Thread: Keeping fish on the line

I used to fish Croton a long time ago. I live near Newburgh, NY and fish many water within 45 min. from the house.

Suggestions for keeping the little dudes hooked (from a little-dude fish expert):

1. light action rod a must!!! 5'6" or 6'
2. 6 # test braid gets it done for the following reasons:
a. no stretch
b. faint strike detection even at a long distance
c. fish are more apt to panic once the feel the hook point and many times make hooksets much easier
d. most times once the hookset is started, a slow sweep of the rod upward or to the side finishes it. One more rod tip set - get it in the boat
3. smaller fish or those that nip many time require downsizing - either the lure the jig head or both. I got into some nippers yesterday, went to a smaller soft plastic and smaller jig hook for size. Once I got nippers to bite, many in the area fished were hooked.
4. lure design does make a difference for nippers: a curl tail not so much/ a straight tail or no tail usually a winner.

Of course nipper schools don't happen very often and heavier 1/16 oz jigs with a #4 hook does fine. No tail example and thin tail :


A small swimbait on a small jig /hook:


These are my suggestions - don't shoot the author. My partner and I have had over 140 fish days this spring and if they work in Orange L. they work anywhere.