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Posts: 15
| Hello all, I am still relatively new to musky fishing. This is my 2nd full year so I am still learning some tactics. Yesterday morning I had a large fish (probably 43-45") crush my bucktail boat side just as I was about to figure 8. It was thrashing uncontrollably for a few seconds while my fishing partner was grabbing the net. Just as he was about to net it, the fish spit the hook.
I have heard/read that when you have a fish hit that close to the boat or on a figure 8 you should open your bail and just thumb drag so there is not as much tension for the fish to thrash or put your rod in the water so the fish cannot thrash on top of the water and spit the hook.
What are your guy's thoughts on this? Any other tips in situations like this?
Thanks! |
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Posts: 260
Location: Lockport, IL | I typically will put my rod down in the water to try to get the muskie's head below the surface where I feel it is less likely to throw the hooks. However, it's inevitable that you're going to lose fish regardless of what you do there. Sometimes they just get off.
Edited by Rainman JD 9/7/2017 7:33 AM
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Yep, rod down and thumb on the spool in freespool. At this point you are really just keeping tension on the fish until the net is ready. It is still not a guarentee but helps keep fish pinned especially if the are not hooked well. |
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Posts: 410
Location: With my son on the water | Yup great tips. Just let me add, thumb on the spool with the hand that holds the rod not your cranking hand. I know some guys switch when they cast. But you need to be ready crank in an instant when doing this.
But it sure works. |
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Posts: 255
| you win some and you lose some. It all happens so fast and you should try the feedback above. Don't beat yourself up, which I'm sure you have been. Part of entering a figure 8 is pressing freespool, the rest is getting good at thumbing when things get crazy. |
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Posts: 833
| I had one eat last night in the eight and managed to not get a single hook in it's mouth. I still can't figure out what happened, but it happens. Just pick yourself up and keep tossing. You are on fish, so it is just a matter of time. |
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Posts: 15
| Thank you everyone, this is very helpful! |
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Posts: 770
| I run my drag with my reeling hand, almost never freespool. Getting the fishs head underwater is key. Get on your knees and pull her down |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I don't like to open the bail before hookset, once in a while if a fish hits in the 8 I will open it only after the hookset... as others have said, win some, lose some in that scenario... just keep tension and get the netman movin!  |
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Posts: 251
| If they are just head shaking I will start to walk/pull the fish around the boat to get them to move and keep tension. I don't usually like to horse fish but this has worked for me in the past especially if you're alone or the person on the net isn't as quick as you would like. I will also thumb my reel while doing this as the fish will usually make a run when you start to move them.
Edited by kdebell 9/7/2017 9:31 AM
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Posts: 320
| Losing fish is all part of the game, it happens to everyone. Chalk it up to experience. Keep you head up & keep casting. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Twin Cities | Don't forget to sharpen your hooks |
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Posts: 1144
Location: Minnesota. | ToddC - 9/7/2017 11:06 AM
Losing fish is all part of the game, it happens to everyone. Chalk it up to experience. Keep you head up & keep casting.
Nick...read and remember!! Sometimes there's not much a boy can do! |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Jeremy - 9/10/2017 11:57 AM
ToddC - 9/7/2017 11:06 AM
Losing fish is all part of the game, it happens to everyone. Chalk it up to experience. Keep you head up & keep casting.
Nick...read and remember!! Sometimes there's not much a boy can do!
And if they didnt try to get off who would fish for them? Its part of the battle. If you dont like it try fishing walleyes.
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Posts: 612
| I miss more than 1/2 of my fish when they hit boat side no matter what I do or what type of bait I'm using. Enjoy the excitement and expect it. I'm sure it will happen again at least you got a good look of the fish. |
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Hooks sharp? Try to set back into the fish if you can. Plant the hooks in the corner of the if you can set back into the musky. Not always possible. You loose some. The real heart breakers are the ones that stay deep shaking their heads. You never get to see them and then they are just gone. Always will wonder how big that was.
Everyone that fishes muskies eventually looses a big fish.
Keep pitchin its part of the game. You did everything right except unhooking the fish yourself. Tightlines
Mudpuppy |
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Posts: 735
Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | I agree with the walk them around the boat thing. Do whatever you can do to keep them moving under your control (I know it's easier said than done with a 45" plus fish). In my general fishing experience for all types of fish it seems like if you are just holding straight up on the fish and not doing anything else they tend to get off more. But (to me at least) when you "walk the fish" they stay on a little better. By walking them I mean instead of just holding straight up pressure on the fish get the rod tip in the water and walk the fish around the boat or at least keep them moving horizontally below the surface. If you're dragging the fish hard horizontally it is way harder for them to jump. Where if you pull straight up your helping the fish. Even when I'm catching small fish that I don't net like walleye or bass I will reel them up to the boat and put my rod tip in the water and swing them in a circle before I flip them. I know it might sound silly but it really seemed to help me keep fish on.
You also mentioned opening the bail. I defiantly see the point in it but for a guy like me who isn't super experienced hooking fish in the 8 it's just easier for me to just set my drag right. If your confident with opening the bail give it a shot because I know a lot of guys do it. What I do is lock down the drag and then back it off just a hair so I can barely pull line out when I really try. That seems to be a Goode enough shock absorber. You be surprised how easy it is for a 30" pike or muskie to pull drag out. They don't make long runs but they can defiantly get a few inches here and there.
Edited by Musky_Mo16 9/10/2017 8:55 PM
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Big fish lost boatside