Losing fish on Ned rig 2024
EGbassing reply :
Just bought my first finesse setup (ML/F Dobyns Fury rod paired with a Pflueger President XT) and the first lure I bought was the ned rig. I've fished with it three times so far, and each time I've hooked two fish. Problem is, I've lost every single fish so far. 6 out of 6 fish have shaken the hook, and I think I'm either doing something wrong, or it's just hard to land a fish on a ned rig. Any advice? It's getting frustrating at this point considering that two of those fish were 3+ pounders.
Edit: Forgot to mention that I de-barb my hooks. Never lost many fish on t-rigs, spinnerbaits, etc. doing that before...
Todd2 reply :
That setup should work, just reel hard and keep pressure on it. Out of curiosity, are you using braid? I seem to have a few more shake loose since using braid myself. But losing 6 of 6 sounds strange.
Paul Roberts reply :
Jigs may be one of the easiest lures to lose fish on. Any slack and that compact weight can be shaken or thrown.
As Todd2 said, keep that line tight. Get a good bend in the rod and maintain it. Only thing I can think of, unless those fish were crappie and you were a bit too zealous with them; They don't call them "papermouths" for nothing. 
A-Jay reply :
If we can look at this in three parts, it may help.
First, Casting - seems you're able to present the bait effectively.
So that's good.
Second, the hookset. Seems there may be some questions here as you're loosing fish.
The size of the hook, the type & size of the line, the action of the rod, if the bait is rigged correctly, and finally the power / pressure & technique of the angler - all this contributes to whether or not the hookset is effective - meaning did you sink the steel past the barb ?
Finally, playing & landing the fish. Some of the previous deals mentioned above play here too. Line type & size, rod length & action, and finally action of the angler during the 'fight'.
Going "0" for 6 probably indicates that at least one (or more) of this needs to be changed / or at least modified.
I'd re-evaluate your line choice, the type & size line you're using, the type & size jig head you're using and finally how you're playing / fighting the fish.
Without knowing any of this or watching you 'lose' bass, I have no way to effectively offer advice.
I know what works for me but you'd likely benefit the most by figuring this out through trial & error.
That's how most of us bassheads 'get experience' -
Good Luck
A-Jay
tander reply :
I know for a fact a lot of anglers use a med. light rod. I tried, but like you. I lost lot of fish. I went to a med. action rod with braid and a leader and land at least 90% of the fish. All I do now when a fish bites is start reeling fast and lift the rod. This works for me, everyone has to figure out what works for them.
Scott F reply :
As far as your equipment goes, all I use for my Ned rigs are ML fast rods with 10lb braid, no leader and seldom have problems losing fish. One of the reasons I use braid is because I get better hooksets with no stretch line.
There are a lot of different jigs and plastics that people use that they call Ned rigs. Be sure any hook you have is good and sharp. Points can get rolled over after a snag which can dull the hook and cause you to lose fish.
Jig Man reply :
I have noticed that I lose more fish when I feel the bite as opposed to just feeling weight. I set the hook with a good sharp snap to bury the hook. I also have noticed that if I keep pressure on the fish so that there is always tension on the rod and line, but not horsing them enough to make them jump, I am able to get most of them in the boat.
I only use medium light rods with 6# fluorocarbon line, Gammy 1/0 hooks, on the Midwest finesse jig head. Using this setup I have caught smallmouth to 4# and largemouth to 7# on the Ned rig.
WRB reply :
The op isn't getting a good hook set that penetrates the hook point past bard.
Reel and firm sweep set should work using the tackle discribed if the drag is set at 2-2 1/2 lbs using a scale. A snap set on a bass moving the opposite direction with light tackle often snaps the line. You do need to make a firm hook set and keep the bass under control without any slack line. If the light wire jig hook point is past the barb the bass can't shake it easily.
Check the jig hook for needle sharp point, sharpen it, it sounds line that is your problem.
Tom
MickD reply :
I don't seem to have trouble losing fish on Neds. I use braid with FC or mono leaders. My favorite Ned rod is a 7' 2" ML/MF walleye rod. It gets lots of bend, so little errors on my part don't give the fish slack.
I've noticed friends of mine losing fish and they usually are doing the lift and crank thing and when cranking, they lose the bend in the rod. Could that be what you are doing?
You are, I assume, using the Ned jig? Its light wire construction lends itself to good penetration without a lot of force.
Interesting thing I have noticed in the last two years, the Neds are not nearly getting the bites they used to.
Mbirdsley reply :
For ned rigs and tubes with exposed hook I seem to loose more fish on a sharp hard hook set. Usually in these set ups I usually just reel untill the line is tight and than/sweep the rod back untill a good bend is in the line.
RichF reply :
I actually experienced the same thing the other day. Landed 3 out of like 7. Using a kistler helium 3 7 ft ml, 20lb braid to leader. Zman hooks break really easily btw. I think it's a hook thing for me. If i decide to keep using the ned, ill find a different jighead. But...it's really not a fun way to fish so...I won't try too hard.
kenmitch reply :
Maybe I missed it but are you using a real ned rig stuff or a cheaper alternative?
I'm not really into spinning combo ned rig fishing but have tried it before. I've only used it a couple times and caught 2 dinks with it. The 2nd dink I didn't even know it was on the line as it was a aquarium sized specimen. Most likely the smallest bass I've ever caught.
Read the following article and maybe it'll allow you to figure out what's going wrong.
https://zmanfishing.com/cms/chatter/8-most-common-ned-rig-mistakes
Brad in Texas reply :
This is the part or angling where athleticism plays a role. Imagine a pro bass angler with 20 different rods lying on the deck, MLs to Hs, long rods and short rods, different lines and presentations. They have to pick them up and be ready, immediately, to fish with the new weapon of choice. It'd be like shooting basketball free throws with a ball that is different sized/weighted, the rim at different heights.
For most Ned Rigs, the hook point isn't all that exposed coming out of the plastic and all I can add here is that it is more about snagging the fish (or letting it snag itself) than it is about aggressively driving the hook into the mouth bone/cartilage/tissue.
If you get a bite, you have to take up the slack in the line, doing so will let the bass feel the pressure. Usually, if they haven't already turned, they'll turn away from the pressure source and in doing so, the line back to your rod tip will be pulled taut onto one side of its mouth opening or the other. That's the last critical point: it either snags or it doesn't. Of course, they can get hooked earlier, too.
Once snagged, you can then get a bit more aggressive as you need to fully load up your rod, only reeling down to take up line. If you lose the bend in your rod, bass will often shake or jump and get loose.
I'm not certain you described how they were getting off?
By the way, you are doing great for getting out and getting bit with a new presentation. You are about a quarter inch away from having a big day!
Brad
EGbassing reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 2:52 AM, kenmitch said:Maybe I missed it but are you using a real ned rig stuff or a cheaper alternative?
I'm not really into spinning combo ned rig fishing but have tried it before. I've only used it a couple times and caught 2 dinks with it. The 2nd dink I didn't even know it was on the line as it was a aquarium sized specimen. Most likely the smallest bass I've ever caught.
Read the following article and maybe it'll allow you to figure out what's going wrong.
https://zmanfishing.com/cms/chatter/8-most-common-ned-rig-mistakes
I'm using the Z-man finesse TRD paired with the Z-man shroomz 1/10 oz. jigheads. I'll read that article as soon as I have time. Thanks.
On 7/12/2018 at 3:15 AM, Brad in Texas said:This is the part or angling where athleticism plays a role. Imagine a pro bass angler with 20 different rods lying on the deck, MLs to Hs, long rods and short rods, different lines and presentations. They have to pick them up and be ready, immediately, to fish with the new weapon of choice. It'd be like shooting basketball free throws with a ball that is different sized/weighted, the rim at different heights.
For most Ned Rigs, the hook point isn't all that exposed coming out of the plastic and all I can add here is that it is more about snagging the fish (or letting it snag itself) than it is about aggressively driving the hook into the mouth bone/cartilage/tissue.
If you get a bite, you have to take up the slack in the line, doing so will let the bass feel the pressure. Usually, if they haven't already turned, they'll turn away from the pressure source and in doing so, the line back to your rod tip will be pulled taut onto one side of its mouth opening or the other. That's the last critical point: it either snags or it doesn't. Of course, they can get hooked earlier, too.
Once snagged, you can then get a bit more aggressive as you need to fully load up your rod, only reeling down to take up line. If you lose the bend in your rod, bass will often shake or jump and get loose.
I'm not certain you described how they were getting off?
By the way, you are doing great for getting out and getting bit with a new presentation. You are about a quarter inch away from having a big day!
Brad
Thanks. 5 of them jumped, and the last one just popped off. Never saw him. 
On 7/12/2018 at 12:54 AM, MickD said:I don't seem to have trouble losing fish on Neds. I use braid with FC or mono leaders. My favorite Ned rod is a 7' 2" ML/MF walleye rod. It gets lots of bend, so little errors on my part don't give the fish slack.
I've noticed friends of mine losing fish and they usually are doing the lift and crank thing and when cranking, they lose the bend in the rod. Could that be what you are doing?
You are, I assume, using the Ned jig? Its light wire construction lends itself to good penetration without a lot of force.
Interesting thing I have noticed in the last two years, the Neds are not nearly getting the bites they used to.
Thanks. And yup - Z-man shroomz jig.
On 7/12/2018 at 12:53 AM, WRB said:The op isn't getting a good hook set that penetrates the hook point past bard.
Reel and firm sweep set should work using the tackle discribed if the drag is set at 2-2 1/2 lbs using a scale. A snap set on a bass moving the opposite direction with light tackle often snaps the line. You do need to make a firm hook set and keep the bass under control without any slack line. If the light wire jig hook point is past the barb the bass can't shake it easily.
Check the jig hook for needle sharp point, sharpen it, it sounds line that is your problem.
Tom
Thanks. I forgot to mention that my hooks are barbless. I used to use barbed hooks and I'm afraid I injured a lot of bass with them, so I just started smashing down the barbs with pliers.
On 7/11/2018 at 11:18 PM, Todd2 said:That setup should work, just reel hard and keep pressure on it. Out of curiosity, are you using braid? I seem to have a few more shake loose since using braid myself. But losing 6 of 6 sounds strange.
Braid to flouro leader.
kenmitch reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 3:29 AM, EGbassing said:I'm using the Z-man finesse TRD paired with the Z-man shroomz 1/10 oz. jigheads. I'll read that article as soon as I have time. Thanks.
When used correctly you should be good to go. I'm not really into finesse type fishing for the most part. I guess I should give it a try more often. I only really drop to it if I fear the skunk. I fish for fun so the numbers don't really matter to me as long as I'm enjoying my time on the water.
EGbassing reply :
On 7/11/2018 at 11:36 PM, A-Jay said:If we can look at this in three parts, it may help.
First, Casting - seems you're able to present the bait effectively.
So that's good.
Second, the hookset. Seems there may be some questions here as you're loosing fish.
The size of the hook, the type & size of the line, the action of the rod, if the bait is rigged correctly, and finally the power / pressure & technique of the angler - all this contributes to whether or not the hookset is effective - meaning did you sink the steel past the barb ?
Finally, playing & landing the fish. Some of the previous deals mentioned above play here too. Line type & size, rod length & action, and finally action of the angler during the 'fight'.
Going "0" for 6 probably indicates that at least one (or more) of this needs to be changed / or at least modified.
I'd re-evaluate your line choice, the type & size line you're using, the type & size jig head you're using and finally how you're playing / fighting the fish.
Without knowing any of this or watching you 'lose' bass, I have no way to effectively offer advice.
I know what works for me but you'd likely benefit the most by figuring this out through trial & error.
That's how most of us bassheads 'get experience' -
Good Luck
A-Jay
Thanks. I forgot to mention in the orginal post that I de-barb my hooks for easy removal. I feel like I was actually losing more fish before because I wasn't penetrating past the barb, but it's hard to tell.
A-Jay reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 3:44 AM, EGbassing said:Thanks. I forgot to mention in the orginal post that I de-barb my hooks for easy removal. I feel like I was actually losing more fish before because I wasn't penetrating past the barb, but it's hard to tell.
OK - With no barb is cool. Just going to ensure you sink the steel you have well and keep the rod bent.
Concentrating on 'pulling back into the fish' helps me out; especially when the bass gets close.
Think about applying your pressure in the same direction that the tail is pointing.
Might help you keep the rest of your bites buttoned up.
A-Jay
WRB reply :
How often do bass swallow a jig into it's gullet where a barbed hook could be injurious to the bass? Removing a barbed hook like a small 1/10 oz jig w/ size 1 or 2 light wire hook is easy anywhere in the mouth without causing serious injury, use needle nose pliers.
Otherwise enjoy loosing a high % of jig hooked bass using barbless jig hooks. Bass jump and head shake to get rid of the hook and you are making it a lot easier with barbless jig hooks.
Tom
kenmitch reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 4:37 AM, WRB said:Bass jump and head shake to get rid of the hook
And here all these years I thought it was because they can't growl.
gimruis reply :
I lost a few fish on the ned early on because I had my drag set too tight and the light wire hook bent. I think a couple of these fish my have been pretty big pike/muskies though too and they have jaws made of iron. I've backed off on the drag and started using lighter tackle which seems to help.
fishwizzard reply :
The Z-man hooks are not bad, but they do dull easily. I fish them de-barbed and still have a very resectable landing ratio.
RiverRock now sells Ned heads with a true thin-wire #2, #4, and #6 hooks. I believe Siebert Outdoors now also offers a thin-wire #2 option. The smaller hooks tend to get very well wedged inside the bass's mouth rather then on the lip where they shake or rip out.
EGbassing reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 4:37 AM, WRB said:How often do bass swallow a jig into it's gullet where a barbed hook could be injurious to the bass? Removing a barbed hook like a small 1/10 oz jig w/ size 1 or 2 light wire hook is easy anywhere in the mouth without causing serious injury, use needle nose pliers.
Otherwise enjoy loosing a high % of jig hooked bass using barbless jig hooks. Bass jump and head shake to get rid of the hook and you are making it a lot easier with barbless jig hooks.
Tom
Yeah. I might try a barbed one and see how hard it is to remove next time I'm out.
buzzbaiter83 reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 4:37 AM, WRB said:How often do bass swallow a jig into it's gullet where a barbed hook could be injurious to the bass? Removing a barbed hook like a small 1/10 oz jig w/ size 1 or 2 light wire hook is easy anywhere in the mouth without causing serious injury, use needle nose pliers.
Otherwise enjoy loosing a high % of jig hooked bass using barbless jig hooks. Bass jump and head shake to get rid of the hook and you are making it a lot easier with barbless jig hooks.
Tom
I agree! Especially with a mushroom jig like a Ned Rig where all the weight is in one area at the head. When he jumps he’s gonna shake that lead head around. Barbless hooks are going to fail a high % of the time.
smalljaw67 reply :
Pinching the barbs down is your problem plain and simple. The man who the rig is named after does the same and he'd be the first to tell you that you will lose a lot of fish like that as well as catching a lot. I can't remember is the article was in Bass Master or In-Fisherman but Ned talks about the large number of fish he loses because he pinches the barb down on a small size hook.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Get you some Morel heads from @Siebert Outdoors instead of the Z-man heads. Better hooks and the keepers won't break off. I pinch the barbs on the hooks for guide trips, for the safety of the fish and my clients (and myself). The fish do toss them, but it's hard to tell if it's because of the pinched barb or the inexperience of the fishermen fighting them. Better hooks and not pinching your barbs will keep a lot more fish pinned though.
Subaqua Adinterim reply :
I fish the ned rig a lot and crimp the barb down and land most of the fish I hook. I have only bent one zman hook trying to pry it out of the mouth of a pickerel with a pair of needle nose pliers. Never have these hooks bent fighting a bass, they are also needle sharp out of the package. As far as the z man hook bait keepers, as referenced above; I recommend bending these down so they are parallel with the shank of the hook. If you are using z man elaztech plastic, this will be good enough to keep the plastic in place and make it easier to straighten out if it gets twisted and scrunched up.
If you keep pressure on the fish from the start, you will have good success. Yes, you may lose more than if you keep the barb as stated above by Bluebasser, however, if you're not in a tournament; as long as you are able to fight the fish and see it, then it's all good. You are fishing for fun and will land many fish with the barb crimped down and will have more fun seeing a fish swim away after you quickly unhook it and release it uninjured. Best of luck.
Todd2 reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 4:37 AM, WRB said:How often do bass swallow a jig into it's gullet where a barbed hook could be injurious to the bass?
Otherwise enjoy loosing a high % of jig hooked bass using barbless jig hooks. Bass jump and head shake to get rid of the hook
Yup, I agree, seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist to me.
Boomstick reply :
I use 12lb braid to 6lb fluro leader and rarely lose them on the NED rig myself. Make sure to reel before setting the hook. My youngest son lost a couple of rainbows on a ned rig by not reeling before giving it a good hookset.
I use a ML/XF rod, although St. Croix so it's probably a little stiffer than a ML/F Dobyns.
mikie2084 reply :
I was having problems losing fish with zman ned rig hooks, TRD combo. I noticed it's almost always from my kayak, I set the hook and the rod is high and I'm reeling at a pretty good pace. I've watched them shake it out at the kayak while still underwater. My guess is with the rod high and the speed of the reel/me, I lose pressure on them and they take advantage of that slack and win.
Tim Kelly reply :
A friend of mine was having similar problems when he started using the Ned. He came out in the boat with me, and we were both catching fish on Ned, but he remarked on how much more firmly I set the hook than he had been. I think the tendency is to think the little hook with set itself with a reel set, but it actually needs a little more force with the lighter rods. He started setting more firmly and his problem vanished. Ned Kedhe (sp?) uses smaller hooks than most of the commercially available hooks, and a medium power rod. Maybe tells you something about the firmness of the set required?
FordsnFishin reply :
When I fish started fishing a ned rig I lost alot of fish at the boat.
I found it was the zman jig heads them selfs. I changed up to a 1/8oz jig head with a wide gap hook. Believe it is a 1/0 hook. Made a night and day difference for me.
Glaucus reply :
This thread is a tad old but I wanted to revisit it. I've been having great success at a couple of river dams using the Ned Rig. I'm catching some really nice fish, and a lot of fish all in all. It's not unusual to walk away having caught 40! However, I'm batting .500. I keep my drag set properly, I'm using a M/F rod that is in all reality a ML/F rod for most companies, and I keep pressure on and my rod tip up. My hookset is a reel set and I simply lean into them. I have noticed that it isn't the bigger fish that I'm losing. It's the small fish, particularly Smallies. I'm chalking it up to smaller mouths, and most likely to me, softer mouths that makes it easier for them to shake. It's a little frustrating, but I'm glad it isn't the good fish, and catching a bunch of fish makes it feel better. Still though I'd prefer to not lose them. Anyone think my theory is correct as to why it's the smaller fish getting free?
PAbasser927 reply :
^This same thing had been happening to me earlier this year only with the small fish. Along with some of your theories, I also thought that the weight of the fish could be an issue. Heavier fish would not budge on a hookset and the hook would penetrate. Smaller fish may just get pulled along a bit rather than the hook actually penetrating. Now when I am reeling and realize the fish is small I give a second hookset with a little more purpose behind it. I don’t know if this is the correct way to handle or not but it has alleviated most of the problem for me.
fishwizzard reply :
On 8/9/2018 at 10:23 PM, Glaucus said:This thread is a tad old but I wanted to revisit it. I've been having great success at a couple of river dams using the Ned Rig. I'm catching some really nice fish, and a lot of fish all in all. It's not unusual to walk away having caught 40! However, I'm batting .500. I keep my drag set properly, I'm using a M/F rod that is in all reality a ML/F rod for most companies, and I keep pressure on and my rod tip up. My hookset is a reel set and I simply lean into them. I have noticed that it isn't the bigger fish that I'm losing. It's the small fish, particularly Smallies. I'm chalking it up to smaller mouths, and most likely to me, softer mouths that makes it easier for them to shake. It's a little frustrating, but I'm glad it isn't the good fish, and catching a bunch of fish makes it feel better. Still though I'd prefer to not lose them. Anyone think my theory is correct as to why it's the smaller fish getting free?
Are you checking your hooks for sharpness? Thin wire hooks get beat up pretty quick if you are fishing them in current and letting it hit rocks and such.
The other possibility is that it is small fish just holding onto the lure and they were never hooked at all. I have landed several panfish that were not hooked, but would not let the plastic go.
Glaucus reply :
On 8/10/2018 at 5:19 AM, fishwizzard said:Are you checking your hooks for sharpness? Thin wire hooks get beat up pretty quick if you are fishing them in current and letting it hit rocks and such.
The other possibility is that it is small fish just holding onto the lure and they were never hooked at all. I have landed several panfish that were not hooked, but would not let the plastic go.
Weedguard ShroomZ but I do check the hook every few casts. I know they're little Smallies because I can see them. It's only the little guys that get off frequently.
TBAG reply :
On 7/13/2018 at 9:51 AM, mikie2084 said:I was having problems losing fish with zman ned rig hooks, TRD combo. I noticed it's almost always from my kayak, I set the hook s
and the rod is high and I'm reeling at a pretty good pace. I've watched them shake it out at the kayak while still underwater. My guess is with the rod high and the speed of the reel/me, I lose pressure on them and they take advantage of that slack and win.
Same exact thing happened to me today in my yak. I thought I was going to skunk this morning from some guarantees in the creek, small crank or Senko and ended up throwing a ned rig after lunch. It was the first time using one, green pumpkin 1/10 and green pumpkin TRD. I'm a believer, but still lost 5 at the boat. Using Shimano 1500 spinning, 6'8 ML/xf
EGbassing reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 9:25 AM, TBAG said:Same exact thing happened to me today in my yak. I thought I was going to skunk this morning from some guarantees in the creek, small crank or Senko and ended up throwing a ned rig after lunch. It was the first time using one, green pumpkin 1/10 and green pumpkin TRD. I'm a believer, but still lost 5 at the boat. Using Shimano 1500 spinning, 6'8 ML/xf
Try a 1/15 ounce. You'll get a lot more bites and the swim-shake-glide retrieve is easier/more effective.
Further North reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 3:29 AM, EGbassing said:Thanks. I forgot to mention that my hooks are barbless. I used to use barbed hooks and I'm afraid I injured a lot of bass with them, so I just started smashing down the barbs with pliers.
Good for you. Better for the fish, better for you when you get stuck.
On 7/12/2018 at 4:37 AM, WRB said:Otherwise enjoy loosing a high % of jig hooked bass using barbless jig hooks.
Not true.
I de-barb all my hooks, from trout to musky and I don't "...lose a high %..." of anything.
On 7/12/2018 at 11:33 AM, buzzbaiter83 said:Barbless hooks are going to fail a high % of the time.
With a good hookset and keeping pressure on...no, they're not.
On 7/12/2018 at 11:27 AM, EGbassing said:Yeah. I might try a barbed one and see how hard it is to remove next time I'm out.
I wouldn't waste your time. Get a good hookset and focus on keeping pressure on. Those two things will make you a better fishermen.
Further North reply :
On 7/12/2018 at 6:36 PM, smalljaw67 said:Pinching the barbs down is your problem plain and simple. The man who the rig is named after does the same and he'd be the first to tell you that you will lose a lot of fish like that as well as catching a lot. I can't remember is the article was in Bass Master or In-Fisherman but Ned talks about the large number of fish he loses because he pinches the barb down on a small size hook.
Correlation doesn't equal causation...
Pinched barbs don't loose fish...
I've caught two foot western trout that spend half their time in the air when hooked with a tiny, #20 pinched barb nymph (really a tiny jig) on a fly rod (harder to keep pressure on a fish than with gear).
Keep the pressure on and it works fine.
On 7/13/2018 at 9:51 AM, mikie2084 said:I was having problems losing fish with zman ned rig hooks, TRD combo. I noticed it's almost always from my kayak, I set the hook and the rod is high and I'm reeling at a pretty good pace. I've watched them shake it out at the kayak while still underwater. My guess is with the rod high and the speed of the reel/me, I lose pressure on them and they take advantage of that slack and win.
That's a really good point...there's a video out there somewhere on Vimeo of me catching trout on the Bighorn...there's music playing...and it covers up the sound of my friend Dave telling me to keep the rod tip down...
Edit: I found it: https://vimeo.com/user10940546/review/40376808/5256533a16
...I'm the 2nd guy kneeling on the bank, learning to catch fish...
It makes a big difference...the more line in the water helping you add drag and pressure, the better...and when the fish goes up, the rod tip goes down even further...
EGbassing reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 9:50 PM, Further North said:Good for you. Better for the fish, better for you when you get stuck.
Yeah, I caught one on a barbed hook the other day, and I went back to using barbless after that. It was a solid 4 pounder hooked in the corner of the lip but it still took me around 15 seconds with needle-nose to get it out. (usually 5 seconds or less with barbless) I also just bought a scale so if I'm going to keep it out of water another 15 seconds to weigh it, I can't afford to spend that extra time un-hooking it.
Further North reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 10:24 PM, EGbassing said:Yeah, I caught one on a barbed hook the other day, and I went back to using barbless after that. It was a solid 4 pounder hooked in the corner of the lip but it still took me around 15 seconds with needle-nose to get it out. (usually 5 seconds or less with barbless) I also just bought a scale so if I'm going to keep it out of water another 15 seconds to weigh it, I can't afford to spend that extra time un-hooking it.
If I can get to the hook to pop it out, I don't even bring most bigger fish into the boat. I reach over, pop out the hook and let 'em go without ever touching them if I can.
EGbassing reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 10:27 PM, Further North said:If I can get to the hook to pop it out, I don't even bring most bigger fish into the boat. I reach over, pop out the hook and let 'em go without ever touching them if I can.
I've never done that, but if they're over 5 pounds I just pull their head (only their head) up out of water and pop the hook out. I personally don't think lipping small ones does any damage, but I have heard that holding a 5+ pounder vertically can injure them. I learned that soon after I took a picture of that one in my profile picture...
Further North reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 10:31 PM, EGbassing said:I've never done that, but if they're over 5 pounds I just pull their head (only their head) up out of water and pop the hook out. I personally don't think lipping small ones does any damage, but I have heard that holding a 5+ pounder vertically can injure them. I learned that soon after I took a picture of that one in my profile picture...
Yep. We all do that when we start, most learn to not to do it.
What really makes me cringe is big pike and musky being held vertically...we can do a lot of damage in just few seconds doing that.
I've got a picture somewhere of an 18" brown trout that I took out of the water and posed on streamside rocks alongside my fly rod...pretty picture...but odds are good I killed that fish...and that's a shame, because I didn't eat it. I don't do that any more...
EGbassing reply :
On 8/11/2018 at 10:41 PM, Further North said:Yep. We all do that when we start, most learn to not to do it.
What really makes me cringe is big pike and musky being held vertically...we can do a lot of damage in just few seconds doing that.
I've got a picture somewhere of an 18" brown trout that I took out of the water and posed on streamside rocks alongside my fly rod...pretty picture...but odds are good I killed that fish...and that's a shame, because I didn't eat it. I don't do that any more...
- Yeah, and people dragging bass on to the bank and then leaving them there for 5 minutes to take pictures from every angle, weigh them, etc... ????
Comfortably Numb reply :
Leave the barb on and see if your landing percentage improves.
Darren. reply :
Jumping bass are always nerve-wracking. Just watch the
pros when they're bringing in a nice bass "oh lord, PLEASE
don't jump, stay down, stay down, PLEASE don't jump"
Bass jumps, frees self from hook, pro falls on deck in a slump.
It happens, and it hurts especially when you almost have them
lipped or netted! FCOL (Fer Cryin' Out Loud).
It took me a while to learn to play the bass well to land 'em, but
even if I do everything right, they can still evade landing. @A-Jay
describes the technique well:
QuoteConcentrating on 'pulling back into the fish' helps me out; especially when the bass gets close.
And I use Zman NED jigs, prefer the weedguard in my waters.
Very good results with their hooks, not broken any, may have
bent one on a snag, but that's it.
Brad in Texas reply :
On 7/13/2018 at 9:51 AM, mikie2084 said:I was having problems losing fish with zman ned rig hooks, TRD combo. I noticed it's almost always from my kayak, I set the hook and the rod is high and I'm reeling at a pretty good pace. I've watched them shake it out at the kayak while still underwater. My guess is with the rod high and the speed of the reel/me, I lose pressure on them and they take advantage of that slack and win.
Most of us kayak anglers know this experience. We hook a fish really good, play it out with spinning gear and bring the fish alongside our vessels. So, with a rod 5.5 to 7.5 feet long, what we almost always do is take our rod-holding hand and extend it behind us and up while reaching for the fish to grab it.
I lost two LMBs yesterday just doing this very thing, not on a Ned Rig, but on a Drop Shot.
I think the solution for losing them this close to the vessel, one anyway, is using a net, something I rarely do but I am certainly thinking about it now. Especially for kayak tournament anglers where it makes a difference, a net will save some fish I suspect.
Still, part of the "trade off" is this: using finesse tackle will certainly get you a lot of attention from fish, more bites in many circumstances . . . but using smallish, light wire hooks and other issues have some downsides, too. I still love finesse fishing tactics!
Brad
Further North reply :
I had a 30" musky go airborne on me three times today.
Barbless hooks.
Didn't get off.
Add a half dozen pike, three smallies and five largemouth...
...no barbs.Barb
Hmmmm..........
On 8/12/2018 at 11:34 PM, Brad in Texas said:I think the solution for losing them this close to the vessel, one anyway, is using a net, something I rarely do but I am certainly thinking about it now. Especially for kayak tournament anglers where it makes a difference, a net will save some fish I suspect.
I use a large hoop trout net for landing bass.
Works great.
related Fishing Tackle topic
previous topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.