fspotop

I'm kind of a newbie since I haven't been really fishing for about 20 years and this is my first time in a bass area. What's an MH?

Thanks, I'll try heavier line. I did indeed wet the knot. You are right that the line broke, not that the knot came loose. However, the break was exactly where the line went through the eye so I'm hoping the Palomar knot puts less stress on the line at that point.

I was fishing a topwater with 6lb. line the other day when I hooked a bass. He even jumped a couple of times. I reeled him in pretty directly but when he was about 4 feet from the canoe he dove into the weeds. I could still feel movement but pulling him in felt like pulling in a small tree. I tried a steady pull and my line broke, right at the knot. I could still see the end where the line went through the eye. This happened to me about 4 times. Is there a good strategy for getting a fish up once he's down in the weeds? Am I simply using too small a line? I've noticed several posts that mention much larger line when fishing in weeds. I'm using Trilene and a Trilene knot. I'm going to try a palomar knot next time. I catch and release so in addition to the frustration of losing the fish I worry about the poor bass swimming around with a Hula Popper stuck in his mouth. The other fish must point and laugh and give him terrible grief over it. (You know how cruel those Bluegills can be.)