I usually fish with ultralight gear, 7 foot graphite rod & 4lb line test. Obviously big ones break me off sometimes, especially near cover, but I get lots of action & have brought in five 9 lb plus LMB on this tackle. My biggest was 27 inches, clearly 11 lb plus (we didn't have a scale, though we did get a pic).

But there's a problem: LMB throw the hook, especially when they jump. I try to discourage jumping by sticking the rod under water, keeping the line tight, etc, but still I lose way too many. And these aren't heavy lures, as my favorite is just a simple 1/32 oz jighead with 4 inch worm.

Lately I've wondered if I might be better off trying a slower tip rod that bends more across the entire shaft. Fast action helps me set the hook on light line, but I suspect it also helps the fish throw the lure. I remember using a very slow action noodle type rod years ago and, while being occasionally outgunned in cover, few fish were able to spit the hook.

Any comments or experiences? This is important not so much that I'll catch a biggun, but that I can more efficiently harvest excess bass. Recall that I'm talking ultralight, not heavier gear here.

Anthropic, maybe consider the gape of the 1/32 jig, and not the rod. I'm not sure a light wire hook could penetrate the jaw bones, nor would the hook gape be wide enough to get around it and hit just skin. Throwing the jig hook shouldn't be a problem with smaller fish, just larger ones.

Just a thought.

Perhaps you're right, Al. Oddly, it seems I lose a higher percentage of small, sub 12 inch LMB when they jump than larger fish. I wouldn't really mind that much except I want to get the little guys out!

I use jigs and very seldom lose fish but I buy the hooks that are more expensive and have a different angle than the cheapest ones.... wish I could remember the brand and name

Let me know, Pat!

I will

When I started fishing for steelhead I used my regular fishing rods, i.e. fast taper. I lost a LOT of fish. Then I went to a much slower taper rod, really soft and I stopped losing fish.

Thanks! I'm going to a softer rod & see if it helps.

The rod really feels too "whippy" and it is something that I am NOT used to but I can't argue with the results. I'm using braided line with a 6' fluorocarbon leader too.

Maybe look into "circle " hooks. They seem to stay in.

Im with FIH, I cant imagine a 1/32 jig having a hook with enough gape to hook a LMB, especially a bigger one, that had to be some fun landing a 11lb LMB with an ultralite rig.

I generally prefer crappie jigs because they have a bigger hook gape. Maybe if I twisted it a bit to the side it would stick better.

Yeah, the 27 incher was a blast. Totally lucked out that she decided to go to the middle to fight, if she'd gone the other way there was nothing I could do to stop her. By far longest LMB fight of my life. Fortunately the water was cool so I was able to revive & release her. My son & I were in a tiny boat so I had to stretch out one leg over the gunwale during the battle, kept worrying the line would get tangled with my shoe & I'd be de-feeted.

Prefer to back reel rather than use drag on bigguns. More control, much less line twist. Sometimes I have to take my hand off the reel handle when they go on a really strong run, but it works fine.

The jig heads I use are Eagle Claw 1/16 oz Pro-V Bend hooks from Walmart. PFPV116-3 is the no.
Pm me your # and I can send a pix by phone

Thanks, Pat. Will do!

Look at the Ducket cranking rod. Like esshup, I fish with braid and floro leader. I use the Alberto knot when tying the two lines together. No 11 lb'er but a 10.8 was landed with this rod. It keeps the fish pinned and it's fun when fighting even smaller lmb. I like the rod so much that I have two of them. You don't need a stiff rod if you are using a braided line. I like the Strike King Bitsy jig as my finesse jig.

Thanks, Tracy. Never heard of the Ducket rod, will take a look.

Tracy,
Thanks for the Alberto knot. I am going to try it. I have been looking for a better knot to tie the leader on to the braided line and this looks like a good one to try.

Brian, it is the best knot I have found when adding a leader to braid. You can also look at the double alberto and the crazy alberto but I am happy with the first knot mentioned and have not had the line break at any time at the knot.

I love all my Ducket rods and have several of different sizes and from the cranking rod all the way to the stiff one. The brand is not my only make but by far my favorite. The rod I broke at your lake was a St Croy. It did not help that it was rolled up in the elec car window just before I arrived at your place. For those that are interested, that light rod broke when boat flipping a bass. Lucky I had a Ducket with me.