Gettin cold!
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I have a couple of things that have worked for me on large Sea Run Coastal Cutts with a 6:4 20 penny rod and 13" Coastal fish on a 5:5 - 11 penny rod in streams. First I do another deliberate but controlled hookset hoping to get the best possible penetration. That may help even if I do not feel I have to do the next 2 steps.
If it feels like the rod canât turn or control the fish with a high rod tip and I have the side to side room I drop the rod while keeping pressure on the fish horizontally. It seems to reduce a fishâs tendency to jump and use acrobatics to throw the hook.
As the fish nears the limit of the fixed line in one direction, instead of holding there and making it a static fight I flip the rod in the opposite direction the fish is moving while keeping the pressure on. The change in direction seems to confuse the fish and it follows the rod, even if pulling it in an upstream direction. Then I flip it again and repeat at varying intervals or as needed to keep the fish away from snags, weedbeds, undercut banks⌠The fishâs pull against the rod begins to noticeably decrease with each direction change.
I cannot recall losing a fish when using this change of direction technique, but maybe thatâs just selective memory.
Iâve seen articles about this changing direction thing. It doesnât sound like quite like your âbow to the cowâ technique; maybe more like a bull fighter moving the cape to guide the bull⌠or possibly even a judoka redirecting an opponentâs force and movement to break their posture and balance to execute a throw?
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