# A trophy lost, a heart broken, and tips for avoiding shake-offs



## RiparianRanger

Was out this AM tossing the prop bait and had a big smallmouth take the presentation. She gave three good drag pulling runs each followed by a display of aerial acrobatics when on what would have been the fourth attempt to free herself she succeeded in shaking the hook and no amount of 13" specimens that followed could console a broken heart. While she showed herself several times, it is always difficult to estimate the size from afar. Best I can guess is 19"+ given how 17-18" smallies that I have landed have "felt" on the end of the line. For all I know she could have been the answer to my search for the elusive 20 inch smallmouth. 

The question I have for you all is how best to minimize events where the fish throws the hook. I've certainly lost fish before but it usually comes on a single hook (jig) presentation. I struggle to recall the last time a fish has shaken off from a treble hook lure. This particular occasion the hooks were sharp - used for only one outing prior. I had the rod high and the braided line taut the entire time. I've read that some say to drop the rod tip down when they jump but I've never been good at employing this tactic when they take to the air, instead I'm often transfixed on the spectacle of a flying fish as I try to get a good visual measure of my quarry. Also, it seems dropping the rod tip would momentarily add slack to the line as the downward sweeping arc is made and the rod is briefly parallel to the ground. 

Still haunted by the big one that got away. Any tips or techniques for minimizing shake-offs of acrobatic smallmouths are much appreciated.


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## BASSINONE

First of all, this is just my opinion. I have fished bass tourneys for over 30 years, and many days just out play fishing for bass. The statement you made about loosing fish on a single hook, but not a treble, is just the opposite for myself and most bass guys. Single hook losses, you must have done something wrong, now treble hooks, this happens all the time, with traps, cranks.....ect. Second thing you said was braid on a top water, not a great idea. You need some stretch for better hook ups. Also never hold your rod high in the air when a fish starts to jump, i try to stick the rod in the water, helps keep them down. Once again, just my 2 cents. Good luck


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## RiparianRanger

^got it. Thanks. As for the braid, I was roving bipedal and only had one rod/reel. Was fishing finesse most of the outing but couldn't resist trying top water for a few casts.


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## TClark

Mustad Triple Grip Hooks!


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## rsdata

BASSINONE said:


> Also never hold your rod high in the air when a fish starts to jump, i try to stick the rod in the water, helps keep them down. Once again, just my 2 cents. Good luck


X2

dropping your rod tip into the water is hard to do, but it seems to work...


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## fastwater

X3 on everything BASSINONE said.
When you feel that fish coming to the top, bury your rod tip. 
While there's nothing prettier then a bass breaking water and doing its classic dance, as you know, there's no worse feeling then when it spits your lure back in your face.


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## DL07

I agree with alot of what has already been said. The only difference is i always use braid when top water fishing, and when doing so unless im frogging in the slop i use a softer rod with a parabolic bend think cranking rod and allow the rod to fight the fish. I think the bend in the rod and the softer tip help hold the fish and absorb the jump and shake.


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## DL07

I agree with alot of what has already been said. The only difference is i always use braid when top water fishing, and when doing so unless im frogging in the slop i use a softer rod with a parabolic bend think cranking rod and allow the rod to fight the fish. I think the bend in the rod and the softer tip help hold the fish and absorb the jump and shake.


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## OnTheFly

yep, keep the rod tip down when you feel them coming to the surface... don't try to wait until they actually jump. Now if you could give the coordinates of this location I could do a better crime scene investigation and report back fully on what I think went wrong


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## fastwater

OnTheFly said:


> yep, keep the rod tip down when you feel them coming to the surface... don't try to wait until they actually jump. Now if you could give the coordinates of this location I could do a better crime scene investigation and report back fully on what I think went wrong


Yes, when trying to diagnose a problem, the more info one has, the faster and better the diagnoses. The coordinates in this case is a must for proper diagnoses.


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## Bassbme

As has been said, unless you want to see a fish jump, or unless you absolutely have to, to get a fish out of cover ... do not keep your rod tip up. Get it low, or as has been mentioned a few times, stick it in the water.

A high rod tip is not only pulling the fish towards the surface, it's also keeping your line out of the water, and believe it or not, the weight of the line in the water can help keep a fish from jumping. 

When I see the line coming up I also try and pull the rod sideways to turn the fish's head. Anything I can do to keep it from going the direction it was going. 

Personally I'm not a fan of braid in general. I use it only when the situation absolutely calls for it. With that said, unless you have the proper action rod, not power, although a lighter powered rod can make up for a faster action rod, braided line makes it easier for a fish to throw a bait. It's because braid doesn't stretch. Therefore, given the chance it goes slack in a heart beat. I use slower action moderate fast action rods for treble hooked baits. 

Also, x10 on what Bassinone said about his experience with treble hooks versus single hooks. I lose a fish on a single hook bait and it's pretty much my fault. Treble hooked bait, sometimes it can't be helped. More hook points doesn't mean better. At least not with baits where the hooks hang from the body of the bait. 

Keep the rod down and as much line in the water as you can. Change the angle of the line as the fish is close to the surface and ready to jump. Oh ..... and despite thinking your hooks are sharp. Be sure they're sharp. 

Depending on the bait you were throwing, let's say it was a Heddon Torpedo of some size. Unless you modified the bait, they are notorious for losing fish. If it is a Torpedo, the stock hooks are basically junk. 

You need to cut them off and add a split ring, then mount new hooks. Personally I prefer Owner ST 36's. The KVD triple grips are great hooks, but the ones I use are too heavy for some topwater baits.

I love them on rattle trap style baits though.


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## RiparianRanger

Thanks for the tips, everyone. It appears practicing dropping the rod tip is in order. And several nods point to poor tackle selection (braid + extra fast action rod). This time of year I have more success with finesse fishing thus I'm going to have to accept losing a few when wading for those times I can't resist the temptation to try top water before heading home.


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## Marshall

A 250 motor on the back of the boat would solve your problem especially with hoover bass. Lol. Just kidding. 
I agree with what everyone said. It happens. Sometimes u cant prevent it.


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## RiparianRanger

Thanks for the pointers, everyone. Came in handy the other day. Kept the rod to the side and slightly down as opposed to up high and landed an FO smallmouth on a treble hook lure, albeit this was on a combo spooled with P Line fluorocarbon as opposed to no-stretch braid 

https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/spring-summer-17.311575/page-2#post-2344565


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## kapposgd

Which prop bait were you using?


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## James F

A 250 HP Mercury.Couldn't help myself! Matching rod and reel for types of fishing can get confusing.I am just starting to get back into bait casting myself. Good luck, a lot of excellent advice here.


kapposgd said:


> Which prop bait were you using?


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## buckeyebowman

Agree with a lot of the advice given above. I've seen guys using the "high rod" technique to the point where they looked ridiculous! I used to look ridiculous. These days I try to fight a good fish with the power in the butt of the rod. The rod tip might get just above head high. Once you learn it, you can feel where the rod is loading, and you want it loading into the butt.

When I feel some "give" in the fish I reel down to it, and load the butt of the rod again. 

And I've heard the "bow to the fish" technique described a lot for salt water fishing. I've heard it explained that they don't want a fish jumping clear of the water and landing on a taut line which might sever it. Not a problem most freshwater fishers have. 

But the rod tip and line in the water are valid tactics! Despite it's small diameter, line under water does encounter much more resistance than in the air. The first time my BIL took me smallie fishing around the 'Bula break walls I caught a Fish Ohio +++ smallie that he estimated at between 7 and 8 lbs! It was like a big, brown, tiger striped football!

Shortly after I hooked it, it started coming toward the surface. I was reeling like mad to keep the slack out, and my BIL yelled at me to shove my rod in the water! The fish tried to jump, but just ended up wallowing at the surface!

That was my first experience smallie fishing on Erie, and what a great day. I "only" caught four fish, but every one was a PB, and I had to take an Advil when I got home because my hands ached so bad!


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## BMustang

Fish are going to get off - it's the nature of our sport, and using the best tactics and techniques are going to prove ineffective at times.

This spring at Pickwick, TN I had five consecutive hook-ups get off, and was fit to be tied.
I had checked the sharpness of my single hook, and it passed my "thumbnail" test.

My personal get-off rate is about 25%. 
I'm sure this seems high, but I'm not a tournament fisherman, and enjoy watching my smallies take to the air, and never "horse" them.

Fish caught on surface baits tend to throw the hooks more successfully than those caught on slow moving plastics.


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## PapaMike

I was fishing Heron Pond again Saturday morning, 8 AM. Hooked up with a SM via a FC lined PopR. My rod tip was very low to keep below the tree branches but he still managed to spit it out after taking the lure sub-surface several times. Just another experience to add to my learned list. PopR hookup takes a bit longer and may need a single 1/0 hook at tail. 

As for line choices, rods, reels etc., if I listen to all the suggestions, I would virtually need a specific rod,reel, line for every lure, every body of water, cloudy day, rainy day, painted, stained, clear, weeds, no weeds, brush, no brush, mud bottom, rocky bottom, deep, shallow, etc. That's like bringing Fisherman's Warehouse to the pond. 

Carrying 12 to 15 combinations to the pond wouldn't be "fishing", it would be a "project".


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## Shad Rap

If a fish comes up, the rod tip goes down in the water as far as it will go and I reel fast to keep up with it...the odds of a jumping fish dislodging the lure is probably about 50/50 or maybe even greater...definitely have to be a seasoned fisherman to think of these things in the heat of the moment...


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## PapaMike

Shad Rap said:


> definitely have to be a seasoned fisherman to think of these things in the heat of the moment...


Especially when your first cast of the day erupts into an aggressive gulp of a top water lure, obscured by tree branches.


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## Shad Rap

PapaMike said:


> Especially when your first cast of the day erupts into an aggressive gulp of a top water lure, obscured by tree branches.


Yep.


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## Shad Rap

PapaMike said:


> Especially when your first cast of the day erupts into an aggressive gulp of a top water lure, obscured by tree branches.


My basic rules are...
Dont horse the fish.
Keep a tight line/no slack.
Do whatever it takes to keep the fish from exiting the water...fish comes up, rod tip goes way down...bury it...there's been times when I've fought fish with the whole rod buried in the water...especially smallmouth...it slows things down.
Back-reeling and drag are your friends.
Doing these in the heat of the moment is a different story though...haha.
All these things will help your rate of losing fish decrease...but sometimes you'll lose fish no matter what you do...just the nature of it.


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## HappySnag

RiparianRanger said:


> ^got it. Thanks. As for the braid, I was roving bipedal and only had one rod/reel. Was fishing finesse most of the outing but couldn't resist trying top water for a few casts.


try 10'6" noodle rod with braid when you hook fish you will bring her out,when i hook fish my rod is strait up and the rod is loaded like noodel,you cen wach the top saction how is working on the fish,i never lower my rod with ,eyes,stelie or bass.


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## Shortdrift

HappySnag said:


> try 10'6" noodle rod with braid when you hook fish you will bring her out,when i hook fish my rod is strait up and the rod is loaded like noodel,you cen wach the top saction how is working on the fish,i never lower my rod with ,eyes,stelie or bass.


I cannot imagine using a noodle rod on hard mouth bass. Trout/steelhead, yes. Bass no. Noodle rods are not for moving fish out of weeds and heavy cover.


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## HappySnag

Shortdrift said:


> I cannot imagine using a noodle rod on hard mouth bass. Trout/steelhead, yes. Bass no. Noodle rods are not for moving fish out of weeds and heavy cover.


i do not like fish heavy cover,only diping with rod in heavy cover,the rod is slow but has lot off power,i had some big carp in hevy curent i had no problem to control the fish.


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## Shortdrift

This post was about losing bass and how to prevent it. Noodles have their place in open water and rivers. I have landed King Salmon on the Niagara with the noodle after a long fight that exhausts the fish. Not good for bass under any circumstances IMO.


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