We've all been there. Just about the time you raise your rodtip to the 10 o'clock position, a fish picks up the bait, leaving little room for a solid hookset. Now what?

According to Lake St. Clair bass guide Doug Cummings, a lot depends on the type of bait you're fishing, and whether or not it's moving. If you're pulling an offering like a Yum tube—with a thin wire, exposed hook—continue sweeping the rod, doing whatever it takes to keep the bait moving, even if that means taking a couple quick steps backward.

On the other hand, if the tube is sitting still, or you're fishing a thick Texas-rigged worm or skirted jig—which require more power to penetrate bass lips—drop the tip and crank down, Cummings advises. This lets you rip a sharp, snapping hookset.

Of course, nobody's perfect. Be ready for Plan B. "If I fail to hook up, I drop the bait right back down to the bottom to give the fish another chance to eat it."