Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Chehalis_Steel]

I was fishing one of the Douglas Lake Ranch lakes with my dad a few days ago. We were doing pretty good anchorer using the indicator chironomid method even though few other people seemed to be catching anything trolling.

So anyway we landed a lot of fish in the 1-4 lb range but I lost my biggest fish in the weeds. This guy was probably 5lbs +. Anyone have any tips for keeping fish out of the weeds or how to still land them when they get snagged up?

[HOOK]

go to heavier tippet after losing one in the weeds. Down side is that sometimes the fish won't strike with heavier tippet so your stuck losing the odd fish to the weeds. If it gets you hung up try pulling slowly from different angles hoping the weeds will cut free or try pulling anchor and working from the other side. Of course if it takes you into the weeds and you cannot feel the fish anymore then just pull it free either getting your fly back or not.

losing big fish is just part of the game 

[mastercaster]

I've fished large fish in this situation a lot over the decades and the best advise I can give you to improve your chances of landing these fish is to really apply upward pressure on them while playing them which keeps the fish close to the surface.  In order to do that, you often have to extend your entire arm over your head while playing the fish whether you choose to strip them in or play them off the reel.  It's definitely more tiring but it works.

Also….if your plan is to play the fish off the reel which most anglers tend to do with larger fish, it's important that you don't give the fish any chance at all to dive down while getting the line off the bottom of the boat onto your reel so keep applying that upward pressure through that process if it arises. 

Giving the fish its head back so that it has the upper hand by not applying this upward pressure or by giving the fish any slack at all during the fight will almost certainly end badly because the fish will dive for those weeds.  If the fish gets wrapped in tougher, stronger weeds than your tippet material then you have to be damn lucky to be the victor!  You'll have to lift anchor, get above the fish, and gently pull upward hoping for the best.

If leader/tippet strength and thickness isn't an issue then by all means, go heavier, but if it means just the odd hookup compared to what you might get?  Well, I'd rather take my chances that I'm likely going to lose the odd fish by going lighter.  However, because I'm going to get more hookups from lighter tippet material, I'll get to practice this skill mentioned above. Then, hopefully, I'll be the one in control.

It's pretty common sense that large fish don't get that way from being stupid.  One reason, besides others why they get that way, is because they notice things like thicker, stronger, more visible leader line and will, in most cases, simply turn their nose up at it so ONLY ever go as heavy as the fishing allows so that your day will not be affected adversely.  To me, that's usually 6 lb. tippet material.

Besides…. even if you do lose some fish to the weeds due to lighter tippet material that's a whole lot more fun than fishing with clothe line and not getting any hookups at all!  LOL

[Chehalis_Steel]

Thanks guys those are some good tips.

[RalphH]

Last month I had a good fish of about 5lbs run for the reeds on the shoal I was fishing. I applied side pressure in that case - drop the rod to your side so the line has the shortest length from rod tip to fish. In that case it turned the fish just short of the reeds and I was able to land it. In most cases you can apply more direct pressure by pulling from the side but as mentioned above when the fish is diving for weeds on the bottom upwards pressure may be the best tactic.

[Flytech]

I agree with Ralph on this one, side pressure and control.

[Chehalis_Steel]

Last month I had a good fish of about 5lbs run for the reeds on the shoal I was fishing. I applied side pressure in that case - drop the rod to your side so the line has the shortest length from rod tip to fish. In that case it turned the fish just short of the reeds and I was able to land it. In most cases you can apply more direct pressure by pulling from the side but as mentioned above when the fish is diving for weeds on the bottom upwards pressure may be the best tactic.

Yea I can see how upwards pressure would help but I think the guy I got went right down and towards the reeds/shallower weeds the moment he realized he was hooked. Side pressure might have been the answer to turn him away at least, and some more drag. Didn't really have time to think though

[kalex60]

If the fish was going to a trouble spot I would tighten my drag till the fish stopped or
My line broke. If you are using mono line try flourocarbon it can allow you to fish heavier leaders well still maintaining a stealthy presentation.

[clarkii]

Idk about everyone, but for me common practice in lakes is to strip fish in rather then off of the reel.

I find a lot of the time I just put the brakes to the fish,  but also work my angles a lot, using side pressure  a bit to try to horsebthem where i want.