Choosing an Automatic Fish Hook Setting Device for Ice Fishing
Are you Tired of Missing that Great Bite?
We’ve all been there, out on the ice freezing cold waiting hours without even a bite. Then all of a sudden your rod starts bobbing but you arn’t really paying attention. By the time you scramble over to the hole the fish is gone. This is why every ice angler should have an automatic hook setting device in their arsenal.
There are several commercially available devices that will set a hook. I’m going to provide reviews on some of the more popular and effective ones.
Jaw Jacker
This is one of the more common automatic hook setters that I see when I’m out on the ice.
- Fine tune line holder depending on species ( panfish to big pike)
- Multiple settings to accommodate various Rod lengths
- Adjustable to increase or decrease tension
- Spikes on the arms to prevent losing your rig down the hole
- Lightweight design ( just over 1 kg / 2 lbs)
- Easily remove rod after hook set for playing the fish
- Good reviews
- Collapsible compact design for easy storage and transport
- Comes with rod loop to save wear on your rod’s eyelets
One potential drawback to a Jaw Jacker is it doesn’t have a strike indicator flag like tip ups. That being said, they do make a very audible snap sound when they trigger.
That being said the reviews across multiple sites are very good including on the ice fishing forums. The Jaw Jacker seems to be the clear winner in the automatic fish hook setting device category. I know it’s on my Christmas list, way cheaper than the ice fishing tent and heater that I asked for last year. You can get the Jaw Jacker on amazon .
This is a great video highlighting the pros and cons of the jaw jacker Vs. Automatic fisherman.
Easy Set Hooksetter & Rod Holder
- Made in Canada , Eh
- This hooksetter also features a sensitivity adjustment.
- Lower price point than other devices
- A pair of arms for stability although it lacks the spikes the Jaw Jacker has
- Quick and easy Rod removal to facilitate Landing your fish
The Easy Set Hooksetter is a pretty basic model but, is a good option if you are on a budget for your ice fishing gear. Find it on Amazon.
Brocraft ice fishing Tip-Up
Even though this is labelled an ice fishing tip up it is basically a hook setter. It does however incorporate a flag like a tip up gets. So you have a rod holder combination with a hook setter and this unit. A trick I like to use with flag tip ups is adding a bell to the flag so you also have an audio indicator as well as a visual one.
- Built in signal flag
- Easy to remove your rod
- Wide base for stability
- Ok reviews
The Brocraft hook setter has okay reviews again, not quite as good as the Jaw Jacker. This is another lower priced option being about half the price. One of the things people like is the ability with this tip up to use your own rod for fighting the fish. There are a few complaints with the product, one of them being the flag can freeze to the ice if it gets wet, beware of this . Check out the reviews and pricing on amazon.
Automatic Fisherman
- Uses your rod unlike the built-in tip ups
- Legs for stability
- Good reviews
- Well-built product with a long product history
Like the Jaw Jacker the Automatic Fisherman does not have a flag indicator. It does however make a snapping sound when a fish is hooked . One thing I think this product could use is an eyelet loop like the Jaw Jacker has. This product has a little metal clip that slides in the eyelets which can cause wear on your rod over time. Get it from Amazon.
Automatic Hook Setters Better for Catch and Release ?
These automatic fish hook setters are very sensitive. Which is a large part of their advantage . Because they are so sensitive when you get a fish bite your bait and, the device triggers in all likelihood you will have a lip hook.
This is much easier to remove the hook but the main advantages for catch and release fisheries is the fish mortality is very low. With conventional ice fishing rarely do you set the hook right away which gives a lot more possibility of the fish ingesting your bait. Therefore causing a fatal gut hook. Obviously this can be a great advantage if you are fishing an area that also has species at risk.
Keep the Hole Ice Free
With this type of ice fishing you are going to want to skim the crust of ice regularly. Letting the ice buildup in the hole will decrease sensitivity for all of these automatic fish hook setters. One way to prevent your hole from freezing is to use a foam tile with a slit cut in it for your fishing line. This will prevent the windchill from freezing your hole as fast .
Are Automatic Hook Setters Legal in my State or Province ?
You always need to check with your local state or province is regulations. Not all jurisdictions will allow you to use an automatic fish hook setter.
A Word of Caution High Tention
All of these automatic hook setters use high tension in order to set the hook on a spring-loaded effect. For this reason care must be taken when you are setting up your rod that you don’t get hit in the face with a rod.
A Final Word
Most of these fish hooking devices have a few adjustments you can make. Obviously you’re going to want to adjust the tension depending on the species you are fishing for. Whether it be small pan fish or giant northern pike you need to calibrate your gear for this. If you are using live bait you will also need to account for this. If you want more info on starting to ice fish read my beginner article.
If you found this helpful you can check out my other posts on fishing gear. Thanks for reading.