Fighting larger fish

[NIB]

I don't hook any big ones.They just see me on the rocks an give up an beach themselves.

[BrianS]

The one night this year that I caught my biggest ever, I knew INSTANTLY this wasnt the same class fish I was catching

After I saw one hook bent (uncles cheap normal eelhook)
One hook snapped ( #7 gammy)

Then we adjusted and got some in... The fish we caught werent all that much bigger than what weve been catching (4-5" and 4-5lbs) but man did they fight bigger.

[Clogston29]

One thing that I have found helps alot when using plugs with small hooks, like bombers, is letting larger fish fight the rod as much as possible. What I do is after the first run, let them pull against the rod as much as possible and not try to turn them or reel them in until I feel that I have to in order to keep enough tension in the line. Doing this, in my opinion, often wears on the fish more that simply pulling it in and with less force since you are not moving the fish. It makes the fish work just to hold its ground and tires it out with minimal tension. It also lets you use less force when you do start gaining line on the fish making the small hooks less likely to pull or bend. Obviously not all fish will fight in a way that allows this but most seem to.

Also, it is important not to bring a larger fish into the surf zone until it is spent because they will panic and can use the undertow against you. Hopefully this helps. I know it has worked for me on the larger fish that I've caught, not that thats alot or anything.

[t.orlando]

Relax, let the drag do its job, dont panic. It takes losing a few good ones to know how to land good ones. IMHO the 36in to 41in fish fight the hardest and longest. The big ones, sometimes a few long steady runs, sometimes think its a schoolie.

[rizzo]

I also learned of a way to turn a fish that works suprisingly well. When a fish makes a run toward a rock and pulls line steadily it has its balance or "has its head". Most when fighting a fish, pump the rod in one long pull and then reel to try to get the fish in. I feel in a situation like this that if you make a series of short pumps and quick reels in between, you constantly knock the fish off balance and you can easily turn the fish even with lighter tackle. Its hard to describe, but it does work.