Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

GT Strike!

(1/2) > >>

Luke Wyrsta:
Thought this would be a useful discussion to help newcomers learn some tips about how to handle a big GT strikes....

Factors such as:


* Those first few seconds as a big fish shadows your surface lure - retrieval speeds and strategy
* Striking - driving home those barbless hooks - when and why?
* Strike Drag - what do you set it at and adjustments during the first critical seconds
* Skipper & the boat - does he know what he is doing? Must you tell the skipper? What should the boat do during those first critical seconds of a strike?
* Rod angles and your own position in regards to fighting the GT
Let's hear your thoughts...

Boom!

Jon Li:
Guys ,

My way would be as follow :

1. Maintain retrieval speed but more jerk actions to simulate frantics on the lure .
2. Whether it's barbless or barbed , I will strike a couple of times to drive the hook
into fish's jaw .
3. Adjustment of drag is done before I even cast , will add if necessary but never decrease the drag .
4. The skipper should pay attention to the anglers and the lure , usually I shout upon getting a strike to attract his attention , if I need the boat moved then will yell but if I am in full control , no need to move the boat so others can still fish . No need to do anything upon strike though .
5. Straight up to 45 Deg. when the fish are still far and about 60 Deg. to 30 Deg. from horizontal when the fish is close / underneath , I find if I lower the rod tip any lower and the fish decides to sound , I wud not have strong enough back muscle to lift the rod and wud be at the disadvantage , this is the time the captain must help by moving the boat !

Jon .

Brandon Khoo:
pretty similar to what Jon has written with the following additional comments:

I will try to drive the hooks home - if I can! Sometimes, with a really big strike from a huge fish, you can't do that because it has completely engulfed the lure and all you're doing is holding on for dear life! It's hard enough trying to get the rod to 45 degrees!

My drag is set around the 12 - 15 kg mark. Quite frankly, I prefer a slightly lower setting in the event of a dreaded sideways strike. You can always palm the spool.

I generally like to have a pretty clear understanding of what happens should a fish be hooked with the driver of the boat already before we start casting. Unfortunately, this seems to go out the window after the fish is hooked

Rod position and my own position - ahhh  :-[  Realistically, this is not something I have entirely within my control after I hook a fish, especially if it is a decent size. I'm sure people I have fished with in the past have wondered why I am leaning over the rails with my feet up in the air or down on my knees or bouncing all over the boat. I can assure them it was not voluntary.....  :'(

Wong Kai Zhee:
i am not a big fan of setting the hook, especially for beginners.

reason being striking wildly or prematurely results in slacks that can easily (more so f braided) wind around rod tip w disasterous results. also, the zero stretch of braid, high strike drag, sharp hooks, force which GT strike lure and its run will drive the hooks home.

after the initial excitement, the most demanding part of the fight will be straight up and down. cus the angle is extreme, its easy to hold the rod too high, placing too much stress on the rod tip. then the stalemate also frustrates anglers and some tend to go into the "macho" mode and start yanking away. such acts tires the angler fast and does little to move the fish closer. and should the fish decides to run again, with the rod butt in the gimbel, the angler may be forced to hunch his back, awkard and dangerous. many times, i find it necessary to remove the rod from the gimbal and be ready to shaft it into the water should the fish run below the boat.

Luke Wyrsta:

--- Quote from: wongkz on May 16, 2007, 01:41:03 AM ---i am not a big fan of setting the hook, especially for beginners.

reason being striking wildly or prematurely results in slacks that can easily (more so f braided) wind around rod tip w disasterous results. also, the zero stretch of braid, high strike drag, sharp hooks, force which GT strike lure and its run will drive the hooks home.

--- End quote ---

Hi Wongkz,

Appreciate your opinion , but i have to say i disagree.

A majority of the time, you will hook-up or loose the fish within the first initial seconds right from the strike. A GT strike will be aggresive and usually quite messy - driving home hooks is very much required since they may be barely hooked or may simply be 'mouthing' the lure with no actual hooks embedded in the fish.

I have never had any issues as long as you wind (keeping the tension eliminating slack) and strike at the same time (5 big and powerful strikes IMO - count them) - this has dramatically increased my strike retention rates ;)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page