punching grass on edges of small pond from the bank --- leader to break off?

[fishhugger]

i have a question about bank fishing and punching grass mats. the mats only grow around the edges of the pond i fish, which is in california. the grass is a couple varieties (i think) of long stemmed weeds, and i guess algae... this pond has  a lot of snags -  wood from many fallen trees, and rocks.

 

if i use 50# braid to punch into the mats, i'm worried about getting my texas rig snagged on wood or rocks, and having trouble breaking off the heavy braid. or should i figure the hook will give way...?

 

so i'm older, and not very strong. my question: does anyone use a leader for the texas rig, for the purpose of breaking off? i find it's very common to get a hook snagged on the bottom - and it's hard to get a different angle on the line, since i'm on the bank. i've just started venturing into the mats --- after reading many of the threads on this site.

 

thanks!

[Bluebasser86]

If you get snagged with straight braid, wrap it around a stick and pull. You'll either pop it loose, pop the line, or straighten the hook. Using braid with a leader in thick grass defeats the purpose of using braid imo. 

[Hammer 4]

^^^^ This. Better off using straight braid.

[jimmyjoe]

   If you're older and have a strength problem, feed out about twenty feet of extra line when you snag up. Put the rod down and grab the loose coil of line. Wrap it around your hips twice and hold the loose end. Slowly walk backwards, and you'll either break the line or free the hook.

   This way you won't need to depend on arm or back strength.             jj

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

This way you won't need to depend on arm or back strength. 

Voice of experience, JJ?

 

I use a short length of 1" dowel myself.

[jimmyjoe]

12 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Voice of experience, JJ?

 

Uh .......... do I have to answer that?  ? ?                     jj

[fishhugger]

thanks a lot, guys. i mainly was worried about getting snagged on submerged wood, which is abundant at this pond, and didn't want to lost a whole bunch of line breaking off. but i guess with the 50# braid, either the hook or  the knot holding the hook are clearly the  weak points? so you'd usually get almost all your line back?

i don't want to leave a bunch of line out there, and i usually use high vis yellow...!

[the reel ess]

Straight shank flipping hooks tend to catch on wood. I like the EWG superline hooks for wood.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Straight shank flipping hooks tend to catch on wood.

 

No they don't ?

 

[the reel ess]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

No they don't ?

 

Even the EWGs do, just less often.

[Catt]

7 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Even the EWGs do, just less often.

 

I've had weights hang but never a hook, unless I tried setting hook on it.

[fishhugger]

idk if weights or hooks are the cause of a hang, but i no i hang a lot of stuff now, and just want to avoid breaking off and leaving a LOT of braid, etc., which would be pretty noticeable.

[the reel ess]

57 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

I've had weights hang but never a hook, unless I tried setting hook on it.

Agree to disagree. But then I went to the Trashmaster jig because I was tired of hanging up a conventional jig on the first cast. It ruins the spot. I'm a fan of the more inline hook design about 95% of the time.

[jimmyjoe]

5 hours ago, fishhugger said:

either the hook or  the knot holding the hook are clearly the  weak points? so you'd usually get almost all your line back?

 

   Correct. Technically speaking, the knot strength of braided polyethylene is about 45% of the laboratory tensile strength. So the line will break at the knot.

   The reason I say "technically speaking" and "laboratory tensile strength" relates to the test rating you see on the package when you buy the braid. If all braid (or all nylon monofilament) was rated at the laboratory strength, then the shortfall would be obvious. Lots of fishermen would raise a hue and cry, and the line wouldn't be popular ...... especially at the price it is now. So companies de-rate the line.

   I'm sure you've heard or read comments about braid such as, " ... it's actually much stronger ...." and , " ...  the strength of this line is unbelievable! ..."   This is because the companies want to de-rate the line to make the advertised test line up closer to the true knot strength. Then the customer gets what is "advertised" ..... not what is real, just what is advertised.

 

   Good luck!            jj

[Catt]

@the reel ess

 

 

[the reel ess]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

@the reel ess

 

 

No thanks. This skips easier too. 

 

[Catt]

7 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

No thanks. This skips easier too. 

 

 

I'll say right now I can go weeks with out a hangup & the next day loose a half dozen.

 

The ones I do get back by trolling over there were hung in a branch V, in a crack of a broken off stump, or simply wrapped on something.

[CrankFate]

I use straight braid when going in the thick of it.

[HaydenS]

Punching is mostly a vertical game, so I don't see you getting hung unless you set the hook into something?

[fishhugger]

21 minutes ago, HaydenS said:

Punching is mostly a vertical game, so I don't see you getting hung unless you set the hook into something?

punching is totally new to me --- but here's what i've done the past couple times out.

 

so the mats are cover about 90% of the edges of the lake - wherever the bank is shallow, the pond is ringed with about 5 to 7' of mat. i don't want to cast on the far side of the mat, because i figure the fish almost will naturally quickly be under the mat, and there's 5 to 7' of mat between me and him, and even tho it's shallow - i figure i'm done for.  right? he'll be in a wad of green goo and vining weeds...

 

so yeah, i'm just fishing vertically. i go around the bank, and if i can reach a small hole or opening in the mat, i toss my lure in. today, i forgot my tackle --- almost all of it. all i had were 2/0 worm hooks and trick worms. so i just dunked those into holes, no weight, as i forgot those, dunked the worms between me and the mat (that's within a yard of me, as i'm standing on the bank), or swam them on top of the mat. between me and the start of the mat is the edge of the pond --- it's often only 1' deep. but it's next to the mat, which is often in about 2 to 3' of water, and then slopes down deeper.

 

i *think* i had two bites??? they felt like rapid tugs --- i don't think it was me brushing my worm over wood, but maybe... were they bluegill? i have no idea if bluegill are in this lake. i've only caught lmb's there. i've never caught a gill....anywhere.

 

so, i'm fishing very vertically - not a clear idea if that's how some or most pound mats.  i just don't want to be searching for a fish i get in the mat, and by being vertical, i am picturing just popping them out like corks from a bottle. if i happen to ever catch one.

 

but is this a good strategy to use?  i'm fishing only what i can reach with my pole. literally....! i just drop my line in. try wiggling the worm. letting it lie there... i try to be subtle. then move on. 

 

 

[the reel ess]

14 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I'll say right now I can go weeks with out a hangup & the next day loose a half dozen.

 

The ones I do get back by trolling over there were hung in a branch V, in a crack of a broken off stump, or simply wrapped on something.

I'm in the kayak and I can just paddle or drag myself over and free the lure. But it's maddening to get into position on a laydown you know has held bass before and you get that jig stuck in it on the first cast.

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

But it's maddening to get into position on a laydown you know has held bass before and you get that jig stuck in it on the first cast.

Were getting off topic here but I just gave up fishing jigs in heavy brush . I must not have the touch  because I have a hard time getting them to come through brush with lots of tiny spindly limbs . 

[the reel ess]

48 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Were getting off topic here but I just gave up fishing jigs in heavy brush . I must not have the touch  because I have a hard time getting them to come through brush with lots of tiny spindly limbs . 

Try the Trashmaster. It's much more weedless. I've had the same two for over a year. And it skips so well. I don't really feel I NEED a jig in heavy wood cover. A T-Rig would suffice. Lately I'm experimenting with pitching Senko-type worms because the place I fish is not that big and they've seen my jig several times. But when I have to skip a bait, the TM jig is the go-to. Just get it in front of their face and make them flee or fight. Big ones often fight.

[fishhugger]

got a lmb hookup today --- although not while punching my mats.. i didn't get anything punching today. i fished around some big downed trees. i've always wanted to fish around them, but never have. i took guys' advice, and just went str8 braid, moss green. got a lmb to grab a yum dinger on a t-rig, 1/4 oz lead. it was a foil dinger --- i just loved the look of the foil, and have never fished any worm that color before....

 

immediately lost the fish when he rolled on the surface. i'm having trouble with my hook sets.  i'll work on 'em... right now, i'm just delirious when i get a fish on....

 

happy hook sets and keep punchin'....