HELP, HELP, HELP - Losing smallmouth on Wakebaits

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Higgins on July 5, 2011 at 1:07pm

I would start by replacing the hooks with some high quality hooks and perhaps go up a size or two on the rear treble.

Permalink Reply by Dropshot on July 5, 2011 at 1:23pm

I'd swap the hooks out for some gammys in a couple sizes smaller. 

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on July 5, 2011 at 1:52pm

I would start by removing the cabbage weed stalks!   Sounds like 60% on a wakebait in which fish weren't trully comitting is actually pretty good, and if you would have boated that fish, you wouldn't be here today talking about hook up ratios right? :-).

 

If you do want to change something, there's a few things to try.

 

1. hooks

2. type of line and rod action.

3.  Hookset technique

 

Did the smallies ever miss the bait completely?  Were you able to use a follow up bait to catch them?

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Liam on July 5, 2011 at 2:04pm

Jake - that is what so strange.  we'd always have a small throw back lure tied on and if a smallie missed the wake we'd pitch right back in - with not a single hit.

 

They were totally focussed on the wake bait ... which is why I think they wanted to kill it instead of eat it. 

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on July 5, 2011 at 5:56pm

I think 60% hookup ratio on a topwater bait is pretty damn good. 

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on July 5, 2011 at 6:26pm

Hello Liam,

 

I have a fair amount of experience throwing big wakebaits and hard swimbaits for smallmouth.  I feel like I have gotten to the point where I can maximize my strike/hook/land ratio on these baits.  You must take several details into consideration: rod action, line, hooks, split rings, hookset, technique in fighting the fish, etc.  If any of these aspects are not considered and maximized, your conversion percentage of strikes to landed fish can go down considerably.  First, tell us about your rod, reel, line, hookset style, replacement or stock trebles and split rings, size of Mikey (Jr., standard or Sr.) and the type of retrieve that was triggering strikes.  I will be happy to give you some suggestions based on your answers.

 

No question that smallmouth like to battering ram big baits and slash at times as well.  However, having every detail dialed in can stack the odds heavily in your favor.  Look forward to your reply.

Permalink Reply by Liam on July 5, 2011 at 6:42pm

Hi Tag.

 

I was using a 7' 2" Medium heavy Shimano Crucial rod and Curado reel spooled with 25 pound braid with a two foot Maxima ultragreen 20 pound test leader.  (There are pike in the lake and I was bitten off 3 times during the tournament.)

 

It was the Mikey Jr. and I was using the split rings and trebles that came with the lure.

 

Two retrives worked best - one a steady moderate retrieve that waked the bait (40% of the hits).  The other was ultra slow that caused the bait to snake ever so slowly across the surface (60% of the hits).

 

I tried every time not to set over my head but to side arm sweep it.

 

Still, the lure fell out of at least two of the fish as soon as they were netted and the giant never made it into the net!!!

 

What do you think I was doing wrong.  A long time ago I read an article by Zell Rowland who said he would never throw a Zarra Spook (comparable size topwater) without drilling hole and expoxying in a third treble hook.

 

Anyway, appreciate your feedback.  What would you do differently?????

 

Cheers 

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on July 5, 2011 at 8:12pm

The Jr is a small bait (less than 4") but it is heavy 5/8 oz. the downfall is that the hooks are undermatched, If I had to guess I would bet they where size 5 or 6. 

With these stats on the bait, especially the hooks, you need to use a combination that has some give to it, but still has enough power to cast almost an ounce. If I was you I would use a medium heavy crankbait rod, that is the rod that I use for baits like that.  I would recomend the Loomis CBR845.

The hooks on those are too small and I would switch them out for the new Gamakatsu round bend short shank trebles in a size up or maybe a couple. The belly hook can be upsized by a couple but the tail hook only one size larger, if you go bigger you destroy the tail action of the bait.

Looking at your setup I think most likely you were probably tearing hooks out of fish.  Smallmouth are noturious for slashing and getting hooked outside of the mouth or just skinned hooked, the fast action rod combined with braid is a bad combination for smallmouth on any kind of treble hooked lure unless the hooks are atleast size 1 in my opinion.  The powerful last minute runs, headshakes will definetely rip hooks from fish when there is no give in your rod/line combo.

Lastly, do you really need braid?  It casts farther and floats and I use it all the time for my superspooks, but if you don't think you need that extra casting distance, and if you really don't need it to float high (I don't think it matters with wakers) then I would go with straight 15# maxima ultragreen it kind of floats and it has some stretch.

 

I hope atleast one of the things I said helps you land more fish.

Permalink Reply by Liam on July 5, 2011 at 8:17pm

Thanks ever so much, Ronald!

 

 

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on July 5, 2011 at 8:29pm

Ron touched on it all!  Not much to add there.

 

Follow those tips and your percentage will go up significantly.  I want to stress one point, with 95% of the hard baits on the market, using the stock trebles spells disaster.

 

Good luck! 

Permalink Reply by John Mark Minica on July 7, 2011 at 5:24pm

This is great stuff! Thanks to all you who take the time to give great information like that! People like me with a low bass fising i.q. benefit greatly from it.

Permalink Reply by Spencer Durand on July 9, 2011 at 9:19am

You cannot really do much when it comes to the fact they are just slashing at it... If you do hook up when they slash at it, you will just most likely fowl hook them and it will have to be released.

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