Good Size LMB Hooked and Wrapped in Brush

[Greg Springman]

We have been discussing line size and increasing your odds. Matt makes great points and agreements why we should increase for fish strikes. I mainly use "quality" 4# line and it presents me with constant action. With the water levels extremely high in most lakes here in Southern Cal, including DVL, I have lost several fish in the brush. We know where the fish are, and we fish in these brush, stick filled areas because that where we are fishing. Some fish we can turn their heads or they dart out of the structure and they are easily boated. This weekend, I fished Silverwood and DVL, both lakes are the highest I’ve seen in a while. While fishing these lakes, I hooked and lost several fish due to the fish either being hooked in the brush or running back into brush and wrapping themselves up in the sticks. I have tried moving my boat on top of the structure, moving around the structure, tighten the line, then giving them slack in the line hoping they will swim out, allowing me to finish the job and boating the bass. So far, I have rarely landed a fish once it gets wrapped up in the brush.

So, I’m posting this question to all………

We all know we will lose fish while fish in structure, but can anyone discuss a good technique they use to get these LMB out of the structure once they are hooked?

[Fusionwerks]

Just my opinion of course, but heres what i do. sometimes i will try to manuver the boat around the brush to see if i can get a straight shot on yanking them out. if that doesnt work i try to keep tension on the line without trying to fight the fish,and wait to see if it gives up. a lot of times i will just keep pressure on and it will eventually give in. Or you could just open the bail and let it swim a little. sometimes they think they have gotten away and BAM! you drag them out. of course you risk getting in further, but you were already in there anyway.

[Matt_Magnone]

what i've found that works for me is once the fish is wrapped, i open the bail and let my line go slack letting the fish swim off. once i feel the fish has swam past the cover, i'll raise my rod high and retrieve with steady pressure. when a fish feels pressure and tension of the rod, it will pull against the pressure being put on it. when you relieve this pressure, the fish will calm down and more often times than not, swim the other way.

just remember. the trees generally arent going to break your line. its the line either getting caught on a limb or two or the fish being pinned in the cover. the less resistance you have between you the fish and the trees, the better off you'll be. trees out of water are much more abrasive than trees in the water.

[bassnet]

Shoots, with 4 lb. you are on your own-

"So far, I have rarely landed a fish once it gets wrapped up in the brush."

If you need to go super light you'll do better w/ 7-8 lb. flouro, you're behind the 8 ball w 4 lb, jmo

I fiddled around w 3-4 lb stuff at El Cap with the flick shake, for me the heavier line has way more advantages than the super light stuff
too bad LMB don't run from cover like the checkers on a slack line!

Osama got killed? Sweet!

[ddoskocil]

2 great points.....hang with them on the brush, I have always done better giving them slack than yanking them out (on 6# line), AND, oh yeah, Bin Laden is dead (according to yahoo)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stormcrow]

I fish 20lb braid all the time.

That helps ALOT.

[Greg Springman]

How many fish can you catch in a day??

[Matt_Magnone]

braid is a very valuable tool man! i use it when i know the fish want it way back in the thick, thick sh*t. short leader and all you gotta do is free spool. the only thing i hate about braid is the fact you have to back your drag off and sweep more than set. id rather set the hook. im known to rock the boat when on a hookset. nothin better than the first 3 seconds of a hookset. everything else kinda sucks :LOL:

the fall rate with the braid is the one of the few things i find affecting the whole equation for me. especially when the fish want it fast. i really wanna try the new 'sinking' braid!!! should be way awesome!

[dockboy]

I fish a flouro leader on braid, length depending on water clarity, typically around 8' on up to 30'. I have gotten fish out of cover on 4lb by slack lining them, but its not a consistent deal. For that reason, I typically only fish 4lb in open water areas. 6lb flouro will often get bit as well as 4lb mono around cover. I'm not saying a tough bite on open water fish you won't see a difference between 4 and 6, because thats the place to use 4lb. But in the sticks or around docks? 6lb is the lightest I'll go, and I still get my butt handed to me once in a while fishing 6 like that. Just the nature of the game in clear water.

[tacklejunkie]

We all know we will lose fish while fish in structure, but can anyone discuss a good technique they use to get these LMB out of the structure once they are hooked? Learn to power fish with thick line and horse the fish out of the cover.
Or on 4lb give a really strong hook set to turn the fish immediately as quick as possible and take up all your slack. Chances are he'll run toward you to get away from your hook instead of back into cover. by that time you've backed him out into open waters. Use your 4lb designed rod to keep him out there.

If you are wrapped on 4lb all you can do is back off, like stated above. don't let it stop you from tossing into hairy pockets though!