When A Fish Jumps

[craww]

X3 If shes big, wind as quick as you can while doing everything in your power to keep her head down. Big fish are alot more likely to throw a hook.

[craww]

100% DEAD WRONG.

Depending on the equipment that connects you to the fish, he's correct. I've been blessed to be able to catch alot of large bass. At one time I had an almost laughable sucess rate landing BIG fish on rattlebaits. One lake is shore fishing only, and those big fish at the end of a cast would throw the bait quite often. I noticed when watching videos of Butch Brown and Bill Simeintel, they bring fish in the exact way FAT-G describes. So I started doing it also. IT WORKS. Now obviously you cant do it on light line or ultra thin wire hooks. But most of the time its the way to go.

Also don't forget, your reel has a drag lol. Just because your cranking, doesnt mean the fish can't take line before it breaks..

[J Francho]

I try to lead them to a point where I get the upper hand. Here's a case where this smallie had leaped twice already. Those first two leaps were directly at the boat, so all I could do is take up slack. On the third leap, I had her. I turned her in mid air, and forced her head toward me on reentry, and after a few cranks and some figure-8s next to the boat, my partner had her netted. A nice 5-0 smallie.

[The one that got away]

If it's just an average fish, I'll enjoy the aerial show and won't mind if I lose the fish. If it's a good one, I keep the rod tip low or even in the water to discourage the jumping and possibility of losing a real nice fish.

[SirSnookalot]

Being a recreational fisherman, I'm looking for a fun time, I don't care how big the fish is I'm hoping it's jumping, that's what I'm there for. I lost a real nice one yesterday on the jump, didn't really care I was going to release it anyway, fish wasn't gut hooked and none the worse for wear. To me that's success, I hooked it and had the pleasure of a nice battle. I put little emphasis on weights and pictures, a good fish is always win win for me, whether I've touched it or not.

Fishing for tarpon, has taught me how to handle jumping fish much better, if I choose to land them I stand a pretty decent chance, that said no person alive lands them all.

As said, low rod tip and a tight line is the key to landing any jumping fish.

[BirdNestBen]

James is right.. what he said... first pray.. then keep rod tip low and reel fast.... try to land em before he can jump....