I've been humbled.....again

[NIB]

I have landed some pretty good fish in current.
last friday a 35 lber in a 5 + kt moon tide.
This is what i do.first off i make my own jigs.
I use large premium hooks in my molds.
hooks like the 7/0 owner Jig hook,Gami makes a mean 7/0-8/0 o'shaunessy hook i incorporate with a sinker eylete.an oversized older mustads.I have some short shank 9/0's that they don't make anymore that are like a small gaff.these go into leadheads of 1-3 onces.U need to be able to trust ur hooks.then comes the gear.706 penns are the reel for me.in the ditch i use the big bird nautil's.I use a xra-132-2 to cast far an a 10' 542 harnell an a 1213m glass rod.all of em have the power to stop a frieght train.30 lb fireline an 40-80 lb leaders.the smaller diameter if I am fishing on the bottom with a chance of snagging I want to be able to break the leader not the mainline an leave a wad of briad in my jigholes.Trust ur knots learn the knot u tie well. I use palomars all around I tie my leaders in advance an I am sure all knots are good or I trash em.Bla bla bla.
Here is the scoop.Now when the fish hits never give her, her head.This the most important thing i can tell u.i don't neccesarily use a very tight drag maybe 8 lbs.i just hold the spool.I know this goes against everything u been told but big fish in current is a different animal.Its gonna pound some u will give some but never let her turn,never hold ur ground.This really wears em out as they strain more by not being able to turn down current an they poop out.Then its a drag em back upcurrent battle.U will pull the hooks on some fish but the way i see it if u don't have em hooked in the upper lip u basically have no chance anyways.If the fish get her head she will take off downtide like a frieght train.now u gotta drag her back up current even more.The longer she is in the water the bigger the hook hole gets an the greater the chance of something going wrong.it took me a long time to come up with this. fishing in the canal gave me alot of confidence with this technique that I now use in my own little canal at home.
To sum it up.
Big strong jig hooks,good line,10'+fishing poles that can lift 20 lb wieghts off the floor.an give em the steel.take no prisoners.it's the only way.trust me on this an u will get her.