Best practice with Senco's

[Koos Bass]

Hi, i killed a fish on Saterday  after it took my whole senco down. (i have never done that in my life.)

We went after a LEKKER thunder storm and started fishing. nothing seemed interested in anything and we slowed down to a Mojo with a long drop from the weight. then we would cast and wait, jerk it a bit and wait, then jerk it some more and wait........ That seemed to work a bit but we missed a good hit or 3, so we slowed down some more... laned 3 fish and then that one i killed.

What is the best way to avoid that from happening or if it happens what is the best way to get the hook out or do i cut the line and release the fish.

Some say i must "wake up" and set the hook when i first feel the bite, but the problem is when the fishing is slow and you let the mojo do the work you dont always feel the bite, you see it. and by the time you took up slack and set the hook it seems to be to late.

Help please. (i felt bad, Catch, Brag and Release is my motto)

 

 

[HennieS]

Hi Koos

It's never nive to lose a fish! Senko's is known for being swallowed by fish so "ja" a lot of people will tell you that you are striking too late but I believe that is not necessary true. It realy depend on how hungry the fish are and bigger fish tend to swallow easier than smaller fish.

There is a few things I look at when a fish is badly hooked, firstly if the fish is bleeding badly I would cut the line and get it back in the water asap. If the hook is swallowed and I can still see it I would go in through the gills with long nose pliers grab the hook and turn it in the opposite direct to where the shap point is. I would also not struggle too much with it if the hook is stuck and I am battling to get it out I would cut the line and put the fish in my livewell for a while. It is amazing how easily the fish sometimes get rid of the hook without any help!

Going in through the gills you obviously have to be carefull not to damage the gills but this is not to difficult. If you fish carolina rig a lot you will get lots of practice as the fish tend to swallow easier.

Hope this helps!

 

 

[100% African]

On thing u can try is to fish barbless. It does result in a lost fish or two but getting a hook out is extremly easy. I also noticed the smaller fish tend to swollow more than the big fish. I was told that this is because they greedy and inexpetienced. Big fish a a bit smarter than that...

Even is the fish is bleeding don't be afraid to release it. there is a substance in fish blood which causes it to clot when in water. So often the bleeding stops very soon after the fish is released.

Last resort, cut the line and throw the fish back in with the hook. I like to believe that they make it... After all, how many dead fish have you seen with hooks in them floating on the surface??? not (m)any...

 

[cranky]

i read an article...which indicated that bass dont float when they die...only if you pull them up from a depth they cant go back down but generally when a bass dies it goes to the bottom of the dam...so we dont know how many bass we kill...

the stress we put the bass thru when in our livewells the whole during comps etc...fighting them for periods of time like some people do...you start killing the bass from the time you hook it.

 

  

 

 

[cranky]

imported post

 

[cranky]

i found the article...

knowing your bass...the scientific approach to catching more bass...

from page 235...262

it states that hooking the bass and fighting the fish is not lethal for a normal fishermen...it only becomes lethal when coupled with the practice of holding bass after the catch...poor quality of water just magnifies the problem.

anyway there is a whole article on the pain and stress...