Three strikes...I'm out.

[JFigliuolo]

okay, Iv'e had three chances at a big fish. Each time I'm beaten.

First time, fish gets off storm shad. okay, maybe hooked lightly.
second time, fish mangles split ring on bomber middle hook. (?)
third time, Fish sounds, I get a plug full of weeds, no fish... ARGGGHHHH!!!!

any advice?

[Saltheart]

Try again!!

[Pete_G]

You're probably doing all the right things, except for not changing out your split rings.

Landing big fish reliably is hard! This year has been a reminder of that for me as well...

[JohnR]

Are you fishing braid? Might be too hard a hookset / drag. Fishing with braid will bend hooks and break hardware as there is no strech to cushion the shock like with mono....

[Nebe]

What is the problem?? These are 3 different symptoms of failure. If you had one of those symptoms happen repetitvely, then you would have a big probem.
Bad things happen now and then. learn from them, and you will be the better fisherman. Yoru still in the game...... lookd to me like you have one
strike -(splitrings) and 2 fouls

besides the splitrings, whos to say what you did was wrong???

[JFigliuolo]

maybe it's just the breaks... using braid, drag not set too tight... maybe smart fish.