I set the hook hard when pitching and flipping. Usually pull the fish out of the water when flipping. If I get a fish that picks the bait up and runs with it I reel the down so the rod tip is about at knee level and hit them. I think you need to do this fast with a runner, the fish I have waited on when they run I generally miss. I think with runners it is a territorial bite, they inhale the bait and try to move it from their area. If you wait they are spitting it out. When I feel a fish tap the bait or I feel it on there when picking the bait up I give them a little time. I think they are mouthing the bait then and take longer to eat it. On these fish I reel the slack down to about knee level again and then pick up with the rod, if they are still there I set it hard. I like to set it hard for two reasons, one to get the hook through the plastic and deep into the fish, second I always pitch and flip in heavy cover and when I hit them I want to bring them up and out of whatever trash they are in. I always set it hard and straight up and catch probably 75% of the bites. The most misses come when I wait on a runner and when I hit a tap tap quick.