Loosing fish :(

[mrawesomest]

Just wondering how often do bass fall of the hook? I'm quite new to bass fishing and I've only gone out a couple times

Do you loose bass a fair amount fishing? or am I doing something wrong? reeling in to fast? not setting the hook good enough? improper drag? I got about a 50% success rate actually getting them into the boat.

I've been casting with a spinner with a treble hook (small black fury) and I'll let him take it for about a sec then set it.

I'll constantly reel in with light drag but if they jump the hook comes flyin out ... any ideas?

[Catt]

If your loosing ever other bass you hook there definately is a problem, you should be some where around 80-85%.

What is your reasoning behind using a light drag?

And how light of a drag are we talking?

One problem I see with inexperenced anglers is to light of a hook set

[BrianinMD]

With a spinner I also wouldn't let them take it for a second. Set the hook as soon as you feel the strike.

[Jigfishn10]

You maybe setting the hook too much. Those in-line spinners have small treble hooks and you maybe ripping the fish's mouth a little allowing the hook to come free on the jump. If you feel the fish coming to the surface, put your rod tip down towards or into the water while keeping pressure on him....JMHO

[mrawesomest]

I don know exactly how to described the drag, I can take too fingers and pull it straight off the reel easily. It's a spinning reel too if it matters.

[Red Bear]

If your loosing ever other bass you hook there definately is a problem, you should be some where around 80-85%.

What is your reasoning behind using a light drag?

And how light of a drag are we talking?

One problem I see with inexperenced anglers is to light of a hook set

i think this is exactly the problem. too light on the drag and causing light hook sets. instead of driving the hook home the light drag may be causing line to spool off creating less actual pressure on the hookset.

i would suggest tightening your drag and see if that helps. if not, check your hooks to see if theyre adequately sharp. if you hook a big fish and feel like its gonna break you off you can always loosen your drag while fighting the fish

[Red Bear]

I don know exactly how to described the drag, I can take too fingers and pull it straight off the reel easily. It's a spinning reel too if it matters.

its way too loose, tighten it up till you can barely pull it off by hand, because its so loose your pulling off line when you set the hook, and not really getting a good hook set

[islandbass]

In addition to the great advice, don't overlook inspecting your hook. Make sure it is sharp.

Also, as cool as it looks to see a fish jump into the air, it is also the way larger fish can throw your lure. Every time you allow them to jump you will usually give them enough slack for them to throw it off.  The key to fighting the fish is to maintain tension on the line 100% of the time.

Other times, they win and get off fair and square.

[mrawesomest]

Thanks for the great advice guys, I kinda figured it would be a drag issue, when I'd set it you could hear the the reel unspool witht he drag I had.

I'll tighten it till I can barely pull it off by hand and I'm sure that'll help

[Grey Wolf]

Welcome.

This is a wonderful forum for rookie bass fisherman. You'll learn a lot here.

[VABassin'14]

Also the size of the treble hook could be the reason you aren't catching but half the fish you hook. If the hook is too small, its mcuh harder to get a solid hookset. But there is no doubt in my mind that the way that you have your drag set is the biggest reason that you are losing so many fish. Good luck.

[gobig]

There are a number of factors in loosing fish. Poor hooks, wrong rod, wrong line, poor drag setting and so on. But the number one reason I see someone loose a fish over is poor rod control. Allowing slack into the line gives the fish the ability to throw the bait. The most common time this happens is when a fish jumps. The heavier the bait the higher probability it can be thrown. When the fish is moving to jump drop your rod down towards the water and reel. Sometimes I even add a slight sweep to the rod as do this.

[SirSnookalot]

Fish is getting ready to jump, drop that rod tip down to water level and control the fish.  Even with a tight line you are still going to lose jumpers.

[SJB1226]

Thanks for the great advice guys, I kinda figured it would be a drag issue, when I'd set it you could hear the the reel unspool witht he drag I had.

I'll tighten it till I can barely pull it off by hand and I'm sure that'll help

I agree its the drag and probably rod control to causing lost fish. however thats not a good idea to tighten the drag to where you can bealy pull it off by hand.... drags are there for a reason... if you have 6# line ide set the drag around 2# I set drag to 1/3 break test... some people say set it 1/4 break test.. on lighter line you will loose fish to break offs if you tighten the drag to much... bass arent that hard pulling of a fish but a 5+ can break 12# line if you dont have the drag set.. when I see a fish is gonna jump I shove the rod tip in the water and try to hold her down you will loose most of the ones your gonna loose while there in the air. set your drag right and learn to control the fish.. ide say I land close to 90% they surely dont come unbuttoned a lot but from time to time you will loose them.. on big heavy swim baits i loose more but thats to be expected on big swim baits ide say i land about 80% of the ones I hook.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

As my dad always says....YOU GOT TO RIP DA LIPS!

[Catching]

Cut the treble off and put a small offset J hook by using a split ring, they make a combo but if you are having trouble with the treble you want the hook exposed, this way you can add a small grub to the lure as well. One very important thing, with these type of lures most of the time the fish will chase the bait down before eating it, when you feel the fish on it is still swimming towards you most of the time, so if you are not great at setting the hook give it second or two until the fish changes direction and then nail it. Getting a good hook set in a fish that is swimming at you is one of the hardest things to do even for the experienced angler.

Good Luck

Dan

[farmpond1]

It could be that your hooks are dull. But more likely, the culprit is your drag is too loose. If you can easily strip line off the reel with two fingers (assuming the line isn't looped over one (or both) of them) you need to tighten 'er up some. And keep a fair amount of tension on the rod when you are playing the fish. And don't ever point the rod tip at the fish.