Successful Procedural Change...

[Roccus7]

After losing a large striper at the boat yesterday while I was fishing up against some ocean ledges, I decided to make a technique adjustment and when hooked into a large fish, buy backing off the drag as soon as the initial "temper tantrum" abates, IF drift and water conditions allowed. I probably couldn't have done this yesterday because of the proximity of doom for my boat, and lobster traps to tangle my line.

I got to put this plan in action this AM when a very pissed off fish crashed my lure. After his initial ado, I realized that I was clear of lobster traps, reefs, ledges and was slowly drifting into calm, deep water, so I backed off the drag 1/2 turn. Idea work as I netted a beautiful 30" fish that will be dinner for our visitor tomorrow. When I turned to unhook the fish, he had already done it himself, so backing off the drag could have very well been a good strategic move

It was nice not having to measure 4 times, as all my other keepahs this year have been just 28". The fish was the last for the AM; I had 3 other fish to 26", making her #341 on the season.

Tight lines!!

 

[jpd]

Are you required to use circle hooks up there?

 

[MOJOE]

roccussssssssssss ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ><)))):>
><))):>

 

[Roccus7]

Are you required to use circle hooks up there?

For bait yes, but I rarely use bait...

 

[captmike28]

Good strategy Roccus that obviously wound up being a success.
I usually fish a very light drag while far too many of my customers get very impatient with a good fish on, tighten the drag, and wind up losing them.
Two weeks ago when I nailed that 8.5# Fluke on Lep's boat I was gaining line, sometimes only inches at a time. But I resisted tightening the drag and that resulted in landing that fish after the first netting attempt went afoul and he made another strong run for the bottom.

 

[Roccus7]

Good strategy Roccus that obviously wound up being a success.
I usually fish a very light drag while far too many of my customers get very impatient with a good fish on, tighten the drag, and wind up losing them.
Two weeks ago when I nailed that 8.5# Fluke on Lep's boat I was gaining line, sometimes only inches at a time. But I resisted tightening the drag and that resulted in landing that fish after the first netting attempt went afoul and he made another strong run for the bottom.

Common problem Rookie Mistake. I set my drags light to begin with; the years have taught me that rushing a fish usually ends in heartbreak. I use 30 lb braid, and have maybe 7 lbs of initial drag. The braid strength is not one of choosing for strength, but one of choosing for ability for old, fat fingers being able to tie a knot. 30 lb braid roughly translates to 8 lb Stren mono, my minimum diameter for effective knot tying. My BIL is a freshwater fisherman and he once spooled up with 4 lb braid, talk about fishing with thread!!!

All that being said, I'm using lures with hooks woefully small for larger bass, a choice based on the size of the bait being fed on. The fish are dining on newly-hatched bay anchovies and "brit" herring, which are the size of small peanut bunker. To match the hatch I use 3/4 oz Creek Chub Striker Strike 2500s whose hook size is less than optimal for bass over ~ 23", and often the larger fish will bend the hook gap just by a set over the jaw bone, not from pulling. On the larger fish, one often just gets hooked into the flesh over the jaw bones, the "lips" because of the small hook gap size, so I've never be very aggressive in drag setting, just enough to get a good, solid hook set.

Obviously, the longer the fight with a "lip hook", the high the risk of the hook pulling out. I'm getting comfortable with backing the drag off after I know I've got the fished hooked and I don't have a "navigational" nor natural hazards to deal with for a protracted fight, hazards which include lobster traps, mooring buoys w/wo boats attached, ledges, mussel banks, seals, eagles, or my own anchor...

 

[longcast]

I usually fish with a tight drag to assure a good hook set, especially in the surf. All about feel, I might even strike again to make sure hooks are in. No issue backing down especially if fishing jetties with waves etc. I could probably say the same from the boat.
Capt Mike said it --- patience!

 

[Avenger]

Now you've got me curious, how many of you actually scale your drags?

 

[longcast]

Years and years ago I did and it later became a "feel" especially with braid. For example, I have been in the surf casting darters, big thick 3/0 / 4/0 hooks and changed to a bomber with much thinner and smaller hooks. Tough to bend those darter hooks out, but those bomber hooks just peel right down! So, strike, I want no slippage to bury hooks, but sure do want reduced drag on those bomber hooks during the fight. Not going to use a scale to realign what I did in the driveway if I change lures again! Again, not every fish. Just those bigger ones!