diff --git a/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb b/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
index 454be91b8..0f7185acb 100644
--- a/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
+++ b/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
@@ -60,22 +60,20 @@
     "        Whether to flip the axis left to right or up and down respectively\n",
     "    grid (default=False): boolean\n",
     "        Whether to show a grid\n",
-    "    hover : boolean\n",
+    "    hover: boolean or Literal[\"vline\", \"hline\"]\n",
     "        Whether to show hover tooltips, default is True unless datashade is\n",
-    "        True in which case hover is False by default\n",
+    "        True in which case hover is False by default. Can also set\n",
+    "        `vline` for hitbox across a vertical line or `hline` for hitbox across a horizontal line.\n",
     "    hover_cols (default=[]): list or str\n",
     "        Additional columns to add to the hover tool or 'all' which will\n",
     "        includes all columns (including indexes if use_index is True).\n",
+    "    hover_formatters:\n",
+    "        A dict of formatting options for the hover tooltip.\n",
     "    hover_tooltips list[str] or list[tuple]:\n",
     "        A list of dimensions to be displayed in the hover tooltip. See\n",
     "        [HoloViews docs](https://holoviews.org/user_guide/Plotting_with_Bokeh.html#hover-tools)\n",
     "        or [Bokeh docs](https://docs.bokeh.org/en/latest/docs/user_guide/interaction/tools.html#hovertool)\n",
     "        for more info on structuring.\n",
-    "    hover_formatters:\n",
-    "        A dict of formatting options for the hover tooltip.\n",
-    "    hover_mode (default='mouse'):\n",
-    "        The hover mode determines how the hover tool is activated;\n",
-    "        select from 'mouse', 'vline', or 'hline'.\n",
     "    invert (default=False): boolean\n",
     "        Swaps x- and y-axis\n",
     "    frame_width/frame_height: int\n",
diff --git a/hvplot/converter.py b/hvplot/converter.py
index 57baa2f04..7f9a01f57 100644
--- a/hvplot/converter.py
+++ b/hvplot/converter.py
@@ -148,12 +148,10 @@ class HoloViewsConverter:
     hover_cols (default=[]): list or str
         Additional columns to add to the hover tool or 'all' which will
         includes all columns (including indexes if use_index is True).
-    hover_tooltips list[str] or list[tuple]:
-        A list of dimensions to be displayed in the hover tooltip.
     hover_formatters:
         A dict of formatting options for the hover tooltip.
-    hover_mode (default='mouse'):
-        The hover mode determines how the hover tool is activated.
+    hover_tooltips list[str] or list[tuple]:
+        A list of dimensions to be displayed in the hover tooltip.
     invert (default=False): boolean
         Swaps x- and y-axis
     frame_width/frame_height: int
@@ -562,9 +560,9 @@ def __init__(
         logy=None,
         loglog=None,
         hover=None,
-        hover_tooltips=None,
+        hover_cols=[],
         hover_formatters=None,
-        hover_mode=None,
+        hover_tooltips=None,
         subplots=False,
         label=None,
         invert=False,
@@ -587,7 +585,6 @@ def __init__(
         flip_xaxis=None,
         flip_yaxis=None,
         dynspread=False,
-        hover_cols=[],
         x_sampling=None,
         y_sampling=None,
         project=False,
@@ -837,17 +834,15 @@ def __init__(
         if hover and not any(
             t for t in tools if isinstance(t, HoverTool) or t in ['hover', 'vline', 'hline']
         ):
-            if hover in ['vline', 'hline']:
-                tools.append(hover)
-            else:
-                tools.append('hover')
+            if hover in {'vline', 'hline'}:
+                plot_opts['hover_mode'] = hover
+            tools.append('hover')
+        if 'hover' in tools:
+            if hover_tooltips:
+                plot_opts['hover_tooltips'] = hover_tooltips
+            if hover_formatters:
+                plot_opts['hover_formatters'] = hover_formatters
         plot_opts['tools'] = tools
-        if hover_tooltips:
-            plot_opts['hover_tooltips'] = hover_tooltips
-        if hover_formatters:
-            plot_opts['hover_formatters'] = hover_formatters
-        if hover_mode:
-            plot_opts['hover_mode'] = hover_mode
 
         if self.crs and global_extent:
             plot_opts['global_extent'] = global_extent
diff --git a/hvplot/tests/testcharts.py b/hvplot/tests/testcharts.py
index 37006dfc4..0067d6444 100644
--- a/hvplot/tests/testcharts.py
+++ b/hvplot/tests/testcharts.py
@@ -469,6 +469,31 @@ def test_errorbars_no_hover(self):
         bkplot = Store.renderers['bokeh'].get_plot(plot)
         assert not bkplot.tools
 
+    @parameterized.expand(['vline', 'hline'])
+    def test_hover_line(self, hover_mode):
+        plot = self.df.hvplot('x', 'y', hover=hover_mode)
+        opts = Store.lookup_options('bokeh', plot, 'plot')
+        self.assertEqual(opts.kwargs['hover_mode'], hover_mode)
+
+    def test_hover_tooltips(self):
+        plot = self.df.hvplot('x', 'y', hover_tooltips=['x'])
+        opts = Store.lookup_options('bokeh', plot, 'plot')
+        self.assertEqual(opts.kwargs['hover_tooltips'], ['x'])
+
+    def test_hover_formatter(self):
+        plot = self.df.hvplot('x', 'y', hover_formatters={'x': 'datetime'})
+        opts = Store.lookup_options('bokeh', plot, 'plot')
+        self.assertEqual(opts.kwargs['hover_formatters'], {'x': 'datetime'})
+
+    def test_hover_disabled(self):
+        plot = self.df.hvplot(
+            'x', 'y', hover_tooltips=['x'], hover_formatters={'x': 'datetime'}, hover=False
+        )
+        opts = Store.lookup_options('bokeh', plot, 'plot')
+        self.assertEqual(opts.kwargs['tools'], [])
+        assert 'hover_formatters' not in opts.kwargs
+        assert 'hover_tooltips' not in opts.kwargs
+
     def test_labels_format(self):
         plot = self.df.hvplot('x', 'y', text='({x}, {y})', kind='labels')
         assert list(plot.dimensions()) == [Dimension('x'), Dimension('y'), Dimension('label')]