Do You Prefer Light Tackle Or Heavy Duty Gear For Bass Fishing? 2024
Diggy reply :
I have been shying away from heavier # lines recently and have been looking at some light tackle/finesse outfits in casting and spinning for open areas to make bass fishing more exciting. I got slightly tired of horsing fish to shore and even when playing the fish a bit, it can be a bit too easy at times. I just watched a swimbait video and even with huge fish being caught which is expected on these lures, the bass were getting into the boat in about 10 seconds if that at times, almost effortless.
Felix77 reply :
I find myself partial to finesse presentations. 6, 8lb test FC at most. Seems like it catches more fish generally and when you get a beast on it's exciting as hell.
Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy catching them on spinnerbaits too but when you have a 6lb Smallmouth on an 8another siteC leader with 10lb PowerPro braid on it will get you very nervous! That's the thrill in finesse to me.
As for getting it into the boat in a timely manner ... to me I could care less how long it takes me to get them in as long as they are in! Experience and practice will make you more efficient but the name of the game is landing them at whatever cost.
Hyrule Bass reply :
i love fighting a big fish on light tackle, its just funner.
***waits for the "but youre stressing the fish longer and going to kill it crowd" to start crying...
Felix77 reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 4:42 AM, Red Earth said:i love fighting a big fish on light tackle, its just funner.
You said funner ... ;-)
thehooligan reply :
Im a finesse junky. At the moment all my rods are medium/medium light action. My 3 spinning combos are 1000 size reels with 10lb braid. My two baitcaster setups are 51e's with 8lb line.
I do need to pick up something for frogs this year though...
PABASS reply :
My heaviest line is 14# which I don't like, its on an old setup that I only use for jig/frog fishing. I learned fishing finesses and at the time it wasn't a technique just they way I learned to catch bass so I prefer light tackle 6-10#.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Imo, it depends highly on where you fish. Me, i fish in central/south FL in mainly weed choked heavy cover lakes. So all my gear is inclined towards the heavy side. Flippin/punchin sticks, heavy braid etc. I am however planning a trip down south for peacocks so i will be investing in a couple lighter combos. Maybe, just MAYBE, even a spinning outfit! Haha
Diggy reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 4:24 AM, Felix77 said:I find myself partial to finesse presentations. 6, 8lb test FC at most. Seems like it catches more fish generally and when you get a beast on it's exciting as hell.
Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy catching them on spinnerbaits too but when you have a 6lb Smallmouth on an 8another siteC leader with 10lb PowerPro braid on it will get you very nervous! That's the thrill in finesse to me.
As for getting it into the boat in a timely manner ... to me I could care less how long it takes me to get them in as long as they are in! Experience and practice will make you more efficient but the name of the game is landing them at whatever cost.
I fish from shore for fun so much of that is moot to me. It just that its ...oh a fish is on...reel 3 seconds, its in. Repeat for 6-8hrs at times depending on the gear and where Im fishing. Once in a while Ill hook a mayan cichlid, cat, or snakehead and itll change the tempo up at times.
basseditor reply :
I have 12# on a couple set ups but I don't trust it. I prefer 20-25# FC. I broke off a big one a few days ago. Darn 12#. I may not get as many bites with 20, but when I do they're coming in the boat.
Goose52 reply :
Most of my water is open and as a result I can get away with fishing lighter gear than most. I do go up to MH every once in a while, but while I have an H rod, I've never used it here other than some practice casts. Some years I use more UL and L power rods. On line, 6 or 8 pound is the norm on spinning and 10 pound on BC gear. The only braid I routinely use is 20lb on spinning gear.
Fishing just seems to be more fun with ligher tackle, especially in my water where smaller bass are the norm. Why use MH rods to go after smaller fish in open water. I can readily land any fish in my lakes (up to 50lb grass carp) with M power rods, and ML makes it even more fun.
Using 2012 as an example - heres a summary of the fish I caught by rod power and line test:
Fish by Rod Power (both spinning and BC rods):
12 UL
9 L
232 ML
970 M
13 MH
0 H
Fish by Line Test:
12 4lb
121 6lb
157 8lb
427 10lb
84 12lb
2 14lb
433 20lb (braid)
KYntucky Warmouth reply :
You've gotta land fish on a swimbait pretty quick. You can't jack around with one or it'll throw it.
SudburyBasser reply :
I finesse fished with 20# braid last year and didn't notice much of a problem (had a lot and didn't feel like buying more line). That said, this year I'm going to be using a Stradic CI4 2500 so I had it spooled with lighter line.
My other two set ups -- crankbait and top water -- have 20# braid. Overkill for the relatively clean lakes I tend to fish but I'm paranoid.
0119 reply :
I prefer to light line it. Weightless plastics and small cranks and topwaters. Most of the waters i fish its hard to though due to other species. Im interested in using Charlie Brewers Sliders, stitching and dropshooting but the conditions here aren't conducive to it. Id like the course fish like they do in Europe one day too.
NWI-Bassin' reply :
You're using mono right ?On 2/28/2013 at 5:38 AM, Goose52 said:Most of my water is open and as a result I can get away with fishing lighter gear than most. I do go up to MH every once in a while, but while I have an H rod, I've never used it here other than some practice casts. Some years I use more UL and L power rods. On line, 6 or 8 pound is the norm on spinning and 10 pound on BC gear. The only braid I routinely use is 20lb on spinning gear.
Fishing just seems to be more fun with ligher tackle, especially in my water where smaller bass are the norm. Why use MH rods to go after smaller fish in open water. I can readily land any fish in my lakes (up to 50lb grass carp) with M power rods, and ML makes it even more fun.
Using 2012 as an example - heres a summary of the fish I caught by rod power and line test:
Fish by Rod Power (both spinning and BC rods):
12 UL
9 L
232 ML
970 M
13 MH
0 H
Fish by Line Test:
12 4lb
121 6lb
157 8lb
427 10lb
84 12lb
2 14lb
433 20lb (braid)
Goose52 reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 7:02 AM, NWI-Bassin said:You're using mono right ?
4lb was nylon mono
6lb, 8lb, and 10lb was both nylon mono and YZ-Ultrasoft
12lb was flouro
14lb was nylon mono
20lb was braid
retiredbosn reply :
I used to fish U/L exclusively what I found is that the rods are so springy that you don't really feel the fight, the rod absorbs all the shock. I get more enjoyment with a 7 foot MH or M rod. Most pulls, runs and head shakes are transmitted to my hand wrist. IMO fish the way u enjoy the most I really like power fishing cranks, spinner baits, buzz baits etc. I can and do slow down, I like jigs, worm, senko, and finesse. But power fishing is my favorite
jm37817 reply :
You guys don't know a thriller til you start fly fishing for bass. A one pound smallmouth can feel like the next state record. One year I was fishing for trout on North Fork and ended up catching one of the biggest smallies of my life. Fought the fish for almost 30 min. on my fly rod. Will never forget it.
Not_Here reply :
i like using the big guns & i'm almost always in the meat & potato's of the heaviest garbage i can find, thats what i love doing 
I.rar reply :
Love fishing with light tackle. So much that I got rid of my heavier stuff simply because I never used it. My primary rod is a 6'8 l/f river runner with a saros 1000. Spooled with 15 and 20# braid with a 6# cxx leader. I've landed some chunky bass on this rig and love the fight I get from it.
A-Jay reply :
I use the lightest tackle I can for the situation I'm fishing.
Sometimes, that's a 4lb test drop shot rig.
Other times, it's a Heavy action stick and braid in the slop.
As for a favorite - I like the system that allows me to land the fish I'm targeting as well as the occasional surprise.
A-Jay
upnorthbassin reply :
I think it's the other factors that influence it the most. If you like baitcasting gear you can't really load up the 4lb mono and let it fly. You can't exactly throw a jig w/ trailer that weighs 1oz combined on an ultralight spinning rod. Not to mention the environment....you will have a tougher time around line wrecking structure with lighter gear. There is an in-between though where it's not a 10 minute fight but also you're not going to water ski a 5lb bass either.
The Rooster reply :
I used to be all about light tackle. I had multiple UL and L rigs. 8 pound line was as heavy as I went, and then I got my first baitcast reel on a medium rod and used 12 pound line on it. That was as heavy as I went for years. A few years ago I got convinced to try a MH rod with 14 pound line on it. It became my favorite rod and last fall I bought my first H/F rod and spooled it up with 17 pound test to get into some heavier fishing areas. I gave my UL rigs away until I have none now. What's funny is I still have a few UL topwaters and crankbaits in my bag but the only rod I have I could fish them on is a 6'6" M/F spinning with 8 pound line. I guess it would work but those baits haven't seen water in years. These days I prefer a 1/2 oz jig with 1/4 oz of plastic hanging off the back of it. Not really heavy but not light either. Bought my first 3/4 oz rated spinnerbait just the other day. Seems my tackle is moving heavier all the time.
BenB54 reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 7:59 AM, Frog Turds said:i like using the big guns & i'm almost always in the meat & potato's of the heaviest garbage i can find, thats what i love doing
X2. Flipping, pitching and frogging are my favorite.
Darren. reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 4:15 AM, Diggy said:I have been shying away from heavier # lines recently and have been looking at some light tackle/finesse outfits in casting and spinning for open areas to make bass fishing more exciting. I got slightly tired of horsing fish to shore and even when playing the fish a bit, it can be a bit too easy at times. I just watched a swimbait video and even with huge fish being caught which is expected on these lures, the bass were getting into the boat in about 10 seconds if that at times, almost effortless.
I definitely prefer a lighter approach, thanks in part to Gary Yamamoto's articles on his spinning techniques in which he touts 10 lb braid being capable for most bass angling needs.
So I normally use M powered rods and 10 or 20 lb test braid plus leader, that's on spinning and baitcasting. I've horsed some pretty hefty bass out of thick slop and woody areas on spinning gear with 10 lb braid.
I've also lost my share of beauties....
SoCalFisher reply :
Yea I like light tackle. My phenix recon PHX-C682L and Shimano curado 50e is my favorite set up.
shootermcbob reply :
don't really have a favorite. I like both spinning and casting. To me, there is something that is just intoxicating about fishing, the sound of the reel when casting, the feel of the bite, the explosion of a topwater bite, the 1000's of lures and techniques to try.
That said, I probably get a bit more enjoyment out of landing a big fish on spinning tackle...7 ft medium cabelas xml, shimano stradic 2500, and yo-zuri hybrid ultrasoft #6 is my preferred rig, with a shimano crucial 6'8" med x-tra fast is a very close second.
Teal reply :
There is def a time for both, and ive always been told to go as light as you can get away with. But my fishing style has changed alot in the past two years and now i lean more towards heavier action rods, stouter hooks, and braid.. (mainly 30 and 50#) most of gear is middle of the pack as far heavy/light goes..but i would Stick to flippin/pitchin/punchin/skipping if i could be sucessful with only that technique year round....but unfortunatly that not the way it is and its important to be well rounded.
WRB reply :
Where I do 90% of my bass fishing there isn't much cover for bass to get into, a few trees and some brush.
My tackle is geared to effectively present the lures I am fishing from 5 to 6 lb FC for small finesse presentations to 25 lb mono for heavy swimbaits and rods to match the line. The only time I fish with braid is flipping or pitching very heavy cover to control the bass so it doesn't wrap the line around everything down there.
I have caught the majority of my giant bass on 10 to 14 lb mono or FC line with 4 and 5 power rods. A few DD bass on 6 and 8 lb spinning tackle.
It's foolish to use too light of tackle in heavy cover.
Tom
OkeechobeeAngler reply :
This
On 2/28/2013 at 9:36 AM, A-Jay said:I use the lightest tackle I can for the situation I'm fishing.
Sometimes, that's a 4lb test drop shot rig.
Other times, it's a Heavy action stick and braid in the slop.
As for a favorite - I like the system that allows me to land the fish I'm targeting as well as the occasional surprise.
A-Jay
SirSnookalot reply :
Knowing the kind of fish Diggy has been catching lately it's no wonder why he wants to downsize. I can think of only a few reasons why heavier rods and lines are used. Pulling fish out of thick cover, handling a heavier lure and getting them back at warp speed to get on to the next cast if in a tournament, none of which is my preference. Most lines today break well over the number printed on the label, even a 10# line is really like fishing anywhere from 10-30% stronger. Not much difference in the lighter lines but the difference gets very dramatic in the heavier lines, in essence we are fooled into believing we are fishing lighter than we really are. As long as your line is in healthy condition with well tied knots, beefy fish can be landed on the light gear, that's where the rubber meets the road.
I will be taking Diggy with me to see if we can catching something special.
retiredbosn reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 7:35 AM, jm37817 said:You guys don't know a thriller til you start fly fishing for bass. A one pound smallmouth can feel like the next state record. One year I was fishing for trout on North Fork and ended up catching one of the biggest smallies of my life. Fought the fish for almost 30 min. on my fly rod. Will never forget it.
North Fork of Anthony Creek, up RTE 92? Fished there many times for trout, would have never thought a smallie would make it that far up the creek system
jm37817 reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 10:31 PM, retiredbosn said:North Fork of Anthony Creek, up RTE 92? Fished there many times for trout, would have never thought a smallie would make it that far up the creek system
North Fork of the South Branch of the Patomac actually. I tried to refrain from typing all that out, it's a mouthfull.
retiredbosn reply :
Never fished down that way. From WV originally, have had many good days on the Greenbrier and new rivers.
BrettD reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 7:59 AM, Frog Turds said:i like using the big guns & i'm almost always in the meat & potato's of the heaviest garbage i can find, thats what i love doing
+1 I fish lake okeechobee 95% of the time an finesse fishing isnt really a viable option. My friends laugh at me when they see my bass tackle is heavier then my inshore snook tackle. I think pulling a 5-8# bass out of the slop in Okeechobee is harder then finesse fishing you cant give the fish a inch or he is so buried in the grass you will never get him.
J Francho reply :
I throw whatever is working or what I want to throw. Cover, and to some extent, the bait dictates what weight setup I use. Can't toss a 1 oz. swimbait on 6# fluoro. Likewise, a 1/16 oz. wacky jig doesn't go far on 65# braid. One thing I do a lot of is finesse in cover. 15-20# braid, and an 8# leader of fluoro or CXX will give you all the muscle you need in patchy weeds.
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 10:44 PM, jm37817 said:North Fork of the South Branch of the Patomac actually. I tried to refrain from typing all that out, it's a mouthfull.
Smoke Hole? i went trout fishing at smoke hole once, didnt catch a thing. but the guy who runs the campground said there are 25" small mouth in there...
bassinbrian reply :
The big guns Thick weeds and brush are most of the lakes around here.
new2BC4bass reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 5:13 AM, PABASS said:My heaviest line is 14# which I don't like, its on an old setup that I only use for jig/frog fishing. I learned fishing finesses and at the time it wasn't a technique just they way I learned to catch bass so I prefer light tackle 6-10#.
Me too! Growing up 6# or 8# was the norm. Once I got in my late teens, I bought a 9' Fenwick for fishing nightwalkers. Naturally it got used for whatever else I felt like throwing. By then I was using 4# Trilene XL. Had to add a 10# leader to keep from snapping lures off on the cast.
Nowadays my standard line for baitcast outfits is 8# on Medium rods and 12# for MH rods...mono, of course. Am using 10# braid on an outfit that would have 4# if using mono. Went with Sufix 832 instead of PP because I didn't know if I could see a 2# mono equivalent well enough to thread a hook or lure.
VtGr0wn reply :
i prefer medium light rod with 6-8 lb test as their are no major lunkers in my area
J Francho reply :
Uhhhh, aren't you close to Champlain? There's some big fish, and classic heavy cover fishing at the south end.
ww2farmer reply :
I prefer the right tool for the job. LMAO at the "thrill of the fight" crowd. I am in the "thrill of the fish in the boat" crowd.
Diggy reply :
On 2/28/2013 at 7:35 AM, jm37817 said:You guys don't know a thriller til you start fly fishing for bass. A one pound smallmouth can feel like the next state record. One year I was fishing for trout on North Fork and ended up catching one of the biggest smallies of my life. Fought the fish for almost 30 min. on my fly rod. Will never forget it.
My friends fly fish for peacock bass, snook, tarpon and redfish. I will try it one day but it looks like alot of effort, once spring/summer comes the pea bite should be great locally
Goose52 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 2:50 AM, ww2farmer said:I prefer the right tool for the job. LMAO at the "thrill of the fight" crowd. I am in the "thrill of the fish in the boat" crowd.
Wow, in that case, perhaps the right tool for the job would be dynamite.
Certainly, a fish in the boat is important for tournaments and fishing for food. And I always feel bad if I loose a quality fish. But isn't part of the enjoyment of fishing the fight? The knowledge that perhaps the fish might win and get away? I don't know about others on this board, but that's important for me.
Sometimes, fishing is about more than just catching...
A-Jay reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:07 AM, Goose52 said:Wow, in that case, perhaps the right tool for the job would be dynamite.
Certainly, a fish in the boat is important for tournaments and fishing for food. And I always feel bad if I loose a quality fish. But isn't part of the enjoyment of fishing the fight? The knowledge that perhaps the fish might win and get away? I don't know about others on this board, but that's important for me.
Sometimes, fishing is about more than just catching...
It is - and I do agree but I can also smell what ww2farmer is cooking.
Enough fish manage to escape the final lip or net job that I don't want to help them out any.
So, and I know you've heard this, I play with them once they're in the net.
A-Jay
J Francho reply :
If you're in it for the fight, try a different species. Seriously, I just don't get playing out a bass, even smallies. Yes, you have to let them run when they want, but big fish are a weird deal. The less time they are hooked and not in my hand, the better for me. Half the time, you can actually lead a fish in open water with very little pressure. Read Charlie Brewer's stuff on Slider fishing. He would actually lead fish out of cover BEFORE setting the hook! I can't go that far, but, you get the picture.On 3/1/2013 at 4:07 AM, Goose52 said:Goose52, on 28 Feb 2013 - 15:12, said:
Wow, in that case, perhaps the right tool for the job would be dynamite.
Certainly, a fish in the boat is important for tournaments and fishing for food. And I always feel bad if I loose a quality fish. But isn't part of the enjoyment of fishing the fight? The knowledge that perhaps the fish might win and get away? I don't know about others on this board, but that's important for me.
Sometimes, fishing is about more than just catching...
jm37817 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 3:09 AM, Diggy said:My friends fly fish for peacock bass, snook, tarpon and redfish. I will try it one day but it looks like alot of effort, once spring/summer comes the pea bite should be great locally
Not as much effort as practice and lots and lots and lots of patience. I was fortunate enough to learn when I was a kid by my Dad and Uncles. I'm almost 30 now and have had plenty of time to learn these two facts.
Goose52 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:17 AM, A-Jay said:It is - and I do agree but I can also smell what ww2farmer is cooking.
Enough fish manage to escape the final lip or net job that I don't want to help them out any.
So, and I know you've heard this, I play with them once they're in the net.
A-Jay
Sure, I know. And ww2farmer is talking like a good tournament angler. I don't want to lose fish needlessly either...but I sure do like to feel the tug on the line. AND, I don't mind the risk of loosing a fish from time to time. Thus, I personally will keep my tackle on the light(er) side to get more of those tugs.
jm37817 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 12:56 AM, Red Earth said:Smoke Hole? i went trout fishing at smoke hole once, didnt catch a thing. but the guy who runs the campground said there are 25" small mouth in there...
Yes, that's the area. If you've ever been to Seneca Rocks that's the River I'm referring to. I swear they eat the trout, that's how they get so big.
Diggy reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:23 AM, J Francho said:If you're in it for the fight, try a different species. Seriously, I just don't get playing out a bass, even smallies. Yes, you have to let them run when they want, but big fish are a weird deal. The less time they are hooked and not in my hand, the better for me. Half the time, you can actually lead a fish in open water with very little pressure. Read Charlie Brewer's stuff on Slider fishing. He would actually lead fish out of cover BEFORE setting the hook! I can't go that far, but, you get the picture.
Normally you are all smiles , but with this post I envision you like this, lol
J Francho reply :
Dude, I have more fun than anyone fishing for bass. It's not about the fight, though. It's about the game, and the results. That's why I prefer bass to other species. If it was just about the fight, I'd be chasing trout, salmon, or pike - and sometimes do. But that type of fishing isn't nearly as challenging or satisfying as bass fishing.
Goose52 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:23 AM, J Francho said:If you're in it for the fight, try a different species. Seriously, I just don't get playing out a bass, even smallies. Yes, you have to let them run when they want, but big fish are a weird deal. The less time they are hooked and not in my hand, the better for me. Half the time, you can actually lead a fish in open water with very little pressure. Read Charlie Brewer's stuff on Slider fishing. He would actually lead fish out of cover BEFORE setting the hook! I can't go that far, but, you get the picture.
John, I don't play out a bass, all I've said is that I enjoy the fight that there is. Since I fish mostly open water, and typically use lighter baits, I use lighter tackle and enyoy the fight. Even with ML rods and 6lb test, you've still usually got the bass back to the boat/bank in about 30 seconds, minute tops. I'm still trying to get the bass in before I lose it, and it's not like I'm trying to land 9 pound bass on 2lb test.
I understand about enjoying the strategy, tactics, bait selection, presentation, etc. But for many of us, bass ARE about the only species available and the fight is a big part of the equation.
retiredbosn reply :
I like the thrill of the fight, what I hate is a fish swimming off with a lure in it's mouth. Or a fish so exhausted it dies. It is unavoidable no matter the tackle. Here are my observations from switching from ul or panfish equipment to bass equipment. Less line breaks, fewer lost lures, less mortality rate, larger fish are boated, throwing anything over 1/8 oz can not be properly presented with ul rigs, nor can u present anything under 1/8 with bass equipment. I don't think either camp is more or less ethical than the other, equipment has its limits. You're not going to do any punching with ul's nor will u throw 1/16oz crappie jigs on a mh casting rod.
BassWhole! reply :
Bass don't really fight much, in open water 6 or even 4 lb mono will have even a big fish to the boat after 2 or 3 runs, the issue is the cover or structure cutting your line, or a fish burying in some thick grass, or loosing lures due to hangups. I find myself using a med spinning reel with 8 lb mono, and a baitcaster with 12lb mono most of the time. Conditions will dictate heavier mono or braid for heavy cover or slop of course. I equate it to golf, your sand wedge may be your favorite club, but you wouldn't Tee off or putt with it, same here. Oh, and 20 lb braid isn't light or finesse just because its on a 1000 reel and a med rod.
PondLvr reply :
I prefer to use lighter mainly because you can feel the fish better and makes it more fun. But if using bigger or heavier lures heavier tackle is needed but if it isnt i prefer to use lighter tackle
A-Jay reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:39 AM, Goose52 said:John, I don't play out a bass, all I've said is that I enjoy the fight that there is. Since I fish mostly open water, and typically use lighter baits, I use lighter tackle and enyoy the fight. Even with ML rods and 6lb test, you've still usually got the bass back to the boat/bank in about 30 seconds, minute tops. I'm still trying to get the bass in before I lose it, and it's not like I'm trying to land 9 pound bass on 2lb test.
I understand about enjoying the strategy, tactics, bait selection, presentation, etc. But for many of us, bass ARE about the only species available and the fight is a big part of the equation.
There is no doubt that we you stick a good fish while drop shotting or any of the finesse rigs - there is almost always some period of time during the fight where the actual out come is a bit in question.
I like that.
A-Jay
Goose52 reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:27 AM, Goose52 said:........ I don't want to lose fish needlessly either...but I sure do like to feel the tug on the line. AND, I don't mind the risk of loosing a fish from time to time......
An hour after typing this...I had to "walk the talk." Was fishing a lipless crank in 42deg. water and hooked up with a BIG bass - big as probably 6 pounds or larger, perhaps much larger big. Pulled drag twice, got it back within a few feet of the bank, and suddenly, it was gone. Maybe 30 seconds. I'm looking down at the lipless crank laying on the bottom of the crystal clear water column, my shoulders droop, head goes down, exhale. It coulda been the biggest bass I'm going to catch for a while. 7'mf rod, 10lb YZ line. Was tackle a factor? Maybe. Moving bait in cold water, sometimes the bass doesn't quite catch the bait and only gets one hook of the rear treble in the hard part of the jaw. With a stouter rod and heavier line, maybe I could have got that hook more solid in the jaw. Maybe, maybe not. Or maybe, the hook pulled out and stouter tackle would have just pulled it out that much faster. Who knows.
BUT, I had the excitement of the initial strike, the 30 seconds of the (said to be non-existent) fight, and then the emotion dump. Thrill of victory, agony of defeat. Karma.
Air temp was 32, light wind, perhaps 25 wind chill, light icing on the rod guides, a little snow on the ground. Much better to go out and fish, and then lose the fish, than sit at home thinking about fishing.
Sometimes fishing is about more than just catching...at least right now I'm trying to convince myself of that... 
mnbassman23 reply :
I'll take my 50-65# braid with a 7'3-8' rod any day of the week before I even look at a spinning rod.. Just my style of fishing.
Darren. reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 7:49 AM, Goose52 said:An hour after typing this...I had to "walk the talk." Was fishing a lipless crank in 42deg. water and hooked up with a BIG bass - big as probably 6 pounds or larger, perhaps much larger big. Pulled drag twice, got it back within a few feet of the bank, and suddenly, it was gone. Maybe 30 seconds. I'm looking down at the lipless crank laying on the bottom of the crystal clear water column, my shoulders droop, head goes down, exhale. It coulda been the biggest bass I'm going to catch for a while. 7'mf rod, 10lb YZ line. Was tackle a factor? Maybe. Moving bait in cold water, sometimes the bass doesn't quite catch the bait and only gets one hook of the rear treble in the hard part of the jaw. With a stouter rod and heavier line, maybe I could have got that hook more solid in the jaw. Maybe, maybe not. Or maybe, the hook pulled out and stouter tackle would have just pulled it out that much faster. Who knows.
BUT, I had the excitement of the initial strike, the 30 seconds of the (said to be non-existent) fight, and then the emotion dump. Thrill of victory, agony of defeat. Karma.
Air temp was 32, light wind, perhaps 25 wind chill, light icing on the rod guides, a little snow on the ground. Much better to go out and fish, and then lose the fish, than sit at home thinking about fishing.
Sometimes fishing is about more than just catching...at least right now I'm trying to convince myself of that...
I feel your pain. Last year, in cool weather, I heard a big splash behind me. Turned to see a school of shad being targeted so I threw a Senko. It hit the water, barely sank when it was hit hard.
I fought it for a good 30-40 seconds and almost got it to my yak when it surged downward and headed for the dock. Suddenly a POP and she was gone. My brand new YoZuri Hybrid 10 lb leader just snapped right in the middle. I was utterly defeated, didn't use YZ for a while after that, LOL.
Yes, I always check my line for kinks, rubs and whatnot. It was clean.
Later that year I caught my PB of 7.5 in thick grass with 10lb braid, and 10 lb YZ Hybrid leader....
I still think the other fish was bigger though.
Bankbeater reply :
I have 15 lb on all of my bc reels, and 10 lb on my spinning reel. I have 6 lb on the ultralight and probably won't use it more than a dozen times this year.
thehooligan reply :
The only time i use heavier tackle is frog fishing in the pads. And its still just a medium action baitcaster with braid. Up here in jersey theres not really a need for heavy equipment. 6-7lb bass are trophy fish, theres not alot of heavy vegetation and cover around here. Really just alot of shallow lakes in the area.
Im perfectly content with spinning gear and 10lb braid, or baitcasting with 8-12lb line. Last month i brought in a 10lb+ muskie with my 6'3 medium fenwick smallmouth rod, a stradic 1000fj, 10lb braid with a 10lb flouroclear leader.
I think the only way id go up to heavier gear is if i was fishing huge swimbaits or i moved to texas/florida...
J Francho reply :
Come to western ny. I'll show you some slop.
ww2farmer reply :
I'll have a spinning rod in my hand with light line almost as much , if not more often than a flipping stick with 50lb braid. It's all about the tools for the job. To each his own. You want to exclusively fish for bass with light tackle, even in situations were you will lose........got for it. Ask yourself this though, would you hunt deer with a .22LR.........sure it will kill one, but..................OR would you take the engine out of a car with nothing more than a pair of vise grips, a crescent wrench and a screw driver..........yeah it will work but............
BassmanDan reply :
Every time I fish I'm trying for a PB which would be over ten...and around here those fish seem to be down in the biggest stumps, laydowns and rocks. I may only get one shot if I'm lucky, and I'm not taking any chances with light tackle. Like others have said, it's all about where and how you enjoy fishing.
tomustang reply :
I'd rather use light, but the circumstances don't allow that. Never know what the flood waters brought downstream that you'd hook into or throwing into that thick vegetation at some places that reminds you of bouncing a ball in the yard.
Jay Ell Gee reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 4:17 AM, A-Jay said:It is - and I do agree but I can also smell what ww2farmer is cooking.
Enough fish manage to escape the final lip or net job that I don't want to help them out any.
So, and I know you've heard this, I play with them once they're in the net.
A-Jay
As usual, I find myself agreeing with AJ.
As a medical field student with a job, I don't fish nearly as much as I would like. I would like to land the fish I catch before returning them to the water and I will do what I must to put the odds in my favor..
Now, are all of my setups overpowered? No. I have a 7'2 MH/XF with a Lews MG 7:1 with 65 lb braid and superline hooks for frogging and flipping.
I have multiple medium spinning rods as well.
Heck, I even have a 3wt TFO fly rod that I use in local streams and creeks for river dwelling spotted bass. A 14 inch spotted bass darting into current on a 3wt is a whole different type of fishing. Keep in mind, that type of fishing is for the experience. Losing small spots is no big deal.
My PB would have certainly been lost in weeds had I not been using a serious rod and line combo. I would have never even known how big it was, as I had not seen him before getting him beside the boat. I just don't like risking losing bass like that if I don't have to.
SGT Rico reply :
It really depends what type of fishing you persue. If you are content catching smaller fish, then I guess finese is your thing, but if your like me and is trying to catch the biggest fish in the lake, then you have to go heavy. I use to fish with light line till the biggest bass of my life broke off. After that I adjusted my gear, and havent had a big fish break me off ever since. Catching fish in the 3-5lbs range is fun, but nothing is more challenging than boating an 8+ fish, and the heavier line let's you be a tad more confident.
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