Reply With Quotemaybe they think it's take out and are headed home to sit down and eat?
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Slabmaster
At least I know my bait clicker works...
bought a couple round baitcasters with clickers so I can toss bream and maybe get a couple big cats. first actual hookups and my line line gave up on me and i lost the hook! i am still disgusted by this but i'm still trying. but the last four or five times now something is grabbing my bait and running with it. i will let it go for a while hoping that i will have a hook on them when I reel in. don't know if i'm rushing it or if i'm doing something else wrong. i was using 5/0 team catfish circle hooks but i recently went up to 8/0 starting today after seeing a lady catch a smaller cat than what i'm hoping for on a much larger hook than what i was using. same thing.... ZzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzz and then nothing when i go to reel it in.
i'm new to this and have only been going after larger catfish with bream for about a month and a half now. lost two hooks in fish I should've had. knots or line or something which i'm working on. one was mono 17# snapped when a big one turn on me or ran under something and the other the hook just was no longer on some 30# braid i was using. fish had scissors or a carpet knife or something i guess. but the majority of the time something runs with my bait and when i got to reel it in theres just no hookup.
could this be gar? i did hook a nice 3.5'-4' gar fishing this same way but he fought out my hook. he also didn't run with my bait as far as I can tell but that was before the baitclicker. but hey, i'll even take a gar if that what this is pulling my line. need to hook it though. mostly just want to hook a nice sized fish on my line.
i'm stumped but i want to hook whatever it is running with my bait. any advice is appreciated..
Last edited by lazi; 09-06-2013 at 08:21 PM.
Slabmaster
Keeper
Gar will do that running on you. Is your bait beat up?
Slabmaster
yes, maybe 2-3 out 5 times the bait did get look chewed on. on the last throw today my bait had the belly bit open it i never noticed a bite. thinking on it some more maybe i should snell the hook and and leave enough line to put a nice sharp treble hook on the body of the bait? or maybe just go with a treble hook in the first place?
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If a big fish runs with it the stops, just let it sit. Lots of times they will try to kill it then turn it around to swallow head first. Tie your hook on with a improved clinch knot, leave 6 in tag then tie your stinger on and hook towards thhe tail. That belly eaten out sounds like a turtle to me.
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Slabmaster
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I agree with Cray about the turtle.
Slabmaster
tried again and got the zzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZ but still no hook up. i think you guys are right since they are pretty much just knawing on my bait. they aren't taking it very far i keep thinking a good size fish would make more of a run. so i'm inclined to think i must be fishing for turtles. and that makes that one for sure hook a lttlw worse because the way that line moved it could've only been a good size fish to move line that fast.
may try again at another spot later in the week but last thing i want to deal with is some ole stuborn slinky neck turtle with a hook in it's mouth.
thanks for the advice!
Crappie Wall Hanger II
I would do away with the circle hooks, or make sure you aren't setting the hook with them. Make sure plenty of hook is exposed through the bait. I doubt a turtle would be breaking your line either. Not sure where you are located but flatheads are hard to hook and like others say they kinda chew on the bait before they decide to swallow it.
Slabmaster
i just turn my drag and start reeling in. i start reeling in slow until i think i feel something there but when i start to try to get it feel like it just ket loose.
i was using circle hooks so i wouldn't gut hook a big one since i'm letting it take the bait. if anybody can recommend a better hook or a better rig i will certainly look into it .
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