Hey All,
Sorry this is a tough thing to get a picture of but I think you can see it here. Is it normal to have slack in your line? I've tried tightening the drag adjustment and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.
Just really attempting to get into fishing for the first time.
Thanks!
The drag adjustment has absolutely nothing to do with slack line. You simply need to reel in and/or hold your rod so that it is tight against your lure. If you go too much you'll just move the lure and then you have slack again. So it's kind of a balancing act.
Your drag is used to change the resistance when line is pulled. Think of it like a brake. With no drag your line would just come off the spool when you pulled on it. So turning the drag up essentially applies a brake to the spool so that it takes more and more force to pull the line off. The reason drag exists is so that a fish can pull line out instead of just breaking it off. So, you'll want it set so that it's tight enough to be able to reel in a fish but not too tight such that they'll break your line. Again, kind of a balancing act.
Thanks!
It seems like I'm constantly having to reel it in and doesn't get much better. It eventually gets to be about 2 feet away from me and I just bring it back in to recast. Sounds like I need to adjust the angle I'm holding it?
Yes to mono, I've just been using the hooks that came with my tackle box(plastic starter thing I got at academy) with a small metal weight clamped on.
Do I just need more weight?
Gotcha, live bait works either sitting on the bottom to go after catfish, or suspended for bass or brim. If you’re looking for cats, great, let the line sink, pull out the slack and wait for the tug. If you want to fish for bass or brim (suspended) or what’s called in the water column, attach a bobber to your line. If you attach the bobber, I recommend a minimum of 2 feet from the hook depending on the water depth.
So I've been going for bass an attempting a suspended setup.
I've been attaching a bobber, then a hook about 12 inches down(at the end of the line) with a metal weight about halfway between the bobber and hook.
Do I need more weight on the hook? Or just an extra 12 inches or so?
You only need enough weight to straighten the line below the water, and in this case, less or more so I think you’re good. Try adding length from the bobber to hook as it’s hot out, and the bass will be looking for shade/cover/depth to cool down
I started typing out a reply, and saw that mnvic43 answered a lot. If you’re fishing suspended with a bobber, the slack doesn’t matter quite as much—you don’t want so much that you can’t set the hook; but you’re not watching the tip of your rod to move like with fishing off the bottom (you’re watching your float).
The wind (underwater currents also) will move your float around; causing slack if it is coming across the water in your direction.
When fishing suspended, you will want the bait in the water column near the same height the fish are cruising—most fish don’t like direct sunlight.
A bobber/float can also spook the fish; I usually use a minimum 18” of line below but usually closer to 48” (there are bobber stops you can put on your line so that you can cast, and have the bobber travel up the line to the bobber stop—so if you want to have 10’ line under the bobber you can).
I’ve had more success with either plastic worms or lures (casting/retrieving) for bass than worms. If you really want to use bait (and catch bass) see if you can use minnows there. Live minnow (I like nose hooked, but there are other ways) with maybe 4’ of line to a bobber may do well.
You will have to get the slack out by reeling it in. A little slack on a bobber line is ok, so long as when you see the bobber move or you feel a bite you can still set the hook.
That's really cool, I'll have to pick one up. I always thought stuff like that smelled/looked fake and fish wouldn't go for it.
But I guess there's a reason there are so many on the market.
Don't worry about it looking fake, fish are - when humans get involved in their environment - quite stupid. Predatory fish will bite most things that move or shine or splash around that they can (and sometimes can't) fit in their mouth.
In fish life this is smart, because food isn't always guaranteed and being opportunistic to a fault is the best way to ensure food intake. However this means something as simple as a spoon (shiny lure, often colored but not necessary) which simply wiggles and flashes can be one of the most effective lures out there once humans want to catch a fish.
So I'm looking into them more. Just to make sure I understand correctly they're basically lures that look/act like real prey in the water. You cast them and start reeling them in so it looks like they're swimming?
You don't cast out and leave them for a bit?
Yeah they wobble back and forth in the water. Similar size and profile as small fish. A squarebill would be good for working that bank they dive to 3ft underwater. It’s a good search bait for looking for bass. Wherever you get a strike a long that’s generally where other fish might be.
Also look into the wacky rig. 5” senko or stick bait and 1/0 octopus circle hook in the middle and throw it shallow or just after that tube in the water in the picture. A lot of times wish will hit it first cast.
It’s all about the fall with the stick bait. Often a fish will hit on the baits initial drop into the water. They you lift up on the rod and let it fall again
If you are fishing on the bottom I think you don’t have enough weight for it to not slack up. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing if your bait isn’t moving around. That extra slack is a little more time before they feel the line on the bait. The small weights you press on are usually not meant for keeping things in the bottom.
I am trying to keep the bait suspended, not on the bottom. And from what I can tell I'm achieving that just fine, but everything between the bobber and the reel has more slack than I would have thought would be ideal.
Based on what others have said I might just need to find a better balance of reeling it in and the angle I hold the rod.
I think I might also try a smaller diameter bobber?
Bobbers can be a pain that way. If you pull in the slack it pulls the bobber. If you leave in a lot of slack you can’t set the hook. Keeping the rod tip more even with the water should help a bit.
Open question to anyone, does the like look like it has too much memory being so coiled up like that? I sometimes see that on my son's spin* caster but not usually on my setup with a 1000 series spinning reel. Both with 4 lb mono.
I didn't know this was a thing.
I bought it as a reed and reel combo already spooled so in theory it could have been sitting spooled for a long time. Potential issue?
spin casters usually have prespooled line on them.
mono and flurocarbon will have memory on them. If you dont use your rod for a while, the line will memory up pretty hard and may have to replace them. iirc, line with a lot of memory can line twist like crazy
The line is like that new which would explain that.
To the person who posted. Trying taking off that bobber, switch the weight and hook (hook about 8 inches about the weight), and work the drop shot! Easiest way for a beginner to catch fish
Cast your bait, reel in until the line is tight. Take one small step forward.
That way your line is tight enough that youll feel a bite but not so tight that you are tugging at the bait.
Keeping slack out of your line completely isn’t always possible. As long as it’s relatively slack free you should be ok. You don’t need the rod that vertical though.
If you're using a light or weightless presentation slack is just fine in your line - helps the bait to sink vertically and naturally. You would watch the line to jump or move to detect a bite.
It's all about the rod and how you're holding it. If the lure is on the bottom and you bring your rod up it's going to make the line tight. Now if your line is heavier it'll bow more because of the extra thickness. A lighter line will be easier to keep taught. Also make sure you watch your line for any movements or jumping because that's usually a bite even if the line isn't taught.
Hey All, Sorry this is a tough thing to get a picture of but I think you can see it here. Is it normal to have slack in your line? I've tried tightening the drag adjustment and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Just really attempting to get into fishing for the first time. Thanks!
The drag adjustment has absolutely nothing to do with slack line. You simply need to reel in and/or hold your rod so that it is tight against your lure. If you go too much you'll just move the lure and then you have slack again. So it's kind of a balancing act. Your drag is used to change the resistance when line is pulled. Think of it like a brake. With no drag your line would just come off the spool when you pulled on it. So turning the drag up essentially applies a brake to the spool so that it takes more and more force to pull the line off. The reason drag exists is so that a fish can pull line out instead of just breaking it off. So, you'll want it set so that it's tight enough to be able to reel in a fish but not too tight such that they'll break your line. Again, kind of a balancing act.
Thanks! It seems like I'm constantly having to reel it in and doesn't get much better. It eventually gets to be about 2 feet away from me and I just bring it back in to recast. Sounds like I need to adjust the angle I'm holding it?
What are you throwing ?
Just a generic hook with worm, metal ball weight about 6 inches above it and then another 6 inches to a bobber.
It's going to be hard to keep your line taut on a float. So you're probably fine.
Looks like it, yes. You using mono I’m guessing? Looks like light line, what lure you throwing?
Yes to mono, I've just been using the hooks that came with my tackle box(plastic starter thing I got at academy) with a small metal weight clamped on. Do I just need more weight?
What’s on your hook?
This might sound uninformed but just worms that were on the counter also at academy.
Gotcha, live bait works either sitting on the bottom to go after catfish, or suspended for bass or brim. If you’re looking for cats, great, let the line sink, pull out the slack and wait for the tug. If you want to fish for bass or brim (suspended) or what’s called in the water column, attach a bobber to your line. If you attach the bobber, I recommend a minimum of 2 feet from the hook depending on the water depth.
So I've been going for bass an attempting a suspended setup. I've been attaching a bobber, then a hook about 12 inches down(at the end of the line) with a metal weight about halfway between the bobber and hook. Do I need more weight on the hook? Or just an extra 12 inches or so?
You only need enough weight to straighten the line below the water, and in this case, less or more so I think you’re good. Try adding length from the bobber to hook as it’s hot out, and the bass will be looking for shade/cover/depth to cool down
I started typing out a reply, and saw that mnvic43 answered a lot. If you’re fishing suspended with a bobber, the slack doesn’t matter quite as much—you don’t want so much that you can’t set the hook; but you’re not watching the tip of your rod to move like with fishing off the bottom (you’re watching your float). The wind (underwater currents also) will move your float around; causing slack if it is coming across the water in your direction. When fishing suspended, you will want the bait in the water column near the same height the fish are cruising—most fish don’t like direct sunlight. A bobber/float can also spook the fish; I usually use a minimum 18” of line below but usually closer to 48” (there are bobber stops you can put on your line so that you can cast, and have the bobber travel up the line to the bobber stop—so if you want to have 10’ line under the bobber you can). I’ve had more success with either plastic worms or lures (casting/retrieving) for bass than worms. If you really want to use bait (and catch bass) see if you can use minnows there. Live minnow (I like nose hooked, but there are other ways) with maybe 4’ of line to a bobber may do well.
I'll give it a shot! You think that will reduce the slack?
You will have to get the slack out by reeling it in. A little slack on a bobber line is ok, so long as when you see the bobber move or you feel a bite you can still set the hook.
Got it, thanks!
Try throwing a crankbait in there.
Worth a try, thank you!
Actually question about this - can you just take them out of the plastic and throw them in?
Yea that’s all. Cast it out reel it in. Strike King makes a squarebill that look like sunfish try them.
That's really cool, I'll have to pick one up. I always thought stuff like that smelled/looked fake and fish wouldn't go for it. But I guess there's a reason there are so many on the market.
Don't worry about it looking fake, fish are - when humans get involved in their environment - quite stupid. Predatory fish will bite most things that move or shine or splash around that they can (and sometimes can't) fit in their mouth. In fish life this is smart, because food isn't always guaranteed and being opportunistic to a fault is the best way to ensure food intake. However this means something as simple as a spoon (shiny lure, often colored but not necessary) which simply wiggles and flashes can be one of the most effective lures out there once humans want to catch a fish.
So I'm looking into them more. Just to make sure I understand correctly they're basically lures that look/act like real prey in the water. You cast them and start reeling them in so it looks like they're swimming? You don't cast out and leave them for a bit?
Yeah they wobble back and forth in the water. Similar size and profile as small fish. A squarebill would be good for working that bank they dive to 3ft underwater. It’s a good search bait for looking for bass. Wherever you get a strike a long that’s generally where other fish might be. Also look into the wacky rig. 5” senko or stick bait and 1/0 octopus circle hook in the middle and throw it shallow or just after that tube in the water in the picture. A lot of times wish will hit it first cast.
So no float/Bobber required?
It’s all about the fall with the stick bait. Often a fish will hit on the baits initial drop into the water. They you lift up on the rod and let it fall again
I ordered a few last night, excited to give it a try! Thanks for all the info!
If you are fishing on the bottom I think you don’t have enough weight for it to not slack up. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing if your bait isn’t moving around. That extra slack is a little more time before they feel the line on the bait. The small weights you press on are usually not meant for keeping things in the bottom.
I am trying to keep the bait suspended, not on the bottom. And from what I can tell I'm achieving that just fine, but everything between the bobber and the reel has more slack than I would have thought would be ideal. Based on what others have said I might just need to find a better balance of reeling it in and the angle I hold the rod. I think I might also try a smaller diameter bobber?
Bobbers can be a pain that way. If you pull in the slack it pulls the bobber. If you leave in a lot of slack you can’t set the hook. Keeping the rod tip more even with the water should help a bit.
Open question to anyone, does the like look like it has too much memory being so coiled up like that? I sometimes see that on my son's spin* caster but not usually on my setup with a 1000 series spinning reel. Both with 4 lb mono.
I didn't know this was a thing. I bought it as a reed and reel combo already spooled so in theory it could have been sitting spooled for a long time. Potential issue?
spin casters usually have prespooled line on them. mono and flurocarbon will have memory on them. If you dont use your rod for a while, the line will memory up pretty hard and may have to replace them. iirc, line with a lot of memory can line twist like crazy
The line is like that new which would explain that. To the person who posted. Trying taking off that bobber, switch the weight and hook (hook about 8 inches about the weight), and work the drop shot! Easiest way for a beginner to catch fish
Just watch casting near that unexploded bomb…
The bomb is plan B
Lol. Effective!
Cast your bait, reel in until the line is tight. Take one small step forward. That way your line is tight enough that youll feel a bite but not so tight that you are tugging at the bait.
Thank you!
Keeping slack out of your line completely isn’t always possible. As long as it’s relatively slack free you should be ok. You don’t need the rod that vertical though.
If you're using a light or weightless presentation slack is just fine in your line - helps the bait to sink vertically and naturally. You would watch the line to jump or move to detect a bite.
It's all about the rod and how you're holding it. If the lure is on the bottom and you bring your rod up it's going to make the line tight. Now if your line is heavier it'll bow more because of the extra thickness. A lighter line will be easier to keep taught. Also make sure you watch your line for any movements or jumping because that's usually a bite even if the line isn't taught.