We have all experience hooking a fish just to have b line to the surface and throw your bait. What is the best proceedure percentage wise to land the fish? Jam your pole in the water and apply maximum pressure or bow to the fish and steady pressure?

Get that fish in the boat as fast as you can.
Be ready to give drag, I use the thumb pressure on spool push release bar method.
Keep rod tip low in open water keep high in heavy cover.
Use the biggest hooks you can that still allow the bait to perform correctly.

One of the reasons I love bass fishing is because they do jump after you hook them. I know when they jump they have the highest probability of throwing the hook but I don't care. You can try jamming your rod into the water & reeling like a madman as you see the line coming up but you cannot keep a good fish over 6 pounds from clearing the water if she is out away from the boat a ways.

Treble hooks always worry me more than a 4/0 or 5/0 hook. Treble hooks I keep the rod tip down and try and keep them from jumping. Rest I just reel. If it's lily pads or other roots I get them the hell into open water as fast as I can. I don't know how they do it, but they ram the now exposed hook into roots and can somehow get off. That amazes me.

I guess I’m the opposite. I give a BUNCH of slack in the line when they jump and head shake. The fish can’t leverage the bait that way. As for trebles, it usually winds up getting even more hooks in them when they shake. Also, on really big fish, I will loosen the drag a little to keep them from getting leverage on a hook.

Maybe I’m wrong, but it works for me.

Use trapper hooks. They look dumb but they work

This is the way I do it. It is called SKIING the fish to the net. Practice on small fish and work your way up; but you have to survive that first jump to flatten the fish out on the surface.

Is like to see y’all “ski” an 8 pounder on 6lb line. Lol

Never drop below 17 an that is in open water. I know what you are saying though. Some guys use the light stuff and have to play the fish. Most fisherman feel the need to play a fish for the fight and nothing wrong with that at all.

Play with them after you get him in the boat, bet the 14 out of Alan Henry wasn't on 6 lb line. That lake is loaded with cedar trees.

I'll let 'em jump, but pull them down & bring in as hard as I feel I can get away with. Watching them come up & shake that head is what gets me pumped up!

Bow to the king.....

I discovered years ago (when I was cheap) that the reason that fish were coming off, was HOOK SHARPNESS. Could be, that you are not getting the hook penetration that you think you are.

Use only extremely sharp hooks for awhile and see if your issue doesn't improve.

That would be hard to see with me as I don’t use 6 lb line.
Of course if I were I wouldn’t ski one back. But I can assure you with regular bass tackle not ultralight stuff the best way to not lose a fish is to get it in the boat as fast as you can. No matter what size.

I agree there is a time and a place for finesse landing and horsing.