Stitching pro's...question

[BD]

Ok I think I understand the technique now. (I've been reading Bill Murphy's book) I can see how this would be VERY useful and plan to try it out soon.

My question I guess is once you feel the fish (I've got no problem here), is it best to hurry and start taking to slack up, or let the fish (if it's going to) take that extra feet of line you have sitting below you, out?

I ask because alot of times bass will spit something back out, so I am sitting here thinking "if it takes the line out it's going to quickly spit the bait out."

How do you all retrieve the line once the fish is on there?

I would also like to know what you all have noticed as the #1 single thing to do (retrieve wise) once you've got one...do I immediately but quietly, start quickly reeling in slack line, or let the line be?

Thanks.

[Pond-Pro]

   As soon as I sense a fish, I set the hook.  If you wait too long the fish might spit the bait out or swallow it. If you jerk it away from the fish it might come back and hit again. That is why I set the hook as soon as I sense a strike.

[Gatorbassman]

There are a few things to take into concideration when you feel a fish. The biggest thing being the size of your bait. The longer your worm the longer you wait. I use worms from 5 inched to 14 inches. My rule is one tap for every 4 inches of worm. Now if your line goes slack and the fish is swimming towards you, it will generally have the whole bait in its mouth by the time you catch up to it so set the hook as soon as you feel the fish. (If you do have a fish swim towards you this also means that there are other fish in the same spot. Make another cast to the same place as soon as you can.)

Now for most any other lure I say,

first tap the fish grabs it

second tap the fish has it good

third tap the fish dropped it

[BD]

Stitching involves holding the line though.

Am I suppose to set the hook by pulling the line I have in my hand? ???

[Pond-Pro]

          I have never actualy tryed stitching but I am assuming you set the hook with the rod.  I dont think that it would work to well to use your hand!  

[Mattlures]

I am an experinced stitcher. When you feel a bite, drop the line, reel up the slack and swing. You try to do this quickly to prevent the bass swallowing the hook. The technique naturaly gives the fish a little extra time then normal so you dont want to wait any more.

[Rattlinrogue]

As soon as I feel the fish,I reel in slack and set the hook quickly.If I don't feel the fish but see the line jump or swim off,I do the same thing.

[BD]

Well guys I went fishing this morning before having to handle some other business. I caught two stitching. One weighted almost 2lb's, which where I was fishing this morning, is a good fish. The other one came unbuttoned as soon as it broke water surface...my fault here for reeling to fast.

To be honest I was not thinking this would work very well, but once I started and really started feeling the bottom (like murphy pointed out), I could see this retrieve being a must know technique.

My only real question at this point is was I going to fast. I will tell you what I did this morning. First off I know Bill liked to use the non-teeth sinkers, I only had in my bag the crimp kind. I used two of those at 8 inches from the hook. I used two because those he liked weigh more, and two because I was throwing into the wind. (btw it was 32 out, water probably 59) I would let it fall completely, then slowly reel up until I felt the weights on the bottom.

From here....this is where I know I need more practice at the technique itself. I was doing fine on the pull down with my 3 fingers, but I really couldn't tell how far back I was pulling. I mean yeah, you can see line coming back, but it's like a 6:3:1 baitcaster....you never realize how much line is really coming in. I think next time I use the stitch, I am going to REALLY only pull down 1 inch or something.

I also now know why he said only let a few feet out at a time, then reel back up to taught. My line was wrapping all over the handles at times, and I could see where this would cause a severe problem, when it really counts.

I did what you guys said. I felt the taps and then pulls, let the line out, reeled up and popped him.

Anymore really good advice you want to post or things you have noticed more and more each time you stitch?

Thanks again!