# Missing runs on my newest surf setup.



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

I recently have been using my new to me Penn Mag 980 on an 11ft Penn Prevail surf rod. The rod is Med-Heavy power with a med-fast action, 15-30lb line rating with a lure rating of 2-6oz.

I use the same two hook rig on this set up as all of my other setups. It could be just dumb luck but Im hooking up at best around 40% of the runs I am getting. My other setups probably have an 80%+ hook up rate at the very least.

I fish the reel in free spool with the clicker on.

My rigs are made out of 20lb fluro and size 1 light wire mutu offset circles. Again it could be just dumb luck but in all honesty Ive never missed so many fish surf fishing as I have with this set up.

Any input from you surf pros?


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## Hopin4aboat (Jul 5, 2009)

Sounds to me like the clicker doesn't have enough pressure to turn the circle hook into the corner of the mouth and when you enguage the drag it pulls out. I would enguage the reel and loosen the drag a little and see if that helps or switch to kahl hooks.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Perhaps but the clicker is pretty stout. Going by feel its very close to what I set my drags at on my spinners. I did attempt to keep the reel in gear and go with a lighter drag with the same results. 

Also, the fish are gone by the time I get to the reel usually.


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## N784a (Mar 22, 2013)

Atleast yur getting sum action....last time I went out the only thing I caught was a sunset....


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## Linkovich (Oct 24, 2007)

Hopin4aboat said:


> Sounds to me like the clicker doesn't have enough pressure to turn the circle hook into the corner of the mouth and when you enguage the drag it pulls out. I would enguage the reel and loosen the drag a little and see if that helps or switch to kahl hooks.


That's sounds like to me too.

I keep my drag relatively tight and use spider weights which bury up in the sand and hold very tight. I vary rarely miss any hook set using a 2 hook rig with the same hooks you are using. I think the tight drag and weight really help the hook set.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

Linkovich said:


> That's sounds like to me too.
> 
> I keep my drag relatively tight and use spider weights which bury up in the sand and hold very tight. I vary rarely miss any hook set using a 2 hook rig with the same hooks you are using. I think the tight drag and weight really help the hook set.


I 2nd this, especially with mono and the longer casts you should be getting with that set up


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Missing Fish*



jcallaham said:


> I 2nd this, especially with mono and the longer casts you should be getting with that set up


I agree! The fish must have something to pull against to make the circle hook work! 

Long casts? What's that? 

This applies when I fish with bait! Jigs Rule! :thumbup:C2


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Im thinking the opposite actually given how tight the reel is with the clicker engaged. Also the rod doesnt give AT ALL. I will take yalls advice though and try it in gear and loosen the drag some.

The runs are short, like a second or two and then nothing, not long pulls that I loose when I start reeling them in. The fish are gone before I even get to the rod.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Hooking Fish*

Just a thought; but what size hooks are you using?

Also: What kind of bait and how are you hooking it?

If a fish doesn't have enough bite; it can do a lot of pulling without being hooked.

Little things; I'm sure, but they often mean fish or no fish. :whistling: JMHO C2


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Im using size 1 light wire mutus. Same hooks that Ive been using the last couple of years with great success. Its been too cold for me to rake fleas so Im just using fresh dead shrimp. I hook them the same as I do on all of my other rigs.

Again it can be just plain dumb luck as Ive only used this set up about a half dozen times but in that limited amount of use there has been a very noticeable smaller hook up ratio. I guess I will just have to use it more but if the weather ever decides to warm up and the wind stop blowing its time I will be spending more time on my little plastic boat then on the beach!

I have noticed that instead of the rod bending and the drag pulling, when a fish hits it the rod just "pops" and bounces around in the sand spike, then there is maybe a second or two of the clicker going off then nothing!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I always pomp fish with the reel in gear. I use a fairly light drag but its definitely there. Circles need sufficient pressure to set and by the time he pulls out the slack the hook should meet the corner of the jaw and his momentum will bury it. If the drag is not engaged, the hook comes tight but doesn't set. A slight head shake and dinner swims away free


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

JD this is an interesting subject. I use expensive rods that are fairly stiff,mainly because I just enjoy long distance casting almost as much as catching fish. what's intriging to me is that you notice less hookups or missed fish on a setup similar to what I use. I spend a considerable amount of time fishing for pomps,and catch very few. There are probably lot of little things to expain why I don't catch more, like casting to far,poor presentation,wrong bait,or just wrong place, wrong time.

I think if you found the answer you are looking for it would help me too.
What kind of setup do use other than the new one?


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