Catch Scenario #01- The big head shaker

Hoochiebob

Well-Known Member
So, reminiscing about the one that got away had me thinking that this forum could be a good place to share a line of topics for people to weigh in on and share their success (or failure) when playing fish. I think a lot of folks who have one that got away inevitably think "if I just did this" or "if I didnt do that" they would have had better success. So without further ado... I bring you scenario #1.

Had a good strike which popped the clip. Reeled tight to set the hook and wait for the run, which never happened. Spring held itself in the top 15 feet of water and thrashed it's head.I backed down on the pressure to try and calm it down and circled it, waiting for the run that never happened. Efforts to drag it out to deeper water or manhandle towards the boat resulted in more spastic head shakes.This one did not want to move. When we finally got it 30ft off the boat it breached it's head and with some more Beavis and Butthead headbanging it threw the hook out of his mouth.
The details: 30 ft in 45 ft of water. Midday Sept. 5 . #1 treble and teaser head dragging anchovy 6ft behind flasher. Est. size high teens-low 20
Did I baby it? Strum the line? pull it into the prop wash? So many things I could have done differently.
So bring it on everyone, what is the key to success here?
 
I know how you feel. After a good one gets off you play the fight over and over again in your head.

Imo you have four stages in a chinook fight. 1 the initial take and the time until it runs. 2 the run. 3 the run back to the boat. 4 the fight at the boat. I have lost fish at every point. I would argue that they are most likely to get off in the first and last stage. Stage 1 is about keeping pressure until they run. I think that hook placement can determine how much head shaking you get. I have heard that if the fish isn't hooked well they are less likely to run. So maybe you never had a real shot at that fish.
 
Welcome to fishing! Lucky you didn’t lose it beside the boat, they tend to grow bigger if you make eye contact, haha.
My success has increased by dragging the beast (Flasher always out of water) the whole time as much as possible without trying to “play” him. If he has the strength to run so be it but once he slows it pressure back on. At the boat expect one more great run. Finally drag him towards the net, keeping his head up. Here the skill goes towards the net person, no scooping, no rushing, just a controlled dip towards his head and close the net. No quick lifting just close the net/handle up. Now you can celebrate. Once the fish bag is christened , I’ll tend to play the next fish more. good luck.
 
Might have been a big cobo . Rolling and headshakes is their thing .
Not much you can do , especially with a flasher . Steady pressure and hope for the best .
 
My best fish happened in the mid 70's.. at Gonzales Point. I was using a Diawa 9' fiberglass rod, Mitchell 486 reel
and 12# Charter Boat line. and a 4"pink pearl Buzz-Bomb. I saw the fish rise and was able to put a cast about 10' in front of it.
About 3 seconds later I had the hit. The next 45 minutes was a bit of a blur with lots of long powerful runs. After I had played it out I
managed to net it myself., but not before I had to dog it over the kelp bed. A very nice fat 32#er. I had to carry it on my back
while riding my bike to get it home.

There was 47# spring caught the day before I got mine.
 
So, reminiscing about the one that got away had me thinking that this forum could be a good place to share a line of topics for people to weigh in on and share their success (or failure) when playing fish. I think a lot of folks who have one that got away inevitably think "if I just did this" or "if I didnt do that" they would have had better success. So without further ado... I bring you scenario #1.

Had a good strike which popped the clip. Reeled tight to set the hook and wait for the run, which never happened. Spring held itself in the top 15 feet of water and thrashed it's head.I backed down on the pressure to try and calm it down and circled it, waiting for the run that never happened. Efforts to drag it out to deeper water or manhandle towards the boat resulted in more spastic head shakes.This one did not want to move. When we finally got it 30ft off the boat it breached it's head and with some more Beavis and Butthead headbanging it threw the hook out of his mouth.
The details: 30 ft in 45 ft of water. Midday Sept. 5 . #1 treble and teaser head dragging anchovy 6ft behind flasher. Est. size high teens-low 20
Did I baby it? Strum the line? pull it into the prop wash? So many things I could have done differently.
So bring it on everyone, what is the key to success here?
Excellent topic. I too have had too many of those reminiscent at nights scenario after a day on the water. I have seen people talking about 60-100% landing vs bites ratio and I wonder what I am doing wrong. This past weekend I had a 3/8 day and was pretty disappointed thinking what could I have done differently. Do I set the hook or just let the fish run and apply constant pressure once the pin pops. There is no worst feeling then when you are reeling in a salmon and then all of a sudden everything is light and there is nothing at the end except the flasher and the half eaten anchovy.
 
Relax guys! That's fishing! That's why we keep coming back to try again. You're not going to land everyone. If it became easy it would probably lose some enjoyment.
Read about the 5 stages of hunting/fishing that most outdoorsman experience. I think when you get to stage 5 you are out there for the right reasons.
 
I see a few of the "that's fishing" comments. I'm pretty sure everyone here understands that part of fishing is losing fish. The point of this thread is to possibly gain some knowledge and maybe just maybe lose a fish or two less. Or just a place to commiserate.
 
I see a few of the "that's fishing" comments. I'm pretty sure everyone here understands that part of fishing is losing fish. The point of this thread is to possibly gain some knowledge and maybe just maybe lose a fish or two less. Or just a place to commiserate.
Fine. He should have used dynamite.
 
I was upset after loosing a nice fish the other day. I reeled down hard on it and set the hook hard twice. Played it for a few runs and lost it after it came to the surface.

I thought maybe I should of just horsed it to the boat.
 
I was upset after loosing a nice fish the other day. I reeled down hard on it and set the hook hard twice. Played it for a few runs and lost it after it came to the surface.

I thought maybe I should of just horsed it to the boat.
I'm a true believer in horsing at any chance possible. Especially important when there's seals around. Also why it's important to have gear up and net ready right away. If they make a run for the boat I go straight into the net.
 
I lost a few to the famous "looking at me and violently shaking its head". Only few do it but when then the only thing you can do is pray that the hook sits well and keep up the pressure. Its a 50/50 then, I landed some and lost as many of those. The best chances I seem to have when they go for a long run right away and exhaust themselves that way quickly. That is if its not combat fishing around you and no furry beasts around.
 
Its also hook placement you should use a stinger hook as well. My last fish the treble got it in the gill and stinger in the bottom gum. Its important they don't swallow the hook otherwise kiss your line goodbye. With coho its wrench it in. I played a spring thinking its better to let it run and it popped off so anything 15lbs reef that things in.
 
I’ve learned over the years to never ever horse a fish in. I fish many different species of fish and many different styles and horsing a big fish in or rushing the landing is never a wise thing. You will lose more fish doing this than by doing it right. There is a difference between horsing a fish and just keeping a constant steady strain on it and letting the gear do its work. That’s why you run good rods with lots of back bone in them and not floppy noodles, nor do you run short fence post rods. Nice long rods with even back bone from tip to butt so you can store energy in the rod and not on the fishes mouth. A floppy noodle rod is the worst thing for losing a fish from head shakes as you can’t store enough energy in the rod to keep up with the quick release of energy when the fish is flopping around. I’ve got a brand new $600 Islander mooching rod that I received for Christmas last year that I’m not even sure I want. To me it feels far to loose in the top half of the rod. I will see what it performs like next summer Lord willing but as much as it may hurt my wife whom got me the rod, I told her that I may be selling the rod if I feel it’s not up to par, I just won’t risk losing a fish of a lifetime over sub par equipment. Good quality reels that are smooth from the start of the force to the end not sticky jerky drags, I would rather have a reel that creeps some what than one that is sticky. And good line that you can trust to take long sessions of stress and some abrasions and still hold out. And of course good quality hooks that won’t open or break under severe head shakes. But never ever horse in a big fish.
 
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