One thing we could touch on also is “how to net a fish”.
Many will try to scoop up a fish, chasing after it like a child trying to net a butterfly.
IMHO, trying to scoop up a fish is one of the best ways to lose it. I prefer (on those occassions that I actually use a net) to hold the fish on a taught line, fish pointed upstream, … the net will be submerged downstream of the fish.
When I let the pressure off of the line, the fish will turn and run INTO the net all by itself, head long.
thanks for even bringing the subject up! I thought of three things immediately; the first was my father’s tale of his experience at the Texas coast, seeing a fellow on a pier whose huge Penn reel sang and sang as the line slowly and inexorably spooled off, no speedup, no slowdown, as whatever it was headed for the open sea. No efforts turned it or even slowed it down. That image stuck in a young boy’s mind.
Then there were my two personal experiences. I was fishing in a small feeder creek for sand bass. My lure hit the water and instantly took off, reel screaming. Never had a chance. Again just a few years ago, fishing at night. Screaming reel, adreanalin and then nothing.
Sure does light the fires! Thanks for the data on what to do and for the memories rekindled.
