rod position

[bucketmouth64]

I notice on fishing shows that many have their rod position sometimes parallel or lower when bringing in a fish. What is the significance of this position? Is this to prevent the fish from jumping? Or does it keep the fish hooked better. When I was learning how to fish I was always told to keep the rod tip up. I've heard comments from Denny Brauer on his shows about poor rod position when bringing in a fish.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I am surely not the master of catching fish once they are hooked, I loose my fair share of fish threwout the year.

I know I dont hold my rod parallel to the water when bringing in a fish, but I will put the rod tip in the water at times. Yes, its to try and stop the fish from jumping. When the fish jumps it can use the weight of the lure to change its direction and can throw the bait. Most fish are lost when the fish jumps.

I do think its important that the rod tip never points at the fish. You are giving up all the good of the rod when you do that, and the fish can break your line a lot easier. So try pointing the rod away from the fish and down when a fish looks like its trying to work its way to the surface...

[BigMike]

I think that the key is to keep pressure on the line and bend in your rod, more than the location of where it is (up, down, parallel, in water, etc...) Although a lot of pros on bassmaster shows and the like have their rods lower to the water to help prevent fish from jumping and throwing the lure, I guarantee that they aren't pointing their rod right at the fish, instead they have it pulled sideways (kind of like when you give a sweeping hookset).

Again, the key is keeping pressure on the fish and let your rod do what it was designed to do - bend.

I personally do whatever is necessary to get a fish in the boat. Most of the time I give a big hookset (up or sideways depending on situation, lure, etc...) and keep the rod centrally located around the thigh to waste high and work a fish to the boat. Again, every fish is different, so a battle will always be different. Good luck and hope that helps some.

[jeffyo45]

My rod tip is always way above parallel unless I can tell the fish is going to jump. Then the tip will be in the water to prevent the jump. I seem to only lose fish when they jump and I don't get the rod tip down. Prime example, I had a really nice smallie on that I could tell was going to jump, at the same time I am bringing my rod down my partner is grabbing the net (which happened to be under my rod) he stops my rod from going down, I lose tension with the fish, the fish jumps and spits the hook. Other than when they are jumping I would recommend keeping the tip up.

[squeedunk]

I do not fish tournaments at all so I may have a different view than most people but the reason I bass fish is because they tend to jump. That's what makes them more exciting than walleyes or panfish! If I know I have a monster on I may try to keep them underwater, but most times I want to see how high they can get out of the water when they jump. It is the excitement of the sport. Just a little different view on the topic. "Keep the rod tip high", that's what my dad always told me and that is what I will do (unless there is money riding on the fish of course!).
~Squeedunk

[Big Ick]

Fighting a fish with the rod tip high in the air is what is called "high-sticking". Doing this creates a lot of pressure on the rods guides and the rod itself. For durable rods, like those built out of fiberglass, it's not as detrimental as rods built out of a high modulus graphite (St. Croix V, G-loomis GLX, etc.) I cringe whenever I see someone take a nice rod and load the dump out of it by high-sticking.

[Guest]

I ALWAYS keep my rod tip low while fighting a fish especially in tourneys.

This really does keep the fish from jumpimg and the worst thing is having a large fish shake the hook on you. Especially smallies.

Often times I will even keep my rod tip below the water surface. I'll do this when I get the feeilng this fish is about to jump.

It's amazing how well this works.

[smallies24]

I agree with keeping the rod low, it definitely makes a difference. As for the graphite rods bing more prone to failure, the key is not bending the rod past 90 degrees. Graphite is incredile strong in the linear direction. When you bend to rod too far there is too much nonlinear strress applied to the graphite. That's why people snap rods by picking them up by the tip or when lifting fish into the boat.