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Not losing Fish with right Gear and Technique

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The thought that made me think of starting this interactive group was losing fish and why it happens . Many reasons I suppose but sometimes the gear itself doesn''t match up to the task and blaming yourself isn't always fair .

Also lengthy casts are great to cover water but perhaps harder to get a good hookset with that much line out to the fish ,especially with stretch in mono which I use . So figuring a max distance for casting that still is a safe distance from spooking fish but a better more reasonable distance to increase solid hook sets is something to consider .

However my wife's explanation as to why people lose fish is;"because their stupid" Ha ha , so lets discuss this and be less stupid friends!

Members: 9
Latest Activity: Jul 21, 2023

Discussion Forum

Preventing Pickerel exit Strategy 6 Replies

The problem is Pickerel like thin profile 2-3"swim baits a LOT and bite through the thin monos and co-polymers in their cutoff exit strategy. Landing the hardest fish to land that I encounter…Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan Aug 12, 2022.

Gear Ratios...work in progress 4 Replies

Here is a list of my Spinning and Bait casting reels with their gear ratios . I am suspecting lost fish isn't always my fault , well yeah it is , but maybe because I hooked them with the wrong…Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan May 30, 2016.

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Comment by John Sheehan on November 30, 2016 at 12:09pm: Cold water fish are lost sometimes due to reacting too quickly to line movement or hit .Dropped a nice Pickerel the other day before they got into higher gear by reacting too quickly and not getting a good hook set .Of course afterwards ,also broke off a Pickerel when I had too much slack and the teeth cut above the jig/worm. .SEMI TIGHT line has become a meaningful thought . High rod tip and dropping back a little on the take and using the rod angle opposite to the way the line is swimming off . It's not always doable but I am trying to tweak some better success.

Comment by John Sheehan on November 8, 2016 at 4:29pm: BTW Carl Today I caught most of the 30 fish with one of my spinner rigs used with the smallest model Nungeser spoon/tipped with crawler piece .The rubber stops slip after setting the hook AND/OR WORKING THE BAIT SOMEWHAT AGGRESSIVELY so adjustments are necessary.I gotta work out the proper stop for the test line I'm using to see if things will improve .

Comment by John Sheehan on November 8, 2016 at 6:24am: Glad you appreciate Carl! If you do please explain the making of the the rig in the Walleye group. Perch go for spinner worm rigs too.I know you don't have the Yellow bandits in your area though .You catch Walleyes ? Walleyes up here eat Perch .I believe it's a big part of their diet!

Comment by carl hendrix on November 7, 2016 at 9:43pm: MANY THANKS JOHN;; I LIKE YOUR SET UP;; GOOD IDEA TO PIN THE SPINNER ; WHEREEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE... IVE THOUGHT OF MAKING A DOUBLE HOOK; WITH SPINNER BLADE; FOR WALLEYES;; USING WHOLE NITE CRAWLERS

Comment by John Sheehan on November 6, 2016 at 3:14pm: Carl- I've been using #0,1, and 2 blades and various beads I've collected .The trick I've devised is using the rubber float stops as cinchers to secure the beads/Clevis/ Spinner package anywhere I want between the hook and the barrel swivel.

Comment by carl hendrix on November 5, 2016 at 9:05pm: HEY JOHN;; HOW ABOUT POSTING A PIX OF YOUR CRAWLER HARNESS // SPINNER RIG ? IM THINKING OF TRYING TO MAKE ONE; THANKS BUDDY!

Comment by John Sheehan on November 5, 2016 at 2:05pm: Been dropping some fish due to quicker reactions than needed for the dropping water temps. Dropped a Bass that looked to be a 1.5# class fish .Of course it was a small jig and hook .Dropped a Pickerel 5 days ago by setting the hooks on a Thin Fin and pulled the fish up to see it get off. Slower metabolisms as the water dips below 35 degrees. Gotta slow down now.

Comment by John Sheehan on October 22, 2016 at 11:11am: The large Pickerel lost at the boat bit through the line at the bottom Easy shiner of an 8# test tandem rig. UGGHHH! I really have to work this getting bit off with swim baits problem I'm having quite often.
Here's my next move to figure out how to hold them on the line and land them ; Fireline 10# ,4 # diameter test leaders.

Comment by John Sheehan on August 12, 2016 at 2:59pm: Last time out using 4# test Cabelas mono ,which granted is from an old spool, I dropped a Pickerel at the boat and cut another one off .I am wondering if I had a fresh spool of copolymer with less stretch and less abrasion if a 4# test line would've helped me land those fish .

Comment by John Sheehan on August 4, 2016 at 6:45am: Glad you got a kick outta this pic Carl! This Crappie was several years back when my home lake was prolific with decent Crappie .Greg and his son Orrin were with me and we were slamming a ton of Crappie and releasing them . This "HANGIN' CRIME' fella was retrieved by Greg rowing me over and me plucking him outta the snag ! HAHA!