>>1856817You possibly might wanna do some reason for what bait to use in the water you fish, sounds like you're using bait they will bite problem is you might wanna switch to a circle hook if you're not gonna stand or sit there and hold your pole.
A J Hook you need to set the hook a circle hook is supposed to snag the fish in the side of the mouth when the fish swims off with the bait.
I'd recommend you do this...
Find some fishing line that matches the color of the water you fish in and use that has a leader.
Get roughly 1-2 feet of that line and tie it using a swivel if you're gonna use a sinker then put the sinker on the main line first before your tie the main line to the swivel.
Here's an example:
Say the line on your reel is braid right?
You'd put your sinker on the braid line then using a Palomar knot tie to the swivel and then tie your leader to the other end of the swivel then tie your hook to the leader.
That's pretty much how I fish rivers.
Sinker on the Braid, Tie Swivel to Braid using a Palomar knot then tie leader to swivel then tie hook to leader.