are you keeping constant pressure on the fish when winding it in?

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The idea of driftbaiting is to let the fish take the bait in. Many ppl strike too early which can put the hooks on the outside of the mouth & increase the rate of dropped fish "if" hooked

I use a medium set drag, I allow the fish to load up the rod before striking and then strike with a fast pump wind to set the hook & maintain initial pressure whist the fish is trying to shake the hooks. Softer more parobolic rods are better for less hook pull outs and i prefer an overhead (smaller sizes) when driftbaiting & for maintaing bottom touch!

The hooks your using are good, i use suicides also and all the best in the future!

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...an overhead allows you to let the fish run briefly before flicking into gear and setting the hook. Most eggbeaters (apart from the "baitrunner" variety) require the bail to be flipped back over as the line is coming out...and with either reel your line should be allowed to go out as you're drifting in order to keep contact with the bottom.

Also, driftbaiting is generally done with lighter gear, say 15 to 30 lb braid. Gives a more natural presentation, much more comfortable to handle all day than your average 50 lb bottom bashing outfit, and the smaller diameter line means you can use less weight to hold bottom.

My heaviest driftbait setup is a Calcutta 400B with 30 pound braid and the most weight I use is a number 5 bean, which will hold bottom on a moderate drift in 45 metres depth.

Two snelled circles work for me, I dont strike rather lift when the rod loads they struggle to shake circles.   

Just one more cast

I was out last night drift baiting, using a similar technique described by Ryan, with much success,

Managed about a dozen pinkys, about a dozen 5-8kg sambos, many skippy, a big 50cm tailor and pike as well.

Worked a treat!!

Oh and many many sharks!

Driftbaiting has definately surplanted my need for paternostering (which itself is somewhat surplanted by jigging :p). As Ryan has said, you get bigger fish, more fish, and less crap fish. Using light gear, and having a direct connection make for a more fun fight (and the angle means quite often the fish run across the reef, not into it). My PB pinkie and dhuie have both come on driftbaited mulies. Using a baitcaster with a thumbar definately helps with feeding the line out. Nice light combo you can hold all day. The overhead saltiga would probably be more suited to feeding line out (less fun though :p)

Running fairly similar to you Hayzy (two snelled owner 6/0's and either whole squid or mulie).

Giving a few tugs once the fish is on to pull the hooks in tight as Ryan suggested will probably help drop less fish. The softer rod will also keep the pressure on when using braid.

One plus with circles is that you can leave the reel in freespool, feel the bite, let the fish pull some line feathering it out, then apply gradually increasing thumbpressure to set the circles. Then lock into gear.

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Thanks guys, some great tips.  Hopefully heading out on the weekend so will give it a shot again.

Cheers

Hayzy