Losing fishing and snapping lines

[jjekland]

Hi all,

I recently got back into fishing and have been thoroughly enjoying it! Went out yesterday to acorn carp fishery near Bristol and bagged 14 fish on the top Lake, all mirror and common carp! Granted the biggest was probably about 3lbs haha!

Today I went out to landsend fishery and had an amazing day. Only landed 3 fish, but they were nice mirrors and a grass carp!

I lost about 4 fish whilst playing them, unsure where I went wrong, am I just letting off pressure too much? I'm worried of snapping the line if I don't let up a bit sometimes!

Also, I had my line snap twice at the hooklength, pretty much straight after striking. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just misfortune, or is the gear too light?

I'm fishing a shimano forcemaster ax with a 2500 shimano reel, with 6lb mainline and 4lb size 16 hooklength and using a pellet waggler. Would I be better off on a 8lb line 6lb hooklength?

I'm going back there tomorrow to settle a score with all the fish I lost! So just wondering if it's worth upping the line and hook size? Apparently carp average about 6lbs and go up to low doubles in the lake I was on.

Cheers. - Jordan

 

[robtherake]

I think you've answered your own question, Jordan.

 

[jjekland]

I think you've answered your own question, Jordan.

Up the mainline and hook length then?

 

[robtherake]

That's my view, especially if the carp grow to any size. Even a modest fish - pricked and moving very quickly - can make short work of a 4lb hooklink unless the clutch is backed off to compensate for that first run. If it's moving in the opposite direction as you strike it's easy to crack off.

8lb/6lb is my starting point for waters that hold a good head of carp. As I've mentioned before, the 6lb lines of today are as thin and supple as the 3lb lines of the past.

 

[jjekland]

That's my view, especially if the carp grow to any size. Even a modest fish - pricked and moving very quickly - can make short work of a 4lb hooklink unless the clutch is backed off to compensate for that first run.

8lb/6lb is my starting point for waters that hold a good head of carp. As I've mentioned before, the 6lb lines of today are as thin and supple as the 3lb lines of the past.

Okay I shall give it a try! There's a high probability my drag was set too high as well and that has probably added to the issue...

 

[john step]

There has been a very recent theme by a fellow newcomer who loses fish with line snapping.
Many answers of encouragement by more experienced anglers about playing fish but the main point is that too fragile tackle leaves hooks in fish.

Experienced anglers can get away with it more than novices.
Sometimes an unexpected bigger fish comes along when fishing for the smaller species and an experienced angler can boast he caught a big fish on a light line.

That is not to say it is the normal way to target big fish. The exception not the rule.

Yes you may get fewer bites on heavier line if you fish where they have wised up but that is more acceptable than leaving hooks in fish.
It can happen to us all at times but we must do all we can to minimise it.

Use sensible tackle and up your hooklinks.

 

[chrissh]

Check the rod will take a heaver line… I might be wrong but I think I read that the shimano forcemaster ax rod is rated to 4-6lb line

 

[robtherake]

The extra strength gives you the confidence to lean into the fish and dictate the fight a little more and compensates for that knee-jerk over-enthusiastic strike that we all do now and again.

The ones you lost could have been lightly hooked in the first place, but as you learn how to fight the fish more effectively you'll - to some extent - be able to predict when a fish is about to go on a run and be ready for it. The clutch is your friend, but to set it too heavily can cause hook pulls or breaks, and too lightly means you aren't in control, although it's possible to augment the drag by pressing on the rim of the spool with a finger when you need to do so.

Keep at it, bud; it'll come.

---------- Post added at 00:00 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 23:47 ----------

Check the rod will take a heaver line… I might be wrong but I think I read that the shimano forcemaster ax rod is rated to 4-6lb line

Can't find a recommended line strength, Chris, but the blurb states a casting weight of 20g and a forgiving action. My Reactorlite float rod has the same rating and it's surprisingly capable.

 

[jjekland]

Check the rod will take a heaver line… I might be wrong but I think I read that the shimano forcemaster ax rod is rated to 4-6lb line

Can't find an official line rating on shimano, only information I can find of it is in an angling times review of the rod where they say up to a 10lb reel line would be max. Dunno if that's realistic or not, but it's fair to assume they know far more than me haha!

 

[robtherake]

Can't find an official line rating on shimano, only information I can find of it is in an angling times review of the rod where they say up to a 10lb reel line would be max. Dunno if that's realistic or not, but it's fair to assume they know far more than me haha!

Job's a good 'un, then.

 

[jjekland]

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Can't find a recommended line strength, Chris, but the blurb states a casting weight of 20g and a forgiving action. My Reactorlite float rod has the same rating and it's surprisingly capable.

It's actually the mini feeder version, I didn't know the difference when I bought it.

Still don't really know now if I'm honest haha!

I'm assuming 8lb/6lb set up would be fine?

 

[robtherake]

...or heavier, if circumstances dictate it. Bites on the pellet wag aren't usually timid if you've got them competing.

 

[chrissh]

I have the Shimano Beastmaster CX 10ft Commercial Feeder and a shimano 2500 baitrunner loaded with 6lbs
I would play with the clutch on your reel before changing the line.
Try pulling the line off the reel with the bail arm still in place if you are finding too much resistance and the rod is bending to far slacken the clutch.
I never have the clutch to heavy I use my finger on the side of the spool as a brake

 

[jjekland]

Quick update;

Went out to landsend again today, had a few nice catches and I think maybe a couple sort of 5-8lbs though I have no point of reference so they could have been 2 or 3 for all I know haha!

Had my line snap once today, but that was after a fish dived through some reeds before I could steer it out.

Went up to 5lb hook length and loosened my drag loads and just controlled it with a finger whilst playing fish. Seems to have fixed the issue, cheers for the advice everyone!