Do you love big bluegill?

Not losing Fish with right Gear and Technique

Information

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.

View All

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Not losing Fish with right Gear and Technique to add comments!

Comment by John Sheehan on June 11, 2016 at 7:29am: I have not needed a trailer hook so far on my spinner-baits and haven't lost one fish on any I've used this year. I have caught Pickerel and Bass on about five or more different spinner-baits.Maybe one hook is better than a Treble . sometimes.

Comment by John Sheehan on June 1, 2016 at 9:52am: Wow! I was hoping 10# test/4# test diameter leader made from Fireline and attached to 4# mono would serve when using small spoons for pannies and Pickerel are around .The wire leaders I have are better used for the bigger lures during warmer water seasons;late spring thru late Fall. Pickerel in Cold water really are caught more often on smaller stuff in my experience. I usually go that way November and December . I 'll see if they cut through the Fireline I guess. They've stolen some of those small spoons meant for Gills.I am toying with making leaders from guitar strings ,barrel swivels, and Duolock snaps . I'm thinking a 012 Light gauge E string or a 016 Light B string is worth the experiment . Thanks for your input!

Comment by Slip Sinker on June 1, 2016 at 9:10am: …Yep ... like a razor thru butter... braid will easily be cut thru a pikes teeth. there is no braid on the market that is not susceptable to the bite-off. you can up the poundage to decrease the chance though

the problem i have is i dont usually fish for them nowadays... usually im after the panfish. im finding the 1.5" to 2" minnow presentation in front of a pred is somewhat irresistable to them. the bite-offs happen often.

if i intentionally fish for them i would most probably be using a wire leader. the problem im having is the tiny lures are easily inhaled 100% and the line is dragged across their teeth on the hookset.

Comment by John Sheehan on June 1, 2016 at 8:12am: Slip Sinker ,what kind of line are those Pike biting through ? I thought you only fished braid . They are not biting through that are they?

Comment by John Sheehan on May 30, 2016 at 9:51am: I've encountered a few instances where I've pulled my lure right out of the mouths of Pickerel I can see have made the bait disappear into their mouths. I am wondering if when i see that again I shouldn't either wait for them to start swimming away before setting the hook or tighten up on it gently then try a hard set . I usually set quickly when i see that happen because I'm concerned they will drop the bait before i decide to set .TIMING , it's a trick.

Comment by John Sheehan on May 30, 2016 at 9:46am: Hmm.... interesting about Pike Slip! Yes, I wondered about braid verses mono hookup percentages !

Comment by Slip Sinker on May 30, 2016 at 9:00am: ...one of the main reasons i would lose a northern pike is they grip a large bait so tightly with their teeth i wouldn't get a great hookset. the bait doesnt move in their mouth therefore no hook penetration. many times they open their mouth in the net releasing the bait.

one of the benefits of using braid will also increase the chances of a good hook set... no stretch.

Comment by carl hendrix on May 29, 2016 at 12:57pm: JOHN;; MANY TIMES I ATTACH A GOOD BARREL SWIVEL ; AND SPLIT RING TO ATTACH HOOKS TO JIGS N STUFF ;; SPLIT RING ON BOTH ENDS; ATTACH TO JIG ; THEN THE HOOK;; LETS THE HOOK KIND OF ROTATE A LITTLE; AND WITH DRESSED TREBLES;; JUST ADDS TO THE LURE;; TRY ONLY ONE;; SHE IF YOU LIKE IT

Comment by John Sheehan on May 29, 2016 at 9:31am: I'm not getting what you mean Carl-you mean to attach the hook to or to attach to main line ?I use a snap swivel to main line so I can switch up sizes of spinners or spoons .