How to Hook a Fish When It Bites in 5 Steps

Going fishing this weekend and wondering how to hook a fish when it bites? Look no further.

After feeling that little nibble on the end of your line you may think that your job is done.

But the thing is that the fish isn’t caught yet. In order to make a successful catch, you need to know exactly when your fish nibbles the line and how to securely reel it out of the water.

Here’s a simple guide to help you ensure that you manage to land the fish that bites. Let’s go check it out!

How to Hook a Fish Every Time

When going fishing, knowing how to hook a fish when it bites is one of the most important skills to have at hand.

There are certain steps from choosing the right lure to detecting a fish bite that can help make the process of hooking the perfect catch smoother and more efficient for you. 

1. Choose the Right Lure

There are different types of lures available in the market. 

Floating Lures

These can help you detect fishing bites easier than other kinds. Floating lures are also known as top-water lures and due to their vibrant colors are readily visible to you.

Their bright colors also help attract fish towards them. However, due to their lightweight nature, they can’t sink deeper in the water, thus are more difficult to cast over larger distances. 

Suspending Lures

A suspending lure looks like an easy meal for predatory fish, using crankbaits and jerk baits to fool fish into eating them. 

Moreover, by reeling in these subsurface lures you can attract larger fish in the water body as the weight combined with the constant movement makes the sounds and movements resembling injured baitfish, attracting the predatory fish around. 

Sinking Lures

As its name suggests, this lure stays at a lower level in the water body and is great for catching larger freshwater fish such as paddlefish. This lure is also known as a ‘jig’.

Choosing and using a good lure helps ensure how to hook a fish every time.

2. Detect the Fish Bite

Detecting a fish bite requires a measure of skill and some practice, which often makes it hard for beginners to discern when a fish has bitten onto a fishing line.

There are several different factors that you should consider in order to help you determine if there’s a fish at the end of your line or not.

Check the Weather Conditions

Windy weather during a fishing expedition can cause a lot of slack on the line, which makes it harder to discern a fish bite.

Similarly, strong currents and high tides also play a role by pushing your tackle far and making it harder for you to judge a fish bite.

Thus, it’s always a good idea to fish when the water is calm, and when there’s little wind.

Consider the Fish Type

Fishes have different bite styles depending on their size and shape. Some fish also bite more aggressively than others.

Large fish like carp cause ripples on the water surface when they bite, making them easier to detect.

However, smaller fish such as sole and even bass are less noticeable and can be caught only by very vigilant fishermen.

Light Conditions

While fishing in times of low light such as nightfall, dawn, and dusk, it gets harder to determine the water movement when a fish bites the line.

Fishing in broad daylight or under a strong floodlight makes it easier to detect fish bites. Be sure to remember to reel in the slack on your line in order to help you detect a fish bite better.

3. Wait for the Tug on Your Line

Make sure you’re not too hasty while pulling up the line. Give the fish enough time to get a good bite from the bait and give it the opportunity to swim away.

When it does so, you’ll feel a tug on the line, and that is when you should pull the line upwards.

4. Set Up the Hook

In order to make a successful catch, you need to know how to hook a fish when it bites.

After feeling the tug of a retreating fish, you need to snap up the rod in order to set the hook in the mouth of the fish. Be careful that you don’t use too much force as it might tear the mouth of the caught fish. 

While setting the hook, ensure that you get it in the mouth of the fish within a few tries. Too many tries would increase the chances of you accidentally setting the fish free.

5. Reel in the Fish

Once the hook is securely in place, you can simply start reeling your fish. Avoid jerking your fishing pole and try your best to make your movements smooth and swift.

Reeling in your fish at a fast speed will ensure that you are able to actually catch it, and would lower the chances of it being set free accidentally.

For reeling in the fish with more ease, it’s a good idea to tire your fish by holding up your fishing pole.

Keeping the rod at a 45-degree angle with the tip pointing upwards avoids causing unnecessary drag to the line. Remember to keep the line tight so that the fish doesn’t get a chance to escape and get some fish hook removers so you can remove the hook from the fish mouth after. 

Set hook fishing thus doesn’t have to be so hard.

Conclusion

Making a great catch depends largely on knowing exactly how to hook a fish when it bites. It’s a great help when you understand the factors that can influence your likelihood of hooking a fish.

Being able to hook a fish in the correct manner can help you fish with more ease and convenience! So, that’s how you do it. Hope our guide with help you a lot.