ESPN

For those of us who grew up fishing both saltwater and freshwater environments, using the reel to set the hook has been ingrained in our mechanics. Fast moving and sometimes hard-mouthed saltwater species demand more than simply rearing back with a stout rod. Some bass fishermen might have missed that valuable lesson.

The problem for most bass fishermen most likely began with the Texas rigged plastic worm, a bait with the hook embedded in plastic and one that requires a sharp, forceful hook set. Reeling down and "slamming the hook home" became the mantra for bass purists.

However, with faster moving lures, especially hard baits featuring smaller treble hooks, an angler doesn't have the luxury of waiting for a bass to completely engulf the lure. Nor does he have an exact idea of how the fish attacked the bait. How many hooks are actually in the fish? Has the bass clamped down on the bait forcefully enough and in a manner that has prevented any hook from reaching its goal?

By reeling first and swinging the rod later, you can increase your percentages of solid hookups with constant and unrelenting pressure on the line. Not only does this help solve the problem of catching up to a bass that's coming toward you, but also it eliminates the prospects of exerting abrupt pressure that can tear small treble hooks loose. Moreover, the pressure applied from a reel set will eventually force a fish to resist by turning away and, in doing so, drive the barbs even deeper.

Setting hooks with the reel is not something that comes naturally to most anglers. It requires a high level of concentration in the learning phase to resist the old habits of swinging first. Although this method is normally applied to those baits with treble hooks, even swimming a jig demands this same response.

In these circumstances, the reel is for setting and the rod is for fighting.

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