Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass How to catch My Florida lmb on live bait

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Consider using an octopus offset circle hook if you're free-lining live bait for bass. This hook was designed to minimize gut hooking the fish as it rolls in the mouth and typically catches in the mouth. You don't have to set the hook per say, you can simply tighten the drag and walk away from the pond or move the rod away from direction of the line if on a boat.

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For a natural presentation hook the bait fish through the upper mouth or in one nostril and out the other nostril. For a distressed presentation hook just in front of the dorsal fin.

If you're using a different type of hook and actively fishing (holding the rod versus setting the line out and free-lining and setting the rod down) consider pausing before setting the hook especially if you've hooked the bait fish through the mouth or nostrils. In our pond that is gin clear I have watched bass hit bait fish sideways and continue to swim forward so if you set the hook immediately you essentially rip the hook from the mouth or nostril of the bait fish and miss the bass because it held the bait fish sideways in its mouth. Like the letter 'T'. If you pause and wait two seconds that usually is when the bass stops forward motion, spits the bait fish out and immediately inhales it back into its mouth head first.