Deep in the weeds

Eric Thoss · Post by **Eric Thoss** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:39 pm

Had a situation last month on the Delta where I hooked a darn good sized fish out in Franks Track.

She bit... I set the hook... she dove deep in the weeds.

I tried everything I could think of short of putting on SCUBA and going after her. Ater about 5 minutes I got frustrated and just put the muscle to her and all I get back is my lure.

What should I have done?

Any chance if I had waited she would have unburried herself?

basstamer · Post by **basstamer** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:16 pm

Sometimes if you just keep steady pressure on it it will tire the fish out and you can then work them free...also works well when they bury up in a brush or a stump!If that doesnt work sometimes you can reel down to them and use your rod tip to move the weeds around if its not the real dense stuff but this usually results in you reeling down too far and actually knocking the plug outta their mouth! The last thing you can do is reel down to them get on your knees and while keeping your rod tip up start digging the weeds out....works alot better than you'd think

The key is to not get excited but who can get a big 'ol fish on and not get excited! Better luck next time ya hook a big un.
Scott

FATGUY · Post by **FATGUY** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:00 pm

eric..one thing that has worked for me several times....... keep tension on line and twang line like a guitar string. i've done this several times and i think the vibrations goes down to the fish and they don't like it. this doesn't work all the time but has worked more times than not for me... other than that keep tension and see who tires first you or the fish ... but one thing keep trying . if you never hook the big one ????????????

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:28 pm

Many times, you can follow the line down by hand, and grab hold. This is gonna depend on the lure though. I would not feel real good about trying that with a Gammie equipt crank. Frog, worm, or jig, the odds are pretty good not to get stuck in a finger. Pushing off with with the rod is ok, provided it isn't your high end 300 buck flipper. Slack line, and twanging can also work. Many times the fish will wad up, quit fighting and start to settle down in the weeds. Thats a good time to try recovery.

If its braid, and a single hook lure, and all other efforts have failed, tie it off to a cleat, fire up the big motor, and tow it out.

HAR! A.G.

(I have NEVER done that.)