Treble hook + kayak

[deep]

I notice that I have a lot of trouble landing bass with treble hook lures (cranks, topwaters etc) from my kayak. In fact, my landing ratio is something like 50%, which is pretty disappointing to say the least. Fishing from the shore, the ratio is north of 90% I think. A lot of bass come loose at or near the kayak.

Should I set the hook harder? And not play them as hard like I do when fishing from the shore? I don't think the problem is that I don't keep pressure on the fish. I know I do.

[MrWrinkle]

I had exactly the same problem fishing from my pontoon. I think it's because you're so low to the water, when the fish comes to the top near the boat, you don't have as much pressure on from above. With the short rods we use for bass fishing it's really hard to keep enough vertical pressure on a jumping fish when you're seated close to the water. The fish are getting just enough slack to throw the hook, even if you don't think you're giving any slack.

So I made a couple of adjustments and I'm losing very few fish again now. First, let the fish stay deep for as long as it wants -- tire it out under water as much as you can (allowing for snags, etc). Don't try and haul it to the surface straight away. When that fish comes to the top, you want it to be tired -- then its jumping won't be as energetic or frequent.

Second, instead of pulling vertically to get it to the boat ASAP, drag it sideways left and right in the water-- keeping lots of pressure on. Bully it, drag it around, keep it swimming, and control where it goes.

Third, when it comes to the top and is about to leap/head-shake (that's when I was losing them) pull hard down and to the side with your rod tip very close to the surface of the water so that the fish just can't get out of the water properly. This disrupts their leap, and they just aren't able to shake their head the way they want.

So this is what works for me but YMMV.  I was losing about 40-50% of 'jumpers' -- I'm now at more like 10%.

[Grey Wolf]

I had exactly the same problem fishing from my pontoon. I think it's because you're so low to the water, when the fish comes to the top near the boat, you don't have as much pressure on from above. With the short rods we use for bass fishing it's really hard to keep enough vertical pressure on a jumping fish when you're seated close to the water. The fish are getting just enough slack to throw the hook, even if you don't think you're giving any slack.

So I made a couple of adjustments and I'm losing very few fish again now. First, let the fish stay deep for as long as it wants -- tire it out under water as much as you can (allowing for snags, etc). Don't try and haul it to the surface straight away. When that fish comes to the top, you want it to be tired -- then its jumping won't be as energetic or frequent.

Second, instead of pulling vertically to get it to the boat ASAP, drag it sideways left and right in the water-- keeping lots of pressure on. Bully it, drag it around, keep it swimming, and control where it goes.

Third, when it comes to the top and is about to leap/head-shake (that's when I was losing them) pull hard down and to the side with your rod tip very close to the surface of the water so that the fish just can't get out of the water properly. This disrupts their leap, and they just aren't able to shake their head the way they want.

So this is what works for me but YMMV. I was losing about 40-50% of 'jumpers' -- I'm now at more like 10%.

Excellent advice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bass Fisher55]

Get a small net for your kayak

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

I had exactly the same problem fishing from my pontoon. I think it's because you're so low to the water, when the fish comes to the top near the boat, you don't have as much pressure on from above. With the short rods we use for bass fishing it's really hard to keep enough vertical pressure on a jumping fish when you're seated close to the water. The fish are getting just enough slack to throw the hook, even if you don't think you're giving any slack.

So I made a couple of adjustments and I'm losing very few fish again now. First, let the fish stay deep for as long as it wants -- tire it out under water as much as you can (allowing for snags, etc). Don't try and haul it to the surface straight away. When that fish comes to the top, you want it to be tired -- then its jumping won't be as energetic or frequent.

Second, instead of pulling vertically to get it to the boat ASAP, drag it sideways left and right in the water-- keeping lots of pressure on. Bully it, drag it around, keep it swimming, and control where it goes.

Third, when it comes to the top and is about to leap/head-shake (that's when I was losing them) pull hard down and to the side with your rod tip very close to the surface of the water so that the fish just can't get out of the water properly. This disrupts their leap, and they just aren't able to shake their head the way they want.

So this is what works for me but YMMV. I was losing about 40-50% of 'jumpers' -- I'm now at more like 10%.

I agree.  I fish from a kayak as well, and have seen similar problems with treble hooked lures because of keeping pressure on the fish close to the boat.  Just as said, don't be afraid to keep the fish away from you and play them back and forth until tired.  Letting them stay deep has really helped me.  I'll actually try and keep them down under the kayak until they're ready to come up and then hand line them in one there is just more than a rod length of line out.  It's usually when the rod is high in the air trying to pull the fish in close enough to the kayak to lip them, when I would lose them.  Just experiment and you'll find what works best for you.  As also said before me, a net does help from our low position, but it's another thing to carry in the kayak unless you get a good folding one that flips out quickly.

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

Also a net works wonders unless you dont like them

[kllrbee]

Weird.  I catch almost all my bass from a kayak (unless by the shore at the small retention pond) and I have never had a problem with losing fish with cranks or poppers.  I do make sure I tire them out pretty good when using trebles though, cuz I have had a few flail and got trebles stuck in my hand more than once.  Had to go to ER once.

I think Wrinkle has the right idea though. 

Good luck.

[deep]

Hey folks, thanks for the replies.

Wrinkle, can't wait to try out your ideas. That sounds like good advice.