Fighting Bass. Tip up, or down?

[iceintheveins]

Do you fight your bass with the rod tip down or up? I fight them with the tip down almost all the time to keep them from jumping and thus don't lose many fish.

[Mattlures]

Both. I react to them.

[Kanbass]

It all depends on the situation you are in. The need to control the bass near logs and such ,definitely is a factor. The type of lure he's got in his mouth makes a difference too.

[SkeetyCCTX]

Do you fight your bass with the rod tip down or up? I fight them with the tip down almost all the time to keep them from jumping and thus don't lose many fish.

Yea, but sometimes you need to get them up, especially down here in south TX where the lakes have thick vegatation and cover and the bass are big!

My home lake Choke Canyon has heavy hydrilla.  In some areas you want to get the fish up near the surface as quick as possible to avoid them burrying down in the stuff!  Ive been broke off by 2 lbers on 50 lb braid because of thick drilla.

Now the trick is to then lower rodtip to keep them from jumping once they get to a certain level.  Its a fine ballance that you have to play, especially with good fish!  You constantly have to be adjusting cause your not just fighting the fish down here, your also fighting the environment!

[Boogey Man]

Around vegetation or cover it's usually tip up until I get them over/past/out of it then usually tip down as I get them closer to the boat. Each one varies though.

[basspro215]

always tip up for me i love to see fish jump untill im in turnys ware i have worry about loseing that ONE i will continue to do so

[Wayne P.]

I do up, down, and to each side depending on the fish's reaction.

[Catt]

Both. I react to them.

X2; You must react to the bass even in matted vegetation

[tholmes]

Both. I react to them.

X3.

Tom

[SuskyDude]

Tip up. I fish for smallies and I love the jump. I don't lose many fish as long as I don't horse them when they are in mid air.

Besides, when a big smallie really wants to jump...she's gonna jump. Sticking the rod down ain't gonna stop her.

[Grey Wolf]

Both.

[Red Bear]

i agree that where your rod tip is (up,down, to the side) should be based on what the fish is doing and where the fish is located, and not just a standard practice of one or the other

but if i had to choose between tip up or down i would choose up. having a bass jump is part of the battle every angler should learn or know how to deal with. i dont recall ever losing a lot of bass just because they jumped, maybe ive been lucky in that aspect. plus i do love to see them jump, i just keep the tension on them with my rod

[Goose52]

I do up, down, and to each side depending on the fish's reaction.

X2 - I always go opposite the fishes movement...and if they swim directly at me, I usually keep the rod tip down and reel-in line like crazy

[lightsout]

If it has any size to it, 90% of the time my tip is down or even in the water on lipless cranks.A big fish will throw a hook in a second if you let it. Big river smallies here on the james are famous for it. The only exception is when a need to quickly get it outta cover and I'll use the rod to lift it away from whatever is there. Where I fish heavy veggies arent an issue.

Smaller bass I really dont care and will usually go with 3/4 or so.

[Alex77]

Both for me too.  Depends on the situation.

[Bass_Akwards]

Keeping your rod tip down doesnt keep the bass from jumping. It can help in TRYING to keep it from jumping or even assist you in sometimes keeping the bass from jumping as high as it would have if you hadn't held the tip down, but I only recommend keeping the tip down when you feel it's making a move to jump. Otherwise I don't know why you'd have the rod tip down when fighting a bass.    Obviously the tip gets loews as the bass gets nearer the boat but that's about it. Just go watch every Elite series pro you can find catching bass. I'd be willing to bet big money you won't find any of them who consistantly have their rod tip down most of the time when they have a fish on the line.

[NasTMcfingas]

Both. I react to them.

X2 Unless its a dink, then I just horse 'em in ;D

[iceintheveins]

I probably should have made both an option, especially since like you guys are saying, I DO fight bass with the tip up when there are thick weeds or cover.

[RoLo]

Some of us pay 200, 300 even 500 dollars for a rod,

pointing the rod-tip at the fish is like throwing that rod in the waste basket

and fighting the fish off the reel drag.

If money were on the line I might not have a choice, but it isn't and I do.

Roger

[lightsout]

Keeping your rod tip down doesnt keep the bass from jumping. It can help in TRYING to keep it from jumping or even assist you in sometimes keeping the bass from jumping as high as it would have if you hadn't held the tip down, but I only recommend keeping the tip down when you feel it's making a move to jump. Otherwise I don't know why you'd have the rod tip down when fighting a bass. Obviously the tip gets loews as the bass gets nearer the boat but that's about it. Just go watch every Elite series pro you can find catching bass. I'd be willing to bet big money you won't find any of them who consistantly have their rod tip down most of the time when they have a fish on the line.

If you cast a rattlebait 100'+ on a 3' flat where the fish can be outta the water in an instant, hook into a big fish and battle it with your rod up, waiting to "react" before you drop your tip (and reel in the slack to keep tension) you are asking for trouble. I'm talking about true trophy fish, they just have a knack for throwing baits certain types of baits.

Most of my favorite lures (traps, BIG spook type baits) are more prone to this becuase fish are often hooked outside the mouth.

    

With the right tackle and techniqe you absolutely can keep a fish from jumping. Maybe not always keep its head down, but jumping most of the time yes. Bill Siementel has a theory about pulling on a big bucket mouth as its head comes up, to fill it with water and thus keeping it from jumping.

I'm blessed in that I have access to 4 private ponds with some monsters in them and hooked and caught a rediculous number of citation caliber fish over the last 4 years. I dont care how you see stacey king catching 2lb spots on TV, but I just dont lose fish anymore from thrown hooks since keeping my tip down. Mind you I'm still  adjusting and directing it to the left or right as needed while the rod is still pointed towards the water somewhat.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Tip up, bully them the whole way.........

[Koop]

Fun Fishing?  Tip up half the fun for me is watching them jump

Tournament fishing, its situation dependent

[Long Mike]

Unfortunately, at my age, my rod tip is always pointing down.  :'(

[DINK WHISPERER]

Unfortunately, at my age, my rod tip is always pointing down. :'(

Mike, PM me man.............................................i know a guy who knows a guy,  ;D  ;D

[bassman31783]

Both. I react to them.

Same here.

This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title.