Lost a big one and want to know why!

[Aconway94]

So I am still fairly new to this whole swimbait thing so I am looking for some advice. I was throwing my new Savage gear shine glide (the biggest one) to test the swim. As I was working it I felt the infamous tick of the line and set the hook (it was a sweep hook set and I thought I set hard enough). I started to grind on the reel and stated to feel the head shakes. The fish came up to the surface and shakes her head and spits the bait. It was the first time she jumped. It was a very nice fish for NH (5 plus) and I want to know what you guys think I did wrong so I can learn. Or was it just that the fish came off? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks everyone. 

[Volfan]

What rod and what line? Sometimes it just happens; the big baits give a lot of mo for them to shake it free on a head shake.

[Aconway94]

The rod was a BPS extreme rated 1-3oz a Shimano Cardiff with 20lb big game. Its my starter set up! 

[pbaker]

keep the fish down with big baits..

[Jacobssam]

^^^ Like said above try not to let the fish break the surface they can shake their heads much more out of water then when they are in water. Heres a good article Mike Long did that goes a little more in depth http://www.mikelongoutdoors.com/jumping-bass-agony/

[NEbucketmouth19]

I'm not familiar with that rod, how would you describe the action? Keeping the fish down is probably the most immediate thing you can change but if you are using a pool cue you WILL lose fish to head shakes if they come up, especially with heavy treble baits. If it loads up well then the rod probably isn't to blame, just make sure to keep tension at all times, and if they come up to shake keep the rod tip down and keep steady pressure. 

Also if you feel like you played the fish well and your gear is adequate, don't lose sleep over it. I lost what I'm fairly confident was my PB on a slammer in the fall and I wouldn't change a thing about how I fought the fish. It just happens sometimes, they get off. You can't always control how well they get hooked and sometimes (as I believe was the case with my fish) they get hooked outside the mouth and then you are lucky to land them.

[Aconway94]

Thanks for the responses everyone. In terms of the rod, it's the bass pro shop basic rod. I was getting into swimbaits and it was cheap second hand. It does the trick and has a fairly nice tip. I don't think it was the rod because I have caught plenty of other fish on the rod with trebles. I will try to keep the fishes head down next time and see if that helps! 

[MA Frog Man]

Tip in the water. ish happens

[MaineBassin]

I have found in the past that (almost subconciously) I would watch the line. As I see it come up, knowing the bass was about to jump/surface, I found myself watching. Basically stopping. At this moment, the bass is in control. I would watch praying she would not shake my lure. Then go back to "fighting" her after the splash. After losing some fish to this, and reading/hearing successful fisherman tips I now be sure to be the one in control. Never stop reeling and pulling. If she comes to surface, either go down with rod tip or pull her over. YOU need to make her go the way you need her to go. If you keep tension on the line and the hook is in, she cannot shake it. But if she turns her head and you give just a fraction of line slack, que the fat lady. It's fun to play fish and watch them jump (one of the things that hooked me on bass) and see the big red gills open of a big bass. But if you want to land the big ones you need to pull grind and get a hold of her as fast as possible. 

[timcauliffe]

Rod / line down. Desperate measures would be to swap out the hooks. It is just a sign of good things to come!

[bassbass]

You most likely didn't do anything wrong. And you will be up thinking about it for the next couple of days.

Keeping the rod down so the fish doesn't jump is good like everyone said. But if you fish enough you will most likely loss fish ever if you keep them down, sometimes right at the boat because the fish is still hot and you are trying to get her. In a net, or when you set the hook and you can fish a big fish on, the a couple of hooh shakes and you feel no more fish.

 

I have seen big fish do stuff I have never seen doesn't before , I had a monster bass do a death roll right at the edge of the net and shock the hook.

 

They are big for a reason, keep at it and your turn will come.

Good luck

[bigpoppabass]

I fish a castaic catch 22 ss a very similar bait.  That is alot of plastic in the way of getting a good hooksett.  Probably not your fault.  I go with a very mod action soft rod with that style so when rod loads up on the hooksett, the jumps can be absorbed. Very likely that the fish did not take it deeply.  Over time you will match rigs to SBS that nail em almost every time.

Edited May 5, 2018 by bigpoppabass

[R8R]

All swimbait rods can land a big fish, just hope that the hook penetrates through the fish, fighting big fish are trial and error in the beginning of your swimbait journey. You will learn your own style of how you fight a big fish as time goes on. Everybody goes through this. There will be many failures and success. In the end don't worry about it and learn from the next big fish you try to land.

[basskickinrednick]

$hit happens that's why it's called fishing and not catching lol