Set the hook Sonny!!

[united jigsticker]

"Oh shoot!"

"What!?"

"Did ya' see that one?!? It was a slab!!!"

"No, I didn't see it."

"It had to be at least 2 pounds!"

"R-i-i-ight!"

That's a real bummer when that happens.

"Hey, get the net!!!"

"You got something good?"

"Yeah, get the net. HURRY!!!"

"Get her up here"

"I'm trying, just be ready!"

"Get your rod tip up"

"I'm fine, just keep the net ready"

"Holy smokes, that sucker's HUGE!!!"

"Net it! NET IT!!! GET IT!!! Awww son of a %*@!!!! *&%$$! It!"

"Bummer dude"

"Why didn't you net it?!?!"

"I told ya' to get her up!"

That's an even bigger bummer.

We have 100's of grades of line, rods, reels with advanced drag systems, lazer sharp hooks and hook sharpeners; the list goes on.

But we still lose fish.

Well, some of us do.

But the 6 year old kid in the front of the boat that used that most recent green booger for bait, fishing with the old Snoopy Pole pre-rigged with 8 pound "Charlie Brown Rope-A-Filiment" hoists in a 16" Crappie, swinging it over the side of the boat before he even mutters "Got one Dad!"

So, what is it?

The hook-set? The time we allow them to take it? The tactical battle we use to play them out? Dull hook?

Or just plain old dumb luck?

I'll believe it has to be a combination of all of the above, with more oomf put on the luck and italics on the dumb part.

You'll only land a fish if it's meant to be.

Kids land large fish for 4 reasons.

1. They deserve it.

2. It helps them get hooked.

3. It makes Dad and Uncle Bob feel dumb.

4. It shoots our pride in the foot. (careful, there's a floor under your foot keeping the water out of the boat...)

"Dad, did ya' put the plug in?"

"Yep"

...glug, glug, glug, glug.....

Oooops.

Crappies have paper mouths. They are very very delicate.

Extreme care should be headed when attempting to clip onto their lip and massage them ever so gingerly towards the boat.

One extra swift tug of the pole and you will rip the jig right out!

I think back to all those times I got a little too anxious myself, and set the hook like a Lumberjack on an Oaktree...

All I pulled in was a pair of lips...

No, really, that doesn't happen.

How many times have you unhooked (or tried to unhook) a Crappie, and had to struggle some with getting it loose?

Quite often for me I'm afraid.

Alot of their "lips" are pretty hard, actually.

That hook is pretty small, and probably slightly dull from the 176 other slabs you've boated that day.

So, it stands to reason that a good decent hook set will do the job...Better then the old feather lift of the rod when the line twitches or the bobber sinks.

So, what I am trying to say is...

RIP THEM LIPS!!!!!! Not litteraly, of course, but use a good firm hookset on them Crappies.

You might boat a few extra fish cuz of it!

[Matt Johnson]

Again, fun to read UJ! Good stuff!

[DEADhead]

great post!

[Dan Thiem]

That was a very good post indeed!

Green booger

[ocf]

you know where the luck ends.... its when you start supplying tackle when you fish with someone else