The Online Source for Washington Fishing Information
HELP, HELP, HELP - Losing smallmouth on Wakebaits
I need help.
Fished a tournament back east here on the weekend that we should have walked away with the win. The smallmouth were clobbering a Mikey Jr. Wakebait ... but I am convinced that instead of eating it like a largemouth, they were zooming up and trying to kill/stun it.
As a result,, our hooking percentage was terrible. Probably in the 60% range.
Worse still, I lost the biggest smallmouth of my life on the wakebait - and easy 6 plus pounder (I've caught lots of 5 pound smallies on Erie and this was much bigger) that would have given us the win plus big fish.
Had it right to the net when it streaked away and the front hook snagged on a cabbage weed stalk and the fish was gone. Ouch.
So the $15,000 question (that is how much we lost) is this: How do you modify a wakebait to keep on smallmouth that seem intent to kill it versus eat it?
There has to be a way to increase the hooking percentage ... or do you just live with the poor percentage????????????
Anyone have the answer???
Thanks
Views: 277
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on
-
The "hooked inside the mouth" rule only applies in certain states (like CA) and sometimes only during the spawning period (as determined by tournament officials).
Spencer Durand said: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. -
-
-
I believe Spencer was speaking to tournaments specifically.
Clif Kincaid said:And hope most of you all are releasing hook in the mouth fish also!! -
-
Permalink Reply by Spencer Durand on
-
Yes.. I was talking in tournaments...
-
-
-
And if you were questioning keeping non tourny fish... I release all warm water fish...
-
-
Permalink Reply by eric mccarthy on
-
My last few trips out I have been throwing walking baits and poppers I would estimate I have had about 20 or so blowups mostly all smallmouth and brought maybe 5 of them to the boat some of these fish have rolled on the bait multiple times. My buddy in the back of the boat had the same issue. Its frustrating not sure what I can do different I have sticky hooks and I am not pulling the bait from the fish when they attack the lure but like mentioned above it is like they are slashing or battering the bait and not trying to swallow it. I would also throw a Senko to follow up on missed fish with little success.
-
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Blog Posts
Old Farts Tournament on Potholes
Posted by Tom Melowitz on September 7, 2019 at 2:45pm
New Group Added!
Posted by Eric Urstad on April 3, 2019 at 7:38pm
© 2024 Created by Jordan Doucet.
Powered by
