Bob La Londe wrote:
I was wondering about ways to practice landing bigger bass. Its not always
possible to go out and find big fish to practice on. Would it be worth it
from a tournament anglers perspective to take trip to some place like El
Salto to get the practice fighting and landing big fish so that when they do
hook into one in a tournament there hands would have the skills to put the
fish in the boat.

I know I have lost several bigger fish in the last year in tournaments.
Fish that would definitely made a difference in my final standings.

I posted this idea last night on my forums, and one suggestions was to
practice on carp. That isn't a bad idea, but carp definitely fight
differently than bass.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com


Bob,

I guess it depends on what you mean by big. Up here 5lbs is big, down
by you 10lbs is probably big, with a shot at a 12 or 13lb fish. Maybe I
take it for granted, but I have caught and landed so many steelhead and
salmon on 4lb test, that when I hook a 4lb smallie or largemouth on 8lb
test it isn't a big deal. Usually when I am using that light of line, I
use backreel through the whole fight. Smallies get close to the
scorching runs of a steelhead, but they do not compare. I wish I could
give you some insight into landing a 10lb + fish (Bass), but I wouldn't
know where to begin. Maybe drop your tackle a bit, and let the 3 to 5lb
fish kick your butt around.

Great question, I can only imagine instincts kick in when you hook a
fish that is big enough to make you change your landing strategy?

Chris