Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

stripermaineiac · 03-07-2011, 09:42 PM

I fish mostly the surf. My last big one was 54lb 3 oz. She about kicked my butt. I had a custom outfit with a Sustain using 50lb braid. I hooked this fish in a bad rockpile-The Fenway-around the corner from Misquamacit Beach in Rhody. I had a tight drag and she swam away like i was using 10lb test like the drag wasn't even there.The big ones are a different creature.As I got her turned after the 3rd run she put her side against a big rock and wouldn't move. i held and she held too. I tried a trick an oldtimer told me about after 5min of neither giving in. I opened the bail and held my rod up as high as I could and put my head lamp pointing towards the tip of my rod so as to be able to see the line move when the fish moved off the rock.I counted to 10 as the line started to go through the tip. I closed the bail and the fight was back on but now the fish was 20 to 30 feet away from the rock going towards water that had a few less rocks in it.Once her nose was turned towards me i worked her through the rocks and landed her.I was shaking from head to toe.
The point is that you need to be as flexible as a big fish forces you to be. There is no one way to do it nor is there no best way but the one that gets a nice fish out of the water.Good gear,sharp hooks,patience and loads of luck all help.Map where your fishing to know where you have a chance to land a nice fish and what ever you do don't rush it.Keep your line tight as much as posssible. bow to the fish-keep your rod tip high so you can-when you need to and the closer the fish gets to shore lighten your drag . That way when the fish is in the wash it can be alowed to move with the wave in the wash so that you don't part off there-done it myself-and grab the fish not your line as quick as you can. Go for the gill plate or the lip not the slimy tail or back .Whatever you do don't stradle the fish and sit on it. The spiny fin barbs hurt and the family jewels can't be replaced LOL. Beyond that luck helps.There's not a one of us that's landed a big one that hasn't lost many that size or bigger due to on mistake or another. Ron

03-07-2011, 09:42 PM	#8
stripermaineiac Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Buxton, Maine Posts: 1,727	I fish mostly the surf. My last big one was 54lb 3 oz. She about kicked my butt. I had a custom outfit with a Sustain using 50lb braid. I hooked this fish in a bad rockpile-The Fenway-around the corner from Misquamacit Beach in Rhody. I had a tight drag and she swam away like i was using 10lb test like the drag wasn't even there.The big ones are a different creature.As I got her turned after the 3rd run she put her side against a big rock and wouldn't move. i held and she held too. I tried a trick an oldtimer told me about after 5min of neither giving in. I opened the bail and held my rod up as high as I could and put my head lamp pointing towards the tip of my rod so as to be able to see the line move when the fish moved off the rock.I counted to 10 as the line started to go through the tip. I closed the bail and the fight was back on but now the fish was 20 to 30 feet away from the rock going towards water that had a few less rocks in it.Once her nose was turned towards me i worked her through the rocks and landed her.I was shaking from head to toe. The point is that you need to be as flexible as a big fish forces you to be. There is no one way to do it nor is there no best way but the one that gets a nice fish out of the water.Good gear,sharp hooks,patience and loads of luck all help.Map where your fishing to know where you have a chance to land a nice fish and what ever you do don't rush it.Keep your line tight as much as posssible. bow to the fish-keep your rod tip high so you can-when you need to and the closer the fish gets to shore lighten your drag . That way when the fish is in the wash it can be alowed to move with the wave in the wash so that you don't part off there-done it myself-and grab the fish not your line as quick as you can. Go for the gill plate or the lip not the slimy tail or back .Whatever you do don't stradle the fish and sit on it. The spiny fin barbs hurt and the family jewels can't be replaced LOL. Beyond that luck helps.There's not a one of us that's landed a big one that hasn't lost many that size or bigger due to on mistake or another. Ron