What am I doing wrong? I lose jumping bass!

[GTN-NY]

Most of the time when a bass jumps they throw my lure right at me. 
My standard procedure when I see them coming up is to get the  rod tip down to the water. 
Am I doing it wrong?

Largest fish for today shook the hook

[Finessegenics]

Is this happening with all your baits or just certain lures? 

[Koz]

Sharp hooks, better hooksets, and keep tension on the line. Even then, you're going to lose some.

 

Slack in the line is your enemy, even if it's only for a second. If you keep tension on the line it's likely the bass will resist and try to pull away. But when the line slacks the bass will bolt and can head in any direction.

[NHBull]

There can be several reasons for this.  Is it a specific lure?  Treble Hooks?  Worm hooks??  

[GTN-NY]

55 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

Is this happening with all your baits or just certain lures? 

Single hook lures. Heavy wire, light wire, weighted, unweighted

31 minutes ago, Koz said:

Sharp hooks, better hooksets, and keep tension on the line. Even then, you're going to lose some.

 

Slack in the line is your enemy, even if it's only for a second. If you keep tension on the line it's likely the bass will resist and try to pull away. But when the line slacks the bass will bolt and can head in any direction.

Ok that’s what I try to do. But I do watch tv fishing shows where they say bow to the jumping fish 

[PhishLI]

Are you pointing your rod directly at the fish?

[Bird]

Med heavy when a medium would suffice.....was my issue. 

Yep, lost 3 good fish in a row on 3/8 spinnerbait and switched to a med 6'10 rod and fish ended up in boat.

 

[softwateronly]

Bowing to the fish might be part of the problem as well.  If I understand correctly, leaning forward at the waist, you could unintentionally be giving slack at the worst possible moment.  And as PhishLI said, pointing the rod at the fish will immediately unload the rod and give enough slack to get tossed.  If either of these are happening, do your best to eliminate them on your next battle and hopefully your results will improve.

 

scott

[GTN-NY]

34 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Are you pointing your rod directly at the fish?

No. Down to the side

5 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Bowing to the fish might be part of the problem as well.  If I understand correctly, leaning forward at the waist, you could unintentionally be giving slack at the worst possible moment.  And as PhishLI said, pointing the rod at the fish will immediately unload the rod and give enough slack to get tossed.  If either of these are happening, do your best to eliminate them on your next battle and hopefully your results will improve.

 

scott

I’m not bowing or pointing the rod at the fish

[softwateronly]

3 minutes ago, GTN-NY said:

No. Down to the side

I’m not bowing or pointing the rod at the fish

Bummer, because that's an easy fix.  I tend to like softer rods with braid to leader because I feel like I lose less fish, braid helps with the hookset and the softer action helps the rod stay loaded throughout the whole fight.  If your technique is solid maybe your gear doesn't suit the way you fish?

 

scott

[GTN-NY]

10 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Bummer, because that's an easy fix.  I tend to like softer rods with braid to leader because I feel like I lose less fish, braid helps with the hookset and the softer action helps the rod stay loaded throughout the whole fight.  If your technique is solid maybe your gear doesn't suit the way you fish?

 

scott

Most of my rods are Mf or MLf except for my flipping stick. I’m trying braid this year but this problem has plagued me for years. I love/hate smallmouths. They always have to jump

[Deephaven]

You are losing tension in the excitement.  That is first and foremost what you have to not do.  

[softwateronly]

When the fish is airborne, i try to use the rod and reel to determine which way she goes back in the water.  I don't want to wait for gravity to take hold.  But, also smallmouth...got to love em

 

scott

[papajoe222]

It could very well be your hook setting technique and line choice. Those two go hand in hand. a good technique paired with light or stretchy line results in poor hook penetration (past the barb). The opposite is also true. Poor technique with the right line won't get it done either.

[Biglittle8]

A good quality, sharp hook has made a big difference for me. Just because a lure or hook is new, it does not mean the hooks are sharp or good quality! Give your tackle the once over before heading out to fish. Keep a hook sharpener handy. Also, keep your line tight and keep the fish coming towards you if possible. Even with sharp hooks, a good hook set and tight line, you are still going to lose fish sometimes.

[blckshirt98]

The pros try their best to keep the fish from jumping because they know it's high risk.  Jumping bass are a spectacle to see and it's always the moment captured in art/photographs of bass, but from a "get em in the boat" perspective jumping bass or not a good thing.  Try to fight the fish to keep it from jumping, but if they do jump and the fish wins just give it a gg and tip of the cap.

[GTN-NY]

6 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

The pros try their best to keep the fish from jumping because they know it's high risk.  Try to fight the fish to keep it from jumping

Is there a technique to keep them from jumping besides a wish an a prayer?

[TnRiver46]

I had two nice ones jump off last night . My buddy captured one of the moments on video, the worm almost hit his phone. Then the second one I lost the worm hit him haha

[Catt]

14 minutes ago, GTN-NY said:

Is there a technique to keep them from jumping besides a wish an a prayer?

 

Nope! ?

 

 

[TnRiver46]

and here’s the worm flying at the camera 

 

Just realized another helpful tip after watching my mistake. At least look at the fish while it’s jumping!!!!! I was looking back at my buddy and laughing and you can see the fish about to breach 

[GTN-NY]

29 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

and here’s the worm flying at the camera 

 

Just realized another helpful tip after watching my mistake. At least look at the fish while it’s jumping!!!!! I was looking back at my buddy and laughing and you can see the fish about to breach 

Frame the worm photo

[Deephaven]

You are pulling reverse tension on that bait fundamentally pulling it right out of his mouth.  You have to keep positive tension on him.

 

Also fishing a worm on light spinning tackle is a recipe for losing fish unless you are using a much thinner hook.  Need to use the right tool for what you are doing.

[TnRiver46]

51 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

You are pulling reverse tension on that bait fundamentally pulling it right out of his mouth.  You have to keep positive tension on him.

 

Also fishing a worm on light spinning tackle is a recipe for losing fish unless you are using a much thinner hook.  Need to use the right tool for what you are doing.

I had an extremely thin hook but at the start of the video I jinxed it. I said “I wish I had him on a bigger pole but I think I can handle him!” He laughed on that final jump. I made several mistakes, oh well I got all the fun part out of the fish. I had battled it for quite some time and thought he was done. I’m also guessing I was pulling a little too hard since the worm came flying back at my buddy at a high rate of speed both times one jumped off. I heard the jig head hit him the second time, he said it didn’t tickle 

[DogBone_384]

20 hours ago, Koz said:

keep tension on the line.

I'd start here.  The rest of the membership's covered everything else.

[BassNJake]

On 4/19/2021 at 10:52 PM, GTN-NY said:

Most of my rods are Mf or MLf except for my flipping stick. I’m trying braid this year but this problem has plagued me for years. I love/hate smallmouths. They always have to jump

This is an expected part of smallie fishing IMO.

We can do as much as we can to minimize the occurrences but it will still happen.

This is what fuels the excitement for the next bite.

 

My dad refers to it as the quick release or no touch release ?