Losing big fish is a part of bass fishing, and no one is immune to it, not even the world's best anglers. Accounts of lost fish are heard at every tournament weigh-in, especially in the South in summer, when short-striking fish seem to be in the majority.
This year's Bassmaster Classic on Lake Wylie was no exception. Classic champ Takahiro Omori won despite breaking off two estimated 5-pounders, and others in the Top 10 reported leaving quality fish in the lake on one or more days.
Though he never had the opportunity to lose a big fish, Jason Quinn was one of the few anglers who kept all his keepers on the hook, at least the ones that factored in to his 6th-place finish. He says a combination of preparation and execution can prevent most of those humbling, sometimes devastating, lost-fish incidents.
Loser Lure Fixes
In the Classic, Quinn managed to hook, hold and haul in several fish on one of the easiest baits for a bass to throw: a jigging spoon. He said he modifies his spoons and other low-hookup-ratio lures – like big crankbaits and swimming jigs – to boost his odds for keeping a fish hooked from bite to boat.
"The jigging spoon is about the worst I can think of," he said. "You have that heavy lead up high on the bait, and a single treble hook down low. When a fish swings (the spoon), the weight works like a lever to pop that hook free."
To combat the problem, he modifies the spoon (typically a 1 1/2-ounce Hopkins) by putting an oversized split-ring through the eye and attaching a small treble hook to it, in order to complement a larger, wide-gapped treble at the bottom. "That way, when he swings it, the top hook will swing and hit him in the head," he said.
For swimming jigs, he bends the hook "out a little, so it points straight up," and on big crankbaits, he replaces the factory hooks with hooks at least one size larger (say, from a size 4 to a size 2).
He also constantly checks his line and knots, and pays extra attention to his hooks. "I just grab a hold of them periodically and see how prickly they are," he said. "If they can penetrate my skin, I know they're okay. If not, I change them out right quick. I don't waste time sitting around and sharpening them."
Be Ready to Stick
Even with those tackle mods and the knowledge that fish can shake free at any point in the fight, Quinn believes most lost fish are the result of a poor hookset.
That "happens to everybody at times, usually when you get caught in an awkward (hooksetting) angle," he said. "And it typically happens whenever you're not ready for the bite. The only way to cut down on that is to stay focused on what you're doing, and know that at a bite can come at any time."
He noted that some anglers will try a follow-up hookset if they think the first one didn't stick, but he doesn't recommend it. "There are times when I will hit them a second time, like if I'm Carolina-rigging deep structure (with a lot of line out), or anytime a fish swims toward you real fast. But most times, chances are (the fish) isn't hooked in a good place anyway, so you don't want to yank (the hook) out. And on a short strike, more than likely (a second hookset) will break you off."
Seal the Deal
Once the hook is set, Quinn doesn't mess around. Regardless of the fish's size, the objective is a quick, no-frills yank to the boat. No jumping allowed.
"Keep pinching on him at all times," he said. "All he needs is an inch, so don't give any slack at all. And keep him down the best you can. If he's fixing to jump, get that rod down in the water. Even if he jumps, you want to keep the heat on him and keep your line tight."
When the fish is boat side – and assuming landing nets aren't allowed – he almost always swings the fish up and over the gunwales, as opposed to lipping or cradling it. "I swing it in," he said. "You can play around with it when it's in the livewell.
"Of course, if you're using really light line and you've got a decent fish on, then yeah, I'll work on him a little bit, and that's the only time I'll ever lip a fish. I don't ever cradle, and I don't see a lot of guys cradling anymore, either, except when they're using big baits with treble hooks."
He admits he's swung too hard before, and the fish "kept on swinging" out of the boat. But "they were all smaller fish, nothing that cost me anything."
But he doesn't write that off. In a lemons-to-lemonade scenario, he still tries to learn something from each lost fish. "Maybe it's a color choice, or maybe they want a little more or less (lure) action," he said. "If they're getting hooked on the outside of their mouth or underneath, try to find something they're inhaling."
The Aftermath
Losing a good fish can break your heart, induce nausea or make you want to snap that $300 stick across your knee like a twig. But Quinn said dwelling on lost fish can cost an angler more than the pounds that just shook (or broke) free.
"It's a sick feeling, but that's just part of the game. Getting mad, throwing fits, breaking rods – that doesn't do anything but get you off your gameplan. It's hard to do, but you have to learn to tune that (anger, disgust, fill in the blank) out, especially in this deal."
He added: "The best way to get over losing one is to catch a 5-pounder right quick behind it."
