Hooklength & Playing

[dizidave]

Just a quick question for some comments.....as i posted above, i had a PB on saturday with a 5lb carp.

 

I was fishing with 2lb bottom line, and i like to take my time with the fish to make sure i dont lose it.

 

For all you experienced anglers out there what would you say the chances are of losing a 5lb fish on 2lb line?

 

If it took me five minutes or so to get it in, was i being too cautious?

[Kevin Hackett]

I think the idea is that the chances of losing it because the line breaks are 0.

Leaving hooks in fish because the line breaks is something we should all try to minimise.

Interestingly I had a 6lb hook length snap for no good reason yesterday evening. I changed up to 8lb

as I did not want it to happen again. 40 minutes later I landed a Tench and there was the lost hook. Being able to remove made me feel a lot better.

 

Kevin

[SAMTENCH]

Im not experianced but i would say that as long as you enjoyed catching the fish then you have done it rite. if your not in a match then you may as well bring then in slow but you have to match your hook length to what you you want to catch.

[chesters1]

a lot also depends on the rod action a nice through action one will absorb many line snapping jerks

[miasma]

Dave...the bug has bitten...take the plunge and

go for it!(2lb line fine for hair rig)

Be Lucky!....miasma..

[Gray-Catchpole]

oh dear oh dear, im almost cringing here, i agree with chesters

 

a good rod with a through action will reduce the lb of line needed for big fish, my hooklengh never goes above 3.5lb, on an open water, however, this goes up a pound on water with lillys, and snags, mainline is always 8lb maxima.

 

the only trouble i have found with the through action rods(i have recently been using a Zebco) is you sometimes arnt aware of how much presure you are giving, and this can lead to hooks being pulled, the feeling from these rods is very similar to using a pole, where the elastic does the work, once you get used to them though, you wont look back.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I have to agree here .Chesters is indeed making sense.I also use a softer type rod.I use Carp rods with a 2 1/4Lb T/C for Pike fishing because I prefer lighter line for freelining and floatfishing.The extra 1/2Lb usually associated with Pike rods,I feel is too tippy and I would not like to lean into a big fish with light line.

I also make sure my drag is well set to give just before the break point of my line.I set up a rod and attach my line to something solid.I give the rod a good slow pull and just before the 90deg. arc point or where I feel the line is going to give,I set my drag to slip.I see a lot of people who have thier drags set to tight and when a fish starts to lunge,they have to make a frantic adjustment to compensate.All to often the drag goes too far in the slack direction and the fish is given freedom to eject a hook or get snagged.As for taking too long...that all depends on the fish and your ability to judge wether or not it has the gumption to make a breaking lunge.

[ayjay]

Personally I think you are fishing much too light for carp,but it does depend on the lake,if it is open with no snags and very little in the way of marginal weed you will get away with it but on most of the lakes I fish 8lb bs is the minimum I will use.(Mostly the fish are from 5 - 20 lb)

 

Well done with your PB though and never lose sight of the fact that a carp is a carp, it doesn't have to be over 20lb to be enjoyable.

[Spindle]

I've landed 6lb carp on 1.5 bottom and 2.1 mainline with a 20 hook. This was on my ultralight match rod and it coped fine. I don't target carp on tackle like this, but if you do hook one, just take your time and chances are eventually either you will land it or the hook will pull out (which is better than leaving line and hook in the fish). Plenty of backwinding helps!