Rod tip UP or Rod tip Down when fish jumps?

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wasilvers

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So today I had 2 bass jump and spit my worm out of the water like they didn't want it near them. I've always been taught to keep the rod tip up and tension on the line when a fish jumps - but I remember reading somewhere that one guy said that was a mistake? I thought he was full of it till I lost those two back to back today.

So what's the generally accepted thing to do when the fish starts leaving the water?

Also, my rod tip was about 12 feet above the river level - if that might have had anything to do with it. I tried rigging the worms differently each time too, one was loosly Texas rigged (pushed thru the worm and left slightly exposed) and one was with the hook fully exposed.

I did make an impression on the other fisherman by 'raising' the bass at the dam in 1 - 1.5 feet of water on a sunny day. Gotta love those 3'' JDbaits stickbaits :D

Will
:)
 
If I feel like a fish is about to jump, I put my rod tip down and slow down the retrieve trying to get it to go back down, all the while keeping tension on the line. Slack line = lost fish. If I think it's a big fish, I'll stick my rod tip into the water and reel because then you're keeping tension on the fish under the water surface and it makes it hard for him to come up.

when they get closer to the boat, I'll slowly raise my rod tip to keep tension on the line until I can get a net or a hand on him. I'll sometime do a double hookset if I think it's got a good chance of spitting it out. I'm a pretty hard hooksetter, but sometime I've got too much slack. So after the first hook set, if the fish is running I'll get the line tight and do a quick snap just to make sure it's on. Small fish I'll burn across the top of the water, larger fish I'll let tire themselves out

I just read what I wrote and though about it... I'll keep the rod at 9-10 o'clock positions to control the fish
 
Rod tip up and tension on the line for me when the fish jumps. But it happens so fast its more of an up and to the side to get the line tight as fast as possible.
 
i always keep my tip up with plenty tension. love see'ing bass jump but that would probably change if i was in a money tournament. you may have just been barely hooking there skin or what not and the jumping action making it rip out
 
I try to keep the fish in the water. when i ses the line coming to the surface I stick my rod tip down in the water to get the fish back down... likke ahab says bow to the fish
 
I normally keep the tip up or to the side while keeping tension on the line. Putting the tip down doesn't do me much good when I usually catch them in 1' - 2' of water, but there are exceptions when I have caught them in deeper water, and I still keep the rod up. I'm making a mental note to be more aware of how I do it next time I catch one. :)
 
Waterwings said:
Jim said:
Waterwings said:
I'm making a mental note to be more aware of how I do it next time I catch one. :)

me too! :D


Lol, usually I'm so dang surprised to get a bite I'm focused on just getting the fish to the boat/shoreline, lol.


LMAO same here, When I feel that familiar tap-tap I instantly turn into an excited 3 year old girl and set the hook like one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that I just run on instinct and consider it as a bonus that I actually hooked him...
 
Waterwings said:
Jim said:
Waterwings said:
I'm making a mental note to be more aware of how I do it next time I catch one. :)

me too! :D


Lol, usually I'm so dang surprised to get a bite I'm focused on just getting the fish to the boat/shoreline, lol.

How is it that they can sense when I'm not paying attention and only bite then? I enjoy watching them jump too much to try and prevent it and since I don't tourney fish it's no big deal.
 
Thanks for the help - I enjoy the jumps as well - even had one fish jump 7 times!!! It took me in the weeds, then out in the pond, took drag like a redfish. It was such a great fight on light tackle that I packed up and went home after landing him. I knew the day wouldn't get any better.

I guess in the boat, I'm usually sitting down and fighting it sideways mostly. So it's not quite down or up..

So if tourney fishing, keep rod tip down. If I see him rising - pull him back in the water and get him to the boat asap.

If I'm showing off for the babes, pull him up and let him tailwalk across the water till he's exhausted, but risk losing him.

I'll never remember this - :roll: But I'll have fun trying!!!
 
[/quote]
Lol, usually I'm so dang surprised to get a bite I'm focused on just getting the fish to the boat/shoreline, lol.[/quote]


LMAO same here, When I feel that familiar tap-tap I instantly turn into an excited 3 year old girl and set the hook like one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that I just run on instinct and consider it as a bonus that I actually hooked him...[/quote]


LOL!!!! I hope you dont plan on setting hook on some of those big Dale Hollow Smallies like a 3 year old girl..... those things will put hurtin on you... LOL!! :) Joking!!
 
LMAO same here, When I feel that familiar tap-tap I instantly turn into an excited 3 year old girl and set the hook like one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that I just run on instinct and consider it as a bonus that I actually hooked him...


LOL!!!! I hope you dont plan on setting hook on some of those big Dale Hollow Smallies like a 3 year old girl..... those things will put hurtin on you... LOL!! :) Joking!!
 
I've always kept the tip up, So, I need to try the tip down thingy. I have alot of hook sets thrown when I wacky rig I've noticed.
 
I always kept my tip up in the past until a buddy of mine finally said something to me like"Why don't you just keep your rod down and that wont happen" well,sure enough it works!! I either keep the tip down or sideways / downwards (if that makes sense) and it's not very often i lose a fish. But it seems like the ones i lose are MONSTERS!! LOL ya know what i mean 8)
 
whj812 said:
LMAO same here, When I feel that familiar tap-tap I instantly turn into an excited 3 year old girl and set the hook like one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that I just run on instinct and consider it as a bonus that I actually hooked him...


LOL!!!! I hope you dont plan on setting hook on some of those big Dale Hollow Smallies like a 3 year old girl..... those things will put hurtin on you... LOL!! :) Joking!!

I will be with Bubba who will hopefully talk me through it!!!!!
 

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