What do you do?

[BassFishingMachine]

What do you do to calm yourself down after you lose a real nice fish? You see I went out today, and caught 4 bass, one was a dink,  one was 2lbs, one was 2 1/2lbs, and one was a nice 5lber. And before the day ended I hooked up with another one, that im guessing was 4-5 because it put up a hell of a fight, and then in the middle of the friggin drag zippin out, the hook pops out, I was so friggin ticked... so ticked!!!  > I can't even say the words that were flyin out of my mouth  :-X. So what I would like to know is how do you guys deal with the anger after losing a real nice fish? And I also missed some other hits, but they were just taps/tugs that spit it before the hook could stick them  .

Ps. All were caught on a Black/Blue Booyah Baby Boo Jig 5/16ounce with a Yum Chunk Trailer 3.5 inch black/blue flake, flipped into lillypads/stickpiles/overhanging bushes and trees. (Yum Crawfish Spray, as scent)

[Jake.]

First Stage: I'm just in awe, like "wow that was an awesome fish!"

Second Stage: 5-10 minutes later: "Man, I wish I had got her in!"

Third Stage: 15-20 minutes later: " FISH SPIT THE HOOK !"

[roadwarrior]

Catch another?

:

[frogtog]

Easy come, easy go. Can't let it get me down. If I lose a fish I just concentrate on the next one. I can't win tournaments on what could have been. Not only in fishing but in life also, you have to let it go.

[deepsessions]

I normally take some deep breathes and stop and REALLY think about how that fish got hooked. Then try to run that pattern. Then go home lose some sleep and do it all over again until I catch something big enough to help ease the pain.

[Jimzee]

I have lost so many big fish this year it is becoming second nature to me.  I got frustrated in the beginning of the year but when it happens now I just think what I can do next time to prevent it.   Sometimes it can't be prevented.  

[FivePoundBluegill]

A day like your actually sounds like a good day. You caught a 5lber and a few nice fish in the 2lb range.... If I caught fish like that then ended up loseing one I wouldent be too angry. Now If I had caught nothing but dinks all day then lost a nice 5LB+ fish id be pretty ticked...

[Guest avid]

I get disappointed when I loose a big fish, but not angry.  At least not anymore.

I caught my pb in 1980.  I have hooked and lost a number of fish that would have easily topped my 7 lb 8 oz PB

over the years.  I will best that mark,

Someday.  

[Alpster]

I get disappointed when I loose a big fish, but not angry.  At least not anymore.

I caught my pb in 1980.  I have hooked and lost a number of fish that would have easily topped my 7 lb 8 oz PB

over the years.  I will best that mark,

Someday.  

Thanks Avid,

I thought I was the only one who's PB happened 25 years ago. LOL I hooked a bass in a tournament 5 years ago that would have crushed my PB. My fishing partner lipped her into the boat and DROPPED her back into the water. I was devastated for a second! My buddy was mortified that she got away and felt responsible. I laughed out loud and said forget it! She's still there I will catch her again. She will be bigger next time. I would never have gotten a hook in her if I wasn't doing the right thing.

Ronnie

[George Welcome]

Stop making the catch the end-all to your fishing adventure. Learn to enjoy all facets of the fishing experience and losing a fish will seem less distasteful. You are going to lose fish - no way around it.

If you become angry you are going to lose even more!

[.dsaavedra.]

like frogtog said easy come easy go.

just remember what you were doing and keep doing that. same goes for if you land it. whenver you get a hit, remember how you got it and keep doing that. sometimes, if you lose the fish quick into the battle you can cast to the same spot and it will still be there and usually immdiatley hit your lure.

the other day i scared a tiny bass out of the shallows so i casted to the direction it went and sure enough i got hit i was using an UL rod so i couldnt set the hook. i repeated this 4 more times before the fish wouldnt bite it anymore.

[fishfordollars]

Try to figure out what made the big fish bite and duplicate if possible. I have lost to many to let it bother me for long. Enjoy the ones you catch.

[jwo1124]

Anyone watch the Bass Masters this past weekend. I think it was called the Capitol Clash down in MD.

Skeet Reese lost like 4 fish in a row. You shoulda seen how mad he was. The first couple times he took it quite well considering he is fishing for his living at the time. The next two fish...he kinda went off.