Really struggling to keep fish pinned

[The Baron]

I enjoy throwing Keitech (and similar) swim baits but have really been struggling to keep smallmouth pinned.  It’s a heartbreaker to lose a good fish on the first jump, but that’s been my story more often than not.  I thought maybe I wasn’t getting a good hookset with a 7’ medium/fast spinning rod so I bought a 7’4” medium/extra fast and results are the same.  Using 15# braid to about 4-5ft. of 10# fluro leader.  Typically using 1/4-3/8oz. heads on a 3-4” bait.  I was actually wondering if I went the wrong way and need more stretch in my system - go medium/light rod or even use mono?

 

Getting 1-3 good bites in a morning and losing them all is really sucking.  Any help or suggestions are welcome.

[MN Fisher]

Double tap the set to make sure the barb gets buried?

Go up in power to get extra 'ooomph' in your hook-set?

Only things I can think of.

[bulldog1935]

All correct @MN Fisher a solid set on a running fish is better than jamming him on the strike.  

Have you tried "bowing" to a jumping fish?  This is an automatic reaction coming from fly rod and 3-lb tippet - your rod drops and your arms go forward. 

Size 18 to 22 hook, etc.  

 

As far as solid hookset goes, this girl was in a constant tail stand with her head flapping when she came up.  At the boat, she slammed her head on my hull 3 or 4 times.  

[Darth-Baiter]

i think it is anyone's bet once a fish goes airborne.  unless it is in bone, they can fling it.  

 

i would love to see the fish i lose.  the ones that pull hard underwater and break free, haunt me.  in my mind, they are all 10 pounders.  so for me, losing at the jump is more palatable.  kinda.

[MickD]

I think this problem may be associated with the traditional way of rigging where the hook gap is somewhat small and hook misses.  I also think that many of the misses are because the fish has bitten and is just holding on, maybe below the hook itself.  What I did to increase my landing percentage dramatically is to use a screw lock jig head, cut off the hook just before the bend, thread the minnow onto the jig, then run a leader from the jig eye to a #6 treble with the leader about 2 inches long.  Embed one of the treble hooks into the back of the minnow.  

 

this pic doesn't show the leader and the alignment is a little off.  But it shows the idea.  The leader attaches the treble to the eye of the jig.  Experiment to get the length of the leader right and the size of the treble right so as to not adversely affect the action.  

[MickD]

On re-reading the OP another thing that might help is to go a little longer on the leader.  Going lighter on the rod power could be worse if the problem is poor hook sets/hook penetration.   Try what I suggested in my first post and see how it goes.  

[The Baron]

Here’s a largemouth I caught Saturday on a swimbait.  He wallowed once, but if he’d jumped and head shook I bet he’d have been gone too because he was barely hooked even though he really sucked the bait in. Maybe just not enough hook gap is the problem, but I watch guys fishing the same type baits on YouTube and feel like I’m the only guy having this problem so consistently.
 

@bulldog1935  I’ve started trying to plunge my rod tip into the water when I see my line coming up fast with a smallie headed to jump.  Looks cool, but I’m still not getting any good fish pics. ?

[Team9nine]

I’d open the gap just a little bit. I do it on most jigheads. You might also try the opposite approach on a jump - lower the rod tip, but not into the water, then sweep hard on the fish as soon as his head clears the water, pulling him back over. Both options (“giving” to the fish, pulling him over) work well at times, so experiment with both and see if one works better for you. 

[dodgeguy]

this is simple DONT LET THEM JUMP!!! RELAX YOUR DRAG !!!dont horse them up. kepp the rod tip in the water and pull them down. you will land many more this way.

[thunderblack]

Add a stinger hook similar to what Mick pictured or add another lower on the bait. Also don't crank down the drag and add a shock leader if you haven't. Sometimes it just happens. 

[Steveo-1969]

23 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

this is simple DONT LET THEM JUMP!!! RELAX YOUR DRAG !!!dont horse them up. kepp the rod tip in the water and pull them down. you will land many more this way.

Impossible for me. I fish a shallow river and the water is rarely deeper than 4 feet. The smallmouth I hook ALWAYS jump because they have nowhere else to go.

 

 I’ve used @Team9nine suggestion of pulling the fish over at the beginning of the jump with some success. 

[gim]

On 8/7/2023 at 10:04 AM, bulldog1935 said:

Have you tried "bowing" to a jumping fish?  This is an automatic reaction coming from fly rod and 3-lb tippet - your rod drops and your arms go forward. 

 

Its very difficult to make yourself do that if you don't already do it automatically.  When I went tarpon fishing the guide would tell us to "BOW!" when that thing went airborne and we just watched in amazement as a 75 pound silver king jumped.  Its a split second reaction.

 

Preventing the fish from jumping is impossible.  They will jump if they want to.

 

Not much you can do in terms of mechanics and the gear that the OP described is adequate.  Just part of doing business here.  They don't like to be hooked or get caught and jumping is an evasive maneuver.

[bulldog1935]

the fact that bowing to a jumping fish is a conscious forced decision doesn't change its value or result.  

[gim]

18 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

that fact that bowing to a jumping fish is a conscious forced decision doesn't change its value or result.  

Oh I have no doubt it works.  I'm simply saying you can't just do it on command unless you've always been doing it.

[Dwight Hottle]

@Team9nine suggestion try pulling them hard to the side as soon as the head starts coming out of the water. This especially works better with heavier baits & trebles which they get leverage on when they sling their heads from side to side. Also try using light wire hooks that are super sharp. 

[Jig Man]

I fish a lot of Keithech fat impact swim baits.  I have more success by changing hook size as I move up in length.  I use Gamakatsu 114 hooks.  Here is my method:  (2.8 -1/8 or 1/4 head on a 1/0 hook), (3.3 -1/8 or 1/4 head on a 2/0 hook), (3.8 -1/4 or 3/8 on a 4/0 hook) larger ones on a 3/8 head with a 4/0 hook.  My fish are 20-30 feet down and come barreling towards the top.  I also keep my rod tip low and my drag light.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I use a M power with heavy wire hooks and stick em, so I have a hard time believing its a power issue.  As long as the hooks are really sharp it doesnt take too much force to get a good set. 

[JackstrawIII]

I was having the same problem fishing Keitechs on a 6’6 medium. Went to a 7’ MH with a fairly soft tip and I’m doing way better. 
 

I think the softer tip allows the fish to get a better hold on the bait, then the more powerful action drives the hook home better.  
 

Worked for me. 

[Bigassbass]

Use a bigger hook and set the hook soon as you feel the bite don't wait.