What does it take

To get a biggun in the boat?
Today I was fishing a grass line in about 10-12' water using a C rig and set the hook on a big fish. I knew she was big so I played her easy. She came to the top 3 times and on the third time she was about 5' from the boat and made another dive and the line went slack. I have caught 6 over 9lbs and she was bigger than those.
I have had 3 bass next to the boat in my life that were over 10 lbs and pulled off before I could get them in the boat. Two were witnessed and today I was by myself.
I know most of y'all are gonna say "Where's the net?" and I agree. Just very frustrated.
All I wanted to do was touch her, take a pic and let her go. But it was not meant to be.

Learn to use that thumb bar when they are close to the boat.

60% luck and 40% skill

+1

Try not being such a sportsman. Hook up and when she comes to the surface slide her all the way to the boat. I never play a fish and use heavy line all the time.

+1 on Mr. Harper

I don't know if this will help but when I have a bigger fish on and they start coming up I reel fast and put my rod tip in the water. I do that to try and make them turn down and it usually works. It doesn't always stop it but it helps. Other times I just freak out yelling "get the net"

+2

Like this...

Seriously I lost so many big fish over the years on Fork that until this year I did not have a double digit bass. I have caught so many 9lb fish on my finesse spinning tackle that it has taught me how to use my heavier equipment better. For me it boils down to a few things and most of it is equipment related but there is the confidence factor that plays a big part when you know your equipment is capable and set for the fight.

1. Use a quality rod this capable of handling the surges, fast moves and hard runs these big girls will make without allowing slack in the line. You will see my rod sponsor in my signature, the equipment Ron builds me has allowed me to land many more fish over the past year due to the way these rods perform and they are affordable which means a lot on my tight budget.

2. Use the best reel you can afford and gain confidence in the drag system. Also check the drag often throughout the day become some reels can back off on hard boat runs in rough water. Let the drag work for you in the fight, my double digit was caught in 34' of water and she literally took three hard runs back to the bottom before she gave up pulling drag all the way.

3. Your line is the most critical of all of the components and I highly recommend Seaguar Invisix as the flourocarbon of choice. With this line you will be able to get great hooksets on these hard jawed fat girls.

4. Use quality hooks that are strong and sharp. Spare no expense here either because the difference between a budget hook that cost a quarter to a quality hook that cost a $1.00 to $1.50 each is not the place to scrimp on tackle. Buy quality hooks and eat PB & J for lunch instead.

5. Pick out a knot that will work well with the line and hooks you have chosen and take time to tie it right. If it did not look or feel right when cinching it down, cut it off and tie it again. Check your knots and that first 3' to 4' of line for knicks or scarring.

You are going to lose some fights regardless, that is just part of fishing at any level. Pay attention to the items above and I think you will gain confidence and have that double digit before spring is up.

And as stated by Donald Harper if a fish comes to the top and you can get her head out of water, speed boating her to the boat can be a possibiltity if your net man is ready. Otherwise let your equipment perform as designed.

Be Blessed
Mark Howard

+3

Lots of luck, everything has got to go your way. That happens when you prepare best you can and be ready at all times. When you least expect it, it will happen..

+4

I agree 100% and seldom lose a big fish. My theory is that when I get her in the boat we can all play with her. I use the heaviest line I can possibly get away with, good hooks and powerful rods. I fish for big fish almost exclusively and have the tackle and mindset to put them in the boat. I've yanked 10 pounders out of a mesquite bush and skied them all the way to the boat

It sucks loosing big fish, but it makes it that much sweeter when you DO land one! it washes away all the bitter defeat of loosing a big one... being ready, and being lucky, are the most important things!

They get big for a reason. I had lost so many DD on Fork. One that would have pushed the 12-13# range. Luck plays a lot on the getting one in. That really big fish when I hit here right at the boat in grass, came straight the surface by the boat and the hook just popped out. When I examined the hook, the tip had bent when it hit the hard part of the roof of her mouth. I caught a 9.5# & 8.5# that day on back to back cast and 30 minutes later added a 7.5#. Nothing any different on those fish, just unlucky with the big fish. I can go on with numerous stories of being unlucky.

When I finally caught a 10.5# a couple years back. She tried to jump in heavy timber and looked like a 6# fish, maybe why I didn't panic. When I got her side the boat I knew different. No net in the boat and shout for my son to come up and help and he lips her. Again, luck, but this time it finally went my way.

well if you are using a lure with trebles it always helps to upgrade the hooks, when she comes up i usually keep my rod to the water and keep alot of pressure to keep her from getting alot of leverage and spittin it out.

I trust my drag. (And I check it a few times a day) over my thumb that might get used twice a year

Set your drag for your line weight and rod action and let it work

You don't see the real line stippers (offshore guys) thumb barring a tuna or marlin

Use your equipment right and it will work for you! The drag isnt always made to be locked down

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll go back this weekend and try to catch another one. Haha

Kicking the trolling motor on high helps too if you got a net man

This ^ is definitely good advice... most of the biggest fish I have netted have been with the trolling motor set to warp speed. it works alot easier than tryin to stab down in the water and scoop your fish up

+1

Buy good equipment and trust that it will work. There is also a great deal of luck involved too. Lol

My first double did-get bass was 11 pounds. I caught it with spinning gear on 6 lb. Trilene xt. It took 20 minutes to land it. I caught it in 17 feet of water in a snowstorm. It made several runs from the top to the bottom. Since then, I began concentrating on big fish only and have caught many 10 pounders. nothing over 11 lbs. yet. I'm like Mr. Harper now, Heavy stuff and crank em in. If you like to play with them, you can do that in the boat. I rarely lose one now.

No different than losing a 2lber, you just remember the good ones. If you tend to lose fish often, you are going to lose some big ones too. I don't lose too many fish regardless of size so the big ones tend to come in the boat. Just be prepared to freespool when she is close to the boat. I've used that many times.

20 minutes to land a bass? I've never seen a bass that wasn't tired after 1-2 minutes

What Red Skeeter said , "Everything has to go your way " and
it has to be everything .

I agree but I lost a DD 3 feet in front me because I did this and it bent my war eagle spinnerbait into an inline spinner.

Try landing that 13 pounder on 6 lb test in deep water Jaret. I'll admit I was probably psyched out. as that line was stretched tight. I surely didn't horse her. At one point I had to raise my trolling motor and pass the pole under it. When I lipped her, the hook fell out.

Lots of LUCK & as stated above, learn to use your thumbar when you have a fish close to the boat.

Ok I'll ask a stupid question... we don't get any 10's in our part of the country... can you describe exactly what you do with the thumb bar by the side of the boat? (obviously I imagine you engage the spool and use your thumb for tension against the spool but that would seem to be a pretty inexact science and open you up to a slip and be too loose)

I'm with the camp that just sets their drag correctly... no sense in using the thumb bar when you got your drag set -- that seems like a recipe for disaster!

But to answer the original ops question -- I figured it out the other day when I got a good one... you have got to pray continuously until the fish is actually in your hands... I am not a big holy roller or anything, but the other day, when I got one one I definitely felt the pucker factor when I realized it was a nice one, and started prayin, and next thing I knew, there she was!