites are up too so I am sure it has a lot to do with the volume of fish!

When running chovies or herring, do you reel down/pop and reel as soon as you see the tip dip or do you give it a couple of seconds to see if it starts pumping hard/pop the clip?

I seem to be loosing a good chunk of my light bites. Some I do feel a quick initial connection with. I am very quick to jump on the reel when I see the tip do the dip dip dip.

I run all my gear super tight, full tight on the clips especially and tight drags. Seems to help set the hook and soon as it's off the clip hes hooked. Helps because I only ever run a single hook regardless if it's a hoochie or bait rig. I just trim up my main line about 15' every few trips and it's good to go.

 

[Aces]

What’s a squib?

https://www.google.com/search?q=squib definition

 

[Karlo]

Sunday on West Coast Haida Gwaii, running anchovies on teaser heads, we missed the first couple of strikes. I started setting the top hook well back in the tail, with the stinger swinging completely free of the anchovy, and every one of our limits of springs and coho was hooked on the stinger alone.

At one point, a stinger broke off in the net when the top hook snagged the mesh, and we rebaited the remaining top hook and sent it back down. The result was 2/3 of an anchovy and a missed fish, which ended that approach.

 

[Sharphooks]

Rod held in the hand with braid mainline cuts to the chase. Even when they just make a passing glance at your terminal gear, you'll know it. I drop the ball then come up on it and that gets the hook where it needs to be....the HP Scotty is a great hook-setter if the hook is sharp and sized right for the bait or gear you're using

 

[RBL]

I would have to be pretty desperate for meat to use the rigger to set the hook. Setting the hook is half the fun for me.