Playing a fish

I have just started fishing my local canal. I have been using a rod and reel with a waggler float. I have also just bought a 4m whip.

Now and again something reall big takes the bait, I manage to keep it on the line for a breathtaking few seconds but the hook always ends up flying out of the water at me.

When I have sucesfully struck I keep the rod high in the air, then I panic. If its little i usually just wind it in or swing it in with my whip, but with the bigger ones im not sure what to do.

What are the fundamentals of playing a fish?

Are there different techniques for rod&reel and whips?


Many thanks

Adam

Just spoken to a mate who fly fishes alot and says my hook size is probably too small (size18) for the bigger fish.

But I would still like to know the fundamentals of playing the fish

let it take line.

it sounds as if you drag on the reel may be to tight, you need to set it so that line will come off but under tension.

if its to tight the line will snap, or the fish will pull the hook out.

if its to lose the line will fly off the reel and jam up, and then you lose the fish.

You must be able to recognise the instant you set the hook into a fish whether it is a big one or not. This takes quite a bit of experience and in our early days we all lost big fish due to being over aggressive in playing them.

I notice you are using very light tackle and small hooks. You can land some very big fish on light tackle at times if you have open snagfree water and plenty of room to let it tire out. However in most cases we dont have such conditions and we must use tackle capable of landing the fish and keeping it out of snags.

This also depends on what species you are hooking. Tench for example will tend to charge off at speed for the nearest weedbed or underwater snag.

Keep you rod well bent at all times. The bend in your rod acts as a cushion and absorbs shocks. Make sure the drag on your reel is set properly.

Most of all don't panic when you hook a good fish.