How Can I Not Lose Fish?

[Luke1115]

So, today I was fishing Lake Saint Clair, Michigan. I caught a dinker and some little perch. Now, one time I reeled in my line and a small perch got eaten by a huge largemouth! Easily my PB! It didn't fight, but I did not have a net (my friend forgot to bring one). I went to lift it out of the water and onto the pier and the bass fell off. I partially feel this is because the perch wasn't hooked that well so the bass was hooked twice as poor. So, I wouldn't blame that entirely on me. A short while after, I was fishing mystery fish with my  spinner bait. SOme massive fish swallowed it (we think it was a huge sheephead of smallmouth). It started to go under the dock, and by the time I was able to un tighten my drag, the fish went under the dock and the line snapped. On top of this, I was using 17 pound mono as well! I lost the fish! Can anyone give me some types on how to avoid this and land more of my fish (besides having a net lol).

[MIbassyaker]

2 minutes ago, Luke1115 said:

So, today I was fishing Lake Saint Clair, Michigan. I caught a dinker and some little perch. Now, one time I reeled in my line and a small perch got eaten by a huge largemouth! Easily my PB! It didn't fight, but I did not have a net (my friend forgot to bring one). I went to lift it out of the water and onto the pier and the bass fell off. I partially feel this is because the perch wasn't hooked that well so the bass was hooked twice as poor. So, I wouldn't blame that entirely on me. A short while after, I was fishing mystery fish with my  spinner bait. SOme massive fish swallowed it (we think it was a huge sheephead of smallmouth). It started to go under the dock, and by the time I was able to un tighten my drag, the fish went under the dock and the line snapped. On top of this, I was using 17 pound mono as well! I lost the fish! Can anyone give me some types on how to avoid this and land more of my fish (besides having a net lol).

1. was the bass that ate the perch hooked at all, or just holding on to the perch? I'm not sure there is anything to "fix" here.

 

2. Are you sure the second fish wasn't a pike or musky?  They love, love, love spinnerbaits, and can easily cut 17lb mono with their teeth. I had a pike break off a spinnerbait on me this week on 15lb mono, and it wasn't even that large. A cost of doing business, as it were.

 

3. If not a toothy critter, then your line probably broke because it had a nick in it. Are you checking your line for abrasions and weak spots frequently?

[CroakHunter]

You can't expect to catch a fish that ate another fish. The bass was probably never hooked and just had a hold of the perch. And in the spinnerbait fish, make sure your drag is set correctly before you start fishing, not when you are fighting a fish. Once I have my drag set for the day I don't touch it. Of you need more pore either place your thumb on the spool (baitcaster) or cup the spool (spinning) that way drag won't be taken as quickly. Always be 100% alert and aware when fishing, that will make your catch rate go up a ton. If you are ready for a strike, then detecting a strike a landing the fish will be much easier. 

[Rick Howard]

I'd bet it was a pike of some kind that broke you off.  Lol I lose jigs to pike species all the time on 25lb mono.  Those toothy fish give me fits sometimes.  Lost half dozen cranks and spinners last week.  Like I budget for fuel i budget for pike loss lol.  Just part of fishing in the north I suppose.  I suppose I could use a steel leader...

 

[DINK WHISPERER]

Only way to never lose fish is to not fish at all! It's part of the game man you just have to do everything you can and learn from it. Match your line and gear to the conditions and fish size. Try to get a good hook set and play the fish if need be. It happens though....

[BuzzHudson19c]

12 minutes ago, Rick Howard said:

I'd bet it was a pike of some kind that broke you off.  Lol I lose jigs to pike species all the time on 25lb mono.  Those toothy fish give me fits sometimes.  Lost half dozen cranks and spinners last week.  Like I budget for fuel i budget for pike loss lol.  Just part of fishing in the north I suppose.  I suppose I could use a steel leader...

 

Pickerel are my frog nemesis. 50lb braid and they slice right through it. It got to the point whenever I fish a particular lake near me, I use 4inch steel leaders which are just enough to not pull the frogs down. It's not ideal but saves money and me throwing a tantrum when I lose another lure.

[Miller's Ferry 8]

I'd say, if the fish that swam under the dock wasn't a toothy fish, that the less line you have out the easier it is to break. The more line the more stretch therefore the line stretches and absorbs some of the energy. The line being as close as it was to the end of your rod had virtually no stretch. The fish was pulling with greater force than 17lb and the rod wasn't able to absorb the amount of energy it needed to minimize force on the line. Sorry if that's more than you bargained for. I'm an engineer  

[bigbill]

My drags are per set so I don't touch them during the fight. I learned not to horse the fish in too quickly too by letting it tire out. I also have a problem with bigger fish and my hook set not being strong enough by my rod not having enough back bone. After all you had two fish on. I switched to a copolymere line because of less stretch.

[scaleface]

Fish get off . Fish break lines . It makes landing a big one that much sweeter .

[Deleted account]

On 9/26/2017 at 9:45 PM, BuzzHudson19c said:

Pickerel are my frog nemesis. 50lb braid and they slice right through it. It got to the point whenever I fish a particular lake near me, I use 4inch steel leaders which are just enough to not pull the frogs down. It's not ideal but saves money and me throwing a tantrum when I lose another lure.

I fish frogs where there are pickerel and snakeheads, straight braid causes a lot of lost frogs, I find a trace ( a foot or two) of 20-40 lb Big Game or Ande prevents all but the occasional (like one every 2 years or so) bite off. Wire causes the nose to dip and the frog to act unnatural. 

 

To the OP, Sounds like the bass wasn't hooked, he was just holding the perch. In those cases, keeping even pressure and not breaking the surface is the way to go, even then its 50-50. The loose drag thing, don't do that.