Bob La Londe wrote:
"Chris Rennert" wrote in message
. ..

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


Well, for me personally anything over 4 pounds is big. My personal best
tournament bag was several fish over 4 pounds and a couple twos. 5s and
sixes are fairly common with usually a couple in that range weighed in every
tournament. Occasional 7s and moderately rare 8s with the rare 9+ coming in
a few times a year. There is definitely the chance of a 10+. I have seen a
few in the water, and seen a couple caught and weighed in.

I have tied into a couple in that larger class, but failed each time to put
them in the boat. About half from over horsing them, and half from getting
into or around cover. The half I lost from over horsing were to keep them
out of trees or other heavy cover.

I did managed to work a smaller fish out of a big pile of brush this last
weekend, but I lost a bigger fish on topwater when she headed back in the
tulies I had just pulled her out of. Medium light rod with 10lb mono, and
letting the rod take the abuse. I was trying to slowly sweep her to one
side so she would just miss the stand of tulies she was trying to go around,
when she pulled loose. In open water I would have just chased her with the
boat like I do with crankbait fish.

With single poles or a tree trunk I let them go ahead and go behind it if I
don't think I can hold them, and I never pull them up against it. (if I
remember) then I reposition the boat so I can try and work them off of it.
In brush or heavy weeds like pencil tulies, woody brush and trees, or thick
cat tails its tough. I don't break off many at all anymore, but they still
come loose sometimes when trying to keep them out of the trash.

Basically I figure if I can learn to put three out of four of my unbuttons
in the boat I can become a decent angler atleast on my home water. I have
improved some, but I just don't get the practice on the bigger fish often
enough to get really good at it.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com


Bob it sounds more to me that your are just losing out to circumstance.

You can only do so much, especially around heavy cover. You hook them,
get them up out of the cover, and then play them from there, but if they
come unbuttoned in the cover, there is not a whole lot you can do.
Especially big fish, they seem to dive right back into the thickest
stuff if you don't get them up and out right away. It just happens I
guess, and no matter how much practice you have there are still so many
variables that you cannot even control. Earlier this year, I pitched
into a thick mat of dead weeds and hooked a fish about 3lbs, and pulled
it right on top of the mat and as it laid there flopping on the mat my
jig pulled free and he slipped back in. It made me sick, and I bitched
(by myself) all the way down the next 10 yards pitching into similar
mats, then I hooked and pulled a 6lb fish out of the stuff and landed it
easily. So who knows. I believe even with repitition you are still
going to lose fish. It sounds like you are doing everything you can. I
just always match my tackle to the cover I am working, if I am pitching
into thick mats, or thick wood I will use a MH or H rod, and 50lb power
pro (or any braid), and just switch accordingly. Sharp hooks, make sure
you line isn't nicked, and your drag isn't too loose.

I can't remember who it was, but in B.A.S.S a few years ago, this
gentleman I believe was fishing pre-spawn fish in thick trees with 6lb
test and 4" worms. He would pitch the worm into the trees, and when the
fish grabbed it, he wouldn't set the hook, but just let the fish swim
out from the tree into open water, and then set the hook and fight it
there. I believe he won! Who knows.....I believe it takes all the
confidence in yourself, and confidence in your equipment and your
skills, and the rest just falls into place.

Chris