Losing fish pulling crank baits

I've been out several times pulling and pushing crank baits. I've been using Bandits and Arkie's and have had quite a few come off on the way to the boat (pulling) and bringing them up (pushing). Pulling or pushing I'm using 15lb Pline co polymer. The hooks on the cranks are what came on them. It doesn't seem that one brand is loosing more fish than the other, I'm just lifting the pole and reeling in, no hook set, have read not to set the hook on several posts when using cranks. Don't know if I need to change hooks or what if anything I'm doing wrong. I have lost some nice slabs and would like to increase the count making it in the boat.

Thanks for any help,

Ray

I've had days like that and I think there are just times that they don't slam it and are just barely biting it, it's almost like they are nipping at it. Also it's very important never to give them any slack in the line, this can happen if you're pulling and you try and reel them in too fast and they start skipping across the top of the water. If they are barely biting it, often times the hook will tear a big hole in their lip and any slack and that hook will just fall out. I reel them in very slowly and try and keep them in the water and not on top of the water where they can sling their head and throw it out. Now I use braided line and of course there isn't any stretch with it so the hook sets itself. I'm not sure about the line your using but it could be that there is enough stretch in it that the hook isn't getting set good. I just don't know anything about that type of line. Somebody else will have to answer that question. Hope this helps some.

Like Mac daddy said some days they are not biting it real good. How stiff are your poles? Too stiff and you can pull it out pretty easy.

Replace that back hook with one of the style that have the big loop or add on a single crappie hook as a trailer hook. May have to use a bit of surgical tubing to keep it in place.

This is the style treble I was talking about > Gamakatsu, Treble Hook, Round Bend Treble Hook, Gamakatsu Round Bend, Replacement Hooks, Lure Hooks, Lure Treble Hooks, Replacement Treble, Gamakatsu Treble Hooks, Gamakatsu Round Bend Treble Hooks

I'm using B&M Pro staff trolling rods, 10' and 12' long. I believe the co polymer lines stretch is between Braid and mono but don't know that for a fact, will have to look it up. I'll watch next time I'm out to see how bad the mouths are torn, I don't feel like I'm trying to bring them in to fast but I know from watching the wife reel fish in on the 12' especially, the tip gets to flopping back and forth which would give the fish slack. I would say most are lost within 20 feet of the boat while pulling, we are "sliding them" in to get close enough to get the net under'em. The ones we get into the boat are usually hooked pretty solid, got the hook marks on my hand to prove it, no longer being to macho to use long nose pliers.

Ray

I always sweep my rod forward when it loads up from a fish while I'm reeling to make sure I get the fish on top. Not really a hook set but it helps get the fish's head up and any trace of slack out of the line. Reeling should be reasonably fast until the crappie pops to the top then steady to the boat. Sometimes the fish are just going to come off. I see lots of clients reel way too fast and get the crappie tumbling. The majority of the time that fish will come off. If there is a medium to heavy chop on the water you have to be even more aware of how fast you are reeling. Lots of folks get excited the closer the fish gets to the boat and they unwittingly pull the hooks loose. I had a client do that on a big largemouth bass (green carp) yesterday.

For me, and I have some shoulder mobility issues, the trolling weights would cause me to lose fish will trying to land by hand at the boat. The weight/head shake of the thrashing fish against the trolling weight would throw the crank out. Upon switching to using net lost far fewer fish. Use net all the time now on all crappie and can't tell you how many times when in net the cranks comes out but the net has them. For some reason I cannot beat a catfish or yellow bass off a crankbait. :dono

Doug is correct on the retrieve technique. Good advice. Get to top and maintain steady pull retrieve to the boat and net.

Set the hook! Hold rod high till fish comes to the top then feal her in. Tune your hooks. Works for me.

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