Fighting Bass. Tip up, or down? 2024
iceintheveins reply :
Do you fight your bass with the rod tip down or up? I fight them with the tip down almost all the time to keep them from jumping and thus don't lose many fish.
Mattlures reply :
Both. I react to them.
Kanbass reply :
It all depends on the situation you are in. The need to control the bass near logs and such ,definitely is a factor. The type of lure he's got in his mouth makes a difference too.
SkeetyCCTX reply :
QuoteDo you fight your bass with the rod tip down or up? I fight them with the tip down almost all the time to keep them from jumping and thus don't lose many fish.
Yea, but sometimes you need to get them up, especially down here in south TX where the lakes have thick vegatation and cover and the bass are big!
My home lake Choke Canyon has heavy hydrilla. In some areas you want to get the fish up near the surface as quick as possible to avoid them burrying down in the stuff! Ive been broke off by 2 lbers on 50 lb braid because of thick drilla.
Now the trick is to then lower rodtip to keep them from jumping once they get to a certain level. Its a fine ballance that you have to play, especially with good fish! You constantly have to be adjusting cause your not just fighting the fish down here, your also fighting the environment!
Boogey Man reply :
Around vegetation or cover it's usually tip up until I get them over/past/out of it then usually tip down as I get them closer to the boat. Each one varies though.
basspro215 reply :
always tip up for me i love to see fish jump untill im in turnys ware i have worry about loseing that ONE i will continue to do so
Wayne P. reply :
I do up, down, and to each side depending on the fish's reaction.
Catt reply :
QuoteBoth. I react to them.
X2; You must react to the bass even in matted vegetation 
tholmes reply :
QuoteBoth. I react to them.
X3.
Tom
SuskyDude reply :
Tip up. I fish for smallies and I love the jump. I don't lose many fish as long as I don't horse them when they are in mid air.
Besides, when a big smallie really wants to jump...she's gonna jump. Sticking the rod down ain't gonna stop her.
Grey Wolf reply :
Both.
Red Bear reply :
i agree that where your rod tip is (up,down, to the side) should be based on what the fish is doing and where the fish is located, and not just a standard practice of one or the other
but if i had to choose between tip up or down i would choose up. having a bass jump is part of the battle every angler should learn or know how to deal with. i dont recall ever losing a lot of bass just because they jumped, maybe ive been lucky in that aspect. plus i do love to see them jump, i just keep the tension on them with my rod
Goose52 reply :
QuoteI do up, down, and to each side depending on the fish's reaction.
X2 - I always go opposite the fishes movement...and if they swim directly at me, I usually keep the rod tip down and reel-in line like crazy 
lightsout reply :
If it has any size to it, 90% of the time my tip is down or even in the water on lipless cranks.A big fish will throw a hook in a second if you let it. Big river smallies here on the james are famous for it. The only exception is when a need to quickly get it outta cover and I'll use the rod to lift it away from whatever is there. Where I fish heavy veggies arent an issue.
Smaller bass I really dont care and will usually go with 3/4 or so.
Alex77 reply :
Both for me too. Depends on the situation.
Bass_Akwards reply :
Keeping your rod tip down doesnt keep the bass from jumping. It can help in TRYING to keep it from jumping or even assist you in sometimes keeping the bass from jumping as high as it would have if you hadn't held the tip down, but I only recommend keeping the tip down when you feel it's making a move to jump. Otherwise I don't know why you'd have the rod tip down when fighting a bass. Obviously the tip gets loews as the bass gets nearer the boat but that's about it. Just go watch every Elite series pro you can find catching bass. I'd be willing to bet big money you won't find any of them who consistantly have their rod tip down most of the time when they have a fish on the line.
NasTMcfingas reply :
QuoteBoth. I react to them.
X2 Unless its a dink, then I just horse 'em in ;D
iceintheveins reply :
I probably should have made both an option, especially since like you guys are saying, I DO fight bass with the tip up when there are thick weeds or cover.
RoLo reply :
Some of us pay 200, 300 even 500 dollars for a rod,
pointing the rod-tip at the fish is like throwing that rod in the waste basket
and fighting the fish off the reel drag.
If money were on the line I might not have a choice, but it isn't and I do.
Roger
lightsout reply :
QuoteKeeping your rod tip down doesnt keep the bass from jumping. It can help in TRYING to keep it from jumping or even assist you in sometimes keeping the bass from jumping as high as it would have if you hadn't held the tip down, but I only recommend keeping the tip down when you feel it's making a move to jump. Otherwise I don't know why you'd have the rod tip down when fighting a bass. Obviously the tip gets loews as the bass gets nearer the boat but that's about it. Just go watch every Elite series pro you can find catching bass. I'd be willing to bet big money you won't find any of them who consistantly have their rod tip down most of the time when they have a fish on the line.
If you cast a rattlebait 100'+ on a 3' flat where the fish can be outta the water in an instant, hook into a big fish and battle it with your rod up, waiting to "react" before you drop your tip (and reel in the slack to keep tension) you are asking for trouble. I'm talking about true trophy fish, they just have a knack for throwing baits certain types of baits.
Most of my favorite lures (traps, BIG spook type baits) are more prone to this becuase fish are often hooked outside the mouth.
With the right tackle and techniqe you absolutely can keep a fish from jumping. Maybe not always keep its head down, but jumping most of the time yes. Bill Siementel has a theory about pulling on a big bucket mouth as its head comes up, to fill it with water and thus keeping it from jumping.
I'm blessed in that I have access to 4 private ponds with some monsters in them and hooked and caught a rediculous number of citation caliber fish over the last 4 years. I dont care how you see stacey king catching 2lb spots on TV, but I just dont lose fish anymore from thrown hooks since keeping my tip down. Mind you I'm still adjusting and directing it to the left or right as needed while the rod is still pointed towards the water somewhat.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Tip up, bully them the whole way.........
Koop reply :
Fun Fishing? Tip up half the fun for me is watching them jump
Tournament fishing, its situation dependent
Long Mike reply :
Unfortunately, at my age, my rod tip is always pointing down. :'(
DINK WHISPERER reply :
QuoteUnfortunately, at my age, my rod tip is always pointing down. :'(
Mike, PM me man.............................................i know a guy who knows a guy, ;D ;D
bassman31783 reply :
QuoteBoth. I react to them.
Same here.
This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title.
titelines reply :
Down, cause the pro told me to ;D
Mottfia reply :
Tip Down. I personally have seen fish jump less and throw the bait less with the tip down. Its a simple concept to me. If you pull the fish's head up then he has to swim up first to that gives him a chance to get airborne where all the resisting factors aren't applied and the fish has a better chance to throw the bait. With the tip down, the fish's head is more horizontal so his first move is still in the water. As long as they are in the water there is more resistance on the fish to slow his movements down. Just my thought
Mottfia
CAdeltaLipRipper reply :
QuoteTip Down. I personally have seen fish jump less and throw the bait less with the tip down. Its a simple concept to me. If you pull the fish's head up then he has to swim up first to that gives him a chance to get airborne where all the resisting factors aren't applied and the fish has a better chance to throw the bait. With the tip down, the fish's head is more horizontal so his first move is still in the water. As long as they are in the water there is more resistance on the fish to slow his movements down. Just my thoughtMottfia
I understand this in a tournament situation or if you have a giant pig on and its barely hooked,but jumping makes everything so much more fun. I prefer tip up its natural and it feels better and you get every aspect of the fight
RoLo reply :
QuoteI understand this in a tournament situation or if you have a giant pig on and its barely hooked,but jumping makes everything so much more fun
I'm with you.
Maybe I'm sick, but everytime the bass wins I feel a sense of calm and equality.
Roger
CAdeltaLipRipper reply :
Quote
QuoteI understand this in a tournament situation or if you have a giant pig on and its barely hooked,but jumping makes everything so much more fun
I'm with you.
Maybe I'm sick, but everytime the bass wins I feel a sense of calm and equality.
Roger
Haha really?if I have a little one come off i laugh and don't care, if a good 2 and a half to 3 pounder comes off tis like awwww man, and if a pig comes off its **** *** ****************! and then i start making really fast casts and my mind replays it about a thousand times
RoLo reply :
QuoteQuote
QuoteI understand this in a tournament situation or if you have a giant pig on and its barely hooked,but jumping makes everything so much more fun
I'm with you.
Maybe I'm sick, but everytime the bass wins I feel a sense of calm and equality.
Roger
Haha really?if I have a little one come off i laugh and don't care, if a good 2 and a half to 3 pounder comes off tis like awwww man, and if a pig comes off its **** *** ****************! and then i start making really fast casts and my mind replays it about a thousand times
That being the case, I'd suggest that you keep that rod-tip DOWN to maximize water resistance. ;D
You will notice that Mister Dance holds his rod-tip around 12:30 o'clock,
because his sponsors prefer to see aerial acrobatics, and Bill delivers.
Roger
Captain Shane Procell reply :
Tip down and dirty for me...I don't want to see them till there boatside. I have more control when tiped down and I'am always in amongst the bushes and cypress.
InLikeFinz reply :
I keep it down as well. Just always fought em that way. Maybe I'll try tip up this year.
Under the Radar reply :
Whenever I tip up, I start bouncing off the walls and have trouble standing up so I fall down alot .
UGLY STIK reply :
Tip up 4 me , always...I luv to see em jump !!!!
I dont lose many bass that I hook , almost never.
Sometimes I get excited and snap the lure away b4
they have it...lol :-[
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