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I have been throwin a shakey head for awhile. I lose alot more fish on those than a texas rig. The shakey head seems to get more bites though, 10-1. I use 8-lb line on a soft rod. Switched to a stronger rod and 10-lb to really stick'em. I usually swing for the fences. Is there a correct way to set the hook with these??

I lose 'em too..like you said they get bit but think S Remover loses fish on the set between the bait holder screw and the hook is the cause..but I use 'em anyway. Sometimes setting right away...other times letting them hold it a bit..using 6 lb braid now.

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PeanutMan

Ok folks , I don't fish the shakey heads or spot removers because most folks fish them on Spinning out fits and I don't fish spinning outfits but my partners all do and they fish both spot removers and shakey heads and they catch a lot of fish on them. After observing them I realized that when they get bit they really don't do a real hard going for the fence hookset. They more or less just raise the rod up fast and begin reeling really fast. They both set the hook very similar and they both reels the same way very fast to get control of the fish. One of the partners is also a F-N-F fisherman and he said that you don't set the hook on the Float-Fly either. You just raise the rod and begin reeing as fst as possible to get the control of the fish. I think quit a few folks do like I do when they set the hook. I want to bury the hook in that tough jaw bone or in the roof of the mouth and disorient the fish and get him statrted at the boat. I just don't think you can do that with the shakey head and spot remover style of fishing because the rig does not give you that kind of strength and they don't have a strong hook in most of them. Now that is my opinion from what I have observed and learned by asking questions from guys that are productive with that bait style of fishing.

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

They that you say that I did pretty good with not setting to hard and taking my time with the fish. But when you go awhile with out a bite its almost a reaction to set the hook and rip the fish in two. Just got to be patient with them I guess.

Yep, if your going to finesse fish you have to finesse fish. Most guys set the hook on a spot remover about like setting it on a drop shot rig. Just lift up and begin reeling cause by the time you actually feel the fish bite it already has the bait in it's mouth and when you pull and reel the fish will finish hooking itself by pulling away from the pressure. That is what I have seen alot of folks do and it seems to work for them.

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

I put a lot of time and effort last year learning to fish the shaky head. My experiece was, when I stopped using spot remover heads I lost more fish. I went back to spot removers and stayed hooked up, but then I began to lose them. I set the hook just like softy describes, but I had gotten away from the swift lifting of the rod and wasn't sticking them well. After figuring out what I wasn't doing I began staying hook up. Usually they are hooked in the roof of the mouth and the barb is all the way through. Quick lift and fast reel. I pretty much stopped losing fish after I figured this out. Hope this helps, because it really helped me.

What size rod do most people use on these. I have been switching back and forth and cant seem to find a good one???

yep, ya gotta have that quick lift of the rod to apply the pressure and get on the reel and let the fish hook itself the rest of the way but you need to be on that reel cause the fish may run right at the boat and you need to keep pressure on it.

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

Shakey Head catches about 90% of my fish in tournaments. I have used alot of the so called best shakey head companies jig heads. The spot remover was what I have used for a while, until a pro come down from Ct. to fish in the Bass Open on Santee. He gave me a few of everything he had including the shakey heads, and this is the only hook I will ever use now. The only problem you will have at first is trying to get the worm on the hitchhiker, but after you rig about 3 you will have it down. This allows for the hook to go through the plastic quick, and not bunch up. I have a deadly little worm to go with it, but I can't tell all secrets lol. I just checked, and they are on sale. No I am not on staff with them, hopefully I will be on it someday. Try it and I promise it will be the only jighead in your box! After you see the price and the sharpest hooks period, you will switch also! Try it, and watch your catch ratio go WAY UP!

I have been experimenting with several different shakey heads and Spot Removers try to develope a rig that will catch fish and be easy to work with. Santee24 has the right idea so far with my testing also. My problem was not being able to find the best heads available for the job. I finally found a Shakey Head style round head and also a Standup spot remover style with 4/0 and 5/0 Black steel round Bend hooks. They are in 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 oz. You have a choice of two different size hitchikers depending on bait size and the weight you plan on using and the best thing is the Hitchiker will not get in the way of the hook sets. I should begin having them in stock by February. Will announce price at that time.
Softy

_________________
Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!