How Do You Fight & Land a Fish?

After the spawn post, I have to ask:
How Do You Fight & Land a Fish (Bass in particular)?

For me it depends. If I am light lining it for deeper water smallies, I
will set the hook, drop my rod almost level to the water and smoke the reel
to get her in as fast as a can. Most of the time I get lucky and they come
straight in. But if they don't, I back reel them and then try again.
Usually, I can get them in on my first or second effort.

If I am heavy lining it, that bass is in the boat before they can even
realized they have been hooked. I'm serious. I set the hook and start to
power reeling immediately. If it tries to jump, the split second it breaks
the water I twist my body sideways (like setting the hook on a Carolina rig)
and keep burning the reel. Because once she is on top of the water, she
can't dig in, so she can't stop me and she basically skis to the boat.

If you try this, two things. You better be confident in your knot tying
capabilities and second, be a line checker. Because you are going to be
testing the tensile strength of the line and your knot (as well as the
strength of the hook too), and if you have a nick in the line, you may loose
your fish. Trust me, I have loss them to nicks, bad knots, and bent or
broken hooks. At least I'm not breaking rods on hookset anymore, but that
is another story.

Look forward to your replies.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

"Craig" wrote in message
news
After the spawn post, I have to ask:
How Do You Fight & Land a Fish (Bass in particular)?
snip
Look forward to your replies.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

Several factors come in to play when it comes to how quickly or slowly I
(attempt to) land a fish. Some of those factors include, but are not limited
to: type of fishing (casual, tournament or pre-fishing), tackle I am using,
and available nasty cover (or lack there of).

In a tournament situation, my emphasis is on getting the fish to the boat as
quickly as possible. If the tackle I am using is stout enough from the line
and hooks to the rod, I will attempt to get its head up, "skate" the fish to
the boat and swing it in. However, if light lining in a tournament (drop
shot / finesse) I will play give and take with the fish until I have it
under control enough to get it in the net at boat side. If I notice a fish
is lightly hooked or hooked in a bad spot with a notoriously throwable bait
(like a spinnerbait or topwater) I will attempt to control the fish with it'
s head down and net it as quickly as possible.

When I am pre-fishing for a tournament I tend to give the fish every chance
to just let go of the bait. I may stick one here and there, but I really
just want to get a look at it before it swims away. At times, I am satisfied
with a follow-up. This lets me know that they are there and that they have
an eye on what I am tossing.

When I am fun fishing, all of that tournament mumbo jumbo goes out the
window unless I am fishing thick nasties. In the nasties, I still want that
fish out of there as quickly as possible. Most other times I will play a
fish to the boat or the bank, unhook it as quickly as possible and send it
on its merry way. I never play it to the point of exhaustion, but I do take
the time to enjoy the fight. I usually will not net a fun fishing fish
unless it is closing in on a 4 to 5 pound class of fish or better. Photo
opportunities with that size of bass are rare for me. And yes, Craig, I know
I need to get out to St. Claire or Erie to drag some tubes to solve that
problem for me... ;-)

Take what you will from the above, but remember that I am on of the rookies
here.


--
Harry J. aka Thundercat
Bass fishing is NOT a hobby...
It is an ADDICTION!
Brooklyn Bill's Specialty Tackle Fishing Team
http://geocities.com/brooklynbill2003/

I have lost too many bass that managed to get back in the weeds or wood
pile, so I reckon I'm not quite as quick on the draw as I should be. But
I prefer light tackle, and get a thrill out of catching fish that
outweigh my line strength, so I accept a few disapointments. But your
way is exactly how to fish for "money" g.
JK

Hey John, your son - and I am assuming he is a junior, and Mike Long are
real powerhouses on the West Coast. I fly out to Redding usually once a
year for a day or two. Next time I have to go, I'll drop you a line and you
and I can challenge the West Coast Power Team, winners gets treated to a
steak dinner type of thing.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

I'm kind of the opposite, probably because I've lost good fish by horsing
them too many times.

Once my fish is clear of any cover, I ease up to a minimum amount of
pressure & just slowly work it to the boat. If it runs I ease up & go with
it, and I often loosen my drag a bit lighter than my hookset setting. Bass
tire quickly after their intial runs, plus I enjoy the fight (unless dollars
are on the line).

One thing we both do is keep it on top of the water if it's kind enough to
let me get it there.

In fighting a fish the single most important thing is keeping the line
tight. Just keep it tight & the fish buttoned. The more strain on the line
the more strain on the hook & fish's tissue. It's a patience approach I
guess.

Warren
--
http://www.fishingworld.com/MesaTackleSupply/
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com http://www.secretweaponlures.com
http://warrenwolk.com/ http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com/

"Craig" wrote in message
news
After the spawn post, I have to ask:
How Do You Fight & Land a Fish (Bass in particular)?

For me it depends. If I am light lining it for deeper water smallies, I
will set the hook, drop my rod almost level to the water and smoke the
reel
to get her in as fast as a can. Most of the time I get lucky and they
come
straight in. But if they don't, I back reel them and then try again.
Usually, I can get them in on my first or second effort.

If I am heavy lining it, that bass is in the boat before they can even
realized they have been hooked. I'm serious. I set the hook and start to
power reeling immediately. If it tries to jump, the split second it
breaks
the water I twist my body sideways (like setting the hook on a Carolina
rig)
and keep burning the reel. Because once she is on top of the water, she
can't dig in, so she can't stop me and she basically skis to the boat.

If you try this, two things. You better be confident in your knot tying
capabilities and second, be a line checker. Because you are going to be
testing the tensile strength of the line and your knot (as well as the
strength of the hook too), and if you have a nick in the line, you may
loose
your fish. Trust me, I have loss them to nicks, bad knots, and bent or
broken hooks. At least I'm not breaking rods on hookset anymore, but that
is another story.

Look forward to your replies.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

How Do You Fight & Land a Fish?

Group: rec.outdoors.fishing.bass Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2003, 2:55am (CDT+5)
From: (Craig)
Hey John, your son - and I am assuming he is a junior, and Mike Long are
real powerhouses on the West Coast. I fly out to Redding usually once a
year for a day or two. Next time I have to go, I'll drop you a line and
you and I can challenge the West Coast Power Team, winners gets treated
to a steak dinner type of thing.
--
You got a deal....but hope you are a lot better than me if we plan on
"eatin free" g! John started whipping my butt when he was 12 , and
Mike is a hellofa nice guy, but don't know how much slack he would cut
us if there was a steak on the table.
JK

Warren, that slow steady was the approached I used for a long time,
primarily to prevent the bass from jumping. Then once I learned how to ski
them to the boat, I started my muscling technique, primarily to get them to
jump.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

Thundercat wrote:
Take what you will from the above, but remember that I am on of the rookies
here.

Oddly enough, as I was reading Harry's treastise, my thoughts were about his
rookiness. He's just rounding into the home stretch of his 2nd year of
serious bass fishing, and he's already got a better handle on this sport than
most guys I know who have been at it a whole lot longer.


RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

Do you ski big bass?

--
http://www.fishingworld.com/MesaTackleSupply/
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com http://www.secretweaponlures.com
http://warrenwolk.com/ http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com/

"Craig" wrote in message
m...
Warren, that slow steady was the approached I used for a long time,
primarily to prevent the bass from jumping. Then once I learned how to
ski
them to the boat, I started my muscling technique, primarily to get them
to
jump.

--
Craig Baugher
Living in The United States, and Loving It!
Practicing My Freedom of Speech, and Enjoying It!
Knowing how to Thank those that paid for it, by Honoring It!
God Bless America, and Those That Serve It!

Go-bassn wrote:
Do you ski big bass?

I do when it's appropriate -- in the pads and nut. (ask Harry)

Other than that, no. I'd rather enjoy the fight.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing