Aids HIV FAQ

how to land heavy fish on light line ?

Question:

Congrats on a whopper Larry!                I know what you will be reliving in your dreams! Has the earthquake in your body subsided or are you still having after shocks? Sounds like you made some wise choices to land her.                An opinion that I have had for about twelve years now is to use a net or a cradle (with rubber mesh ) or try to grab the big ones over the back buy the gill plates. The last one is a risk and could just wined up losing the fish for you.  Puttin’ the lip on the big ones is detrimental to the fishes condular health. The jaw joint was not meant to support the weight of the fish ( nor the small ones ). One more note a fish does weigh less when suspended in water so this can be useful thing if it’s going to be released then taking the hook out while he remains in the water ( easier said than done ).               Get ready for the next one !                                                                   Steve

Response:

Today was a first. Using ultralight gear,  I caught a fish that was heavier than the lb test of my line – a 9 1/2 pounder on 6 lb test. I tried to use common sense but didn’t know what the best procedure was in such a case. What advice do you have when this happens? Here is what I did- 1. First, I decided to be patient and try to stay calm 2. I set the drag a little lighter 3. I tried to let the fish wear itself out and not rush to get it in 4. the fish went to the bottom in about 10-15′ – I tried easing it up     a few inches at a time when it was not jerking, this took a long     time I know I was ‘lucky’ to land it – I’m really surprised the line didn’t break. -larry

Response:

>Congrats on a whopper Larry! >               I know what you will be reliving in your dreams! Has the >earthquake in your body subsided or are you still having after shocks? >Sounds like you made some wise choices to land her. >               An opinion that I have had for about twelve years now is to >use a net or a cradle (with rubber mesh ) or try to grab the big ones over >the back buy the gill plates. The last one is a risk and could just wined up >losing the fish for you.  Puttin’ the lip on the big ones is detrimental to >the fishes condular health. The jaw joint was not meant to support the >weight of the fish ( nor the small ones ). One more note a fish does weigh >less when suspended in water so this can be useful thing if it’s going to be >released then taking the hook out while he remains in the water ( easier >said than done ).

It’s not too unusual to land a fish weighing more than the line rating; I chase 30-40+ salmon in the open ocean  with 15lb test and 8 lb test in the rivers. I think bass fishermen are the only ones I know of that has consistently use lines that rate more than the weight of the fish, and they are the only ones that don’t use some kind of landing aids like nets. Joe

Response:

>It’s not too unusual to land a fish weighing more than the line >rating; I chase 30-40+ salmon in the open ocean  with 15lb test and 8 >lb test in the rivers. >I think bass fishermen are the only ones I know of that has >consistently use lines that rate more than the weight of the fish, and >they are the only ones that don’t use some kind of landing aids like >nets.

I used to have a book that had a lot of angling records in the back, that gave the largest fish caught on any given line test, and I distinctly remember salmon in the 30 lb class being caught on 2 lb test line. The best I’ve done myself is a 30" carp on 4 lb test (took me 20 minutes to get it to the boat).  I had just put on fresh line that morning, which probably helped. —  <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>  ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>><

Response:

That’s not why we use heavier line, it’s hard to get a six pound bass out of thirty   pounds of weeds that are attached to the bottom.  Can’t do that with two pound test. When I finesse fish open water I use four pound test and I have brought muskies boatside with it ( twenty or so pounds ) and lost a lot more muskies than I care to mention, maybe a leader would have helped. Yes it is fun to use light line and longer rods though it makes you think alright! I agree that the fresh line was key in  landing that carp too, good point, I’m glad you said it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->It’s not too unusual to land a fish weighing more than the line >rating; I chase 30-40+ salmon in the open ocean  with 15lb test and 8 >lb test in the rivers. >I think bass fishermen are the only ones I know of that has >consistently use lines that rate more than the weight of the fish, and >they are the only ones that don’t use some kind of landing aids like >nets. >I used to have a book that had a lot of angling records in the back, >that gave the largest fish caught on any given line test, and I >distinctly remember salmon in the 30 lb class being caught on 2 lb test >line. >The best I’ve done myself is a 30" carp on 4 lb test (took me 20 minutes >to get it to the boat).  I had just put on fresh line that morning, >which probably helped. >– > <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>><

Response:

It’s really not unusual to land much heavier fish than the rated pound test of the line.  I routinely fish for muskies with traditional bass tackle and have taken muskies up to 36 pounds on 14 to 17 pound test line.  To see some of these fish, either check out my web site or my most recent article on http://www.lake-link.com .  Two years ago, while walleye fishing a lake not particularly known for large walleyes, I landed a 30 inch, 10 pound walleye on 4 pound test mono and just this past spring, while crappie fishing, my best friend landed a 48 inch muskie on 4 pound mono and a 4.5 foot rod. The things that I see most people do wrong is failing to have a reel with a quality drag, set properly, failing to keep the rod high enough to let the rod do the work instead of the line and most of all, after fighting a large fish for a long time, they’ll get impatient and try to "horse" the fish. Any one of these factors (or in some cases all of them) will result in a lost fish…..every time. http://www.members.tripod.com/SteveHuber/index.html

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Today was a first. Using ultralight gear,  I caught a fish that was heavier > than the lb test of my line – a 9 1/2 pounder on 6 lb test. I tried to use > common sense but didn’t know what the best procedure was in such a case. What > advice do you have when this happens? > Here is what I did- > 1. First, I decided to be patient and try to stay calm > 2. I set the drag a little lighter > 3. I tried to let the fish wear itself out and not rush to get it in > 4. the fish went to the bottom in about 10-15′ – I tried easing it up >     a few inches at a time when it was not jerking, this took a long >     time > I know I was ‘lucky’ to land it – I’m really surprised the line didn’t break. > -larry

Larry, Sounds like you had your hands full.   We had a tournament in the pacific northwest called a "light line" tournament using 2 and 4 lb line and targeting steelhead.   The first year they had it it was won with a steelhead that weighed around 18lbs I think.   The softer and longer the rod the larger of fish you can play without breaking the line.   I think some of the Great Lakes fishermen use a rod called a Noodle rod that they use light line on and land some big old fish Sharp Hooks, Pat Holdzit Fishing Products Inc. http://www.holdzit.com Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

>I used to have a book that had a lot of angling records in the back, >that gave the largest fish caught on any given line test, and I >distinctly remember salmon in the 30 lb class being caught on 2 lb test >line.

That’s light! I often wonder if that’s too light; it a bit hard on the fish. Joe

Response:

> The softer and longer the > rod the larger of fish you can play without breaking the line.   I think > some of the Great Lakes fishermen use a rod called a Noodle rod that > they use light line on and land some big old fish

This is true but many people also avoid using noodle rods because they plan to release the fish anyway and the long fight can kill the fish. Mu

Response:

When I want to have some real excitement I will bass fish  with my ultralight trout rig.    I have landed an 8lb bass using 2lb line. When trout fishing I will even drop down to 1/4 lb sewing tread if the fishing is tough. A real smooth drag can not be overstressed!

Response:

8lb bass on 2 lb test line? Did the alarm clock go off as you got the net under it? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >When I want to have some real excitement I will bass fish  with my ultralight >trout rig.    I have landed an 8lb bass using 2lb line. >When trout fishing I will even drop down to 1/4 lb sewing tread if the fishing is >tough. >A real smooth drag can not be overstressed!

Response:

>8lb bass on 2 lb test line? >Did the alarm clock go off as you got the net under it?

There’s nothing fantastic about that at all.  If the line has no abrasion, the knot is good, and the fish is played easily with sufficient drag and the rod handle at the optimum angle to the line, this is not a miracle.  Much bigger fish have been caught on 2 lb line. —  <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>  ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>><

Response:

>When I want to have some real excitement I will bass fish  with my ultralight >trout rig.    I have landed an 8lb bass using 2lb line. >When trout fishing I will even drop down to 1/4 lb sewing tread if the fishing is >tough. >A real smooth drag can not be overstressed!

Catching large fish on light tackle isn’t that tough with decent equipment, proper technique and most of all……patience!!  I’ve seen more fish lost after a long battle because someone got impatient and tried to horse that fish for the last couple of feet to the net. I’ve landed a 33", 10 pound northern pike on 4 lb mono with a 7 foot "noodle rod", a 30", 10 pound walleye on 4 lb. mono and a 5 foot ultralight, a 45", 26 pound sturgeon on 8 lb. mono, 6 foot medium light spinning rod and a 48", 36 pound muskie on a 5 1/2 foot bass rod with 10 pound mono…..it can be done but patience is the most important part of the equation.  The sturgeon was caught while bank fishing and took 45 minutes to land. My partner, Gil managed to one up me when crappie fishing this past spring having a 48" muskie take a crappie that he was reeling in and landing the muskie after a long battle using a 4 1/2 foot ultralight spinning rod and 4 pound mono.  But a more patient man than Gil will be hard to find. We routinely fish muskies with bass tackle up here, it’s fun, exciting and it doesn’t beat you up as much as throwing standard muskie lures.  I’ve even written an article about it on http://www.lake-link.com , if anyone wants to read it.

Response:

Granted you are right, but you’re forgetting that an incredible amount of luck is also needed to prevent a big horse on light line from getting wrapped up in or into some kind of cover too.  An 8#er on 2# line is definately a feat to be proud of. Warren

Response:

The world record on #2 line was like a 543 pound sailfish!!! He had about 4 miles of line on this real and just played the fish!

Response:

The world record on #2 line was like a 543 pound sailfish!!! He had about 4 miles of line on this real and just played the fish! << I heard he didn’t even play the fish…  just waited for it to die naturally, then carefully reeled it in.   <g> -tran

Response:

Was a harpoon involved? — Go fishing. And may your fish be as big as your tales!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > The world record on #2 line was like a 543 pound sailfish!!! He > had about 4 miles of line on this real and just played the fish! > << > I heard he didn’t even play the fish…  just waited for it to > die naturally, then carefully reeled it in.   <g> > -tran

Response:

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