Fish "bite Offs" And Line Breaks At Hookset

[rps]

This is meant to be a friendly discussion and airing of opinions regarding some comments I have read several times over the last couple of years.

Things we "know":

1. Walleye have long teeth.

2. Unlike sharks, the side of each tooth is not sharp like a shark tooth.

3. Lots of Northern types fish for walleyes with 4 and 6 pound mono, especially when ice fishing.

4. People fishing Bull Shoals, TR, and Beaver seem to experience and report frequent break offs/bite offs, especially jig fishing.

5. The huge majority of those reporting the bite offs know how to tie good knots (examples are Quillback and Bill Babler)

6. Typically, walleye do not headshake like Northern Pike until later in the fight.

So what do you think?

[Mitch f]

The only experience I have fishing for Walleyes, other than a few in Missouri, is in Canada. We used 6-8 pound test and fished about 20-35 ft deep with 3/8-1/2 oz. jig heads. I don't remember the teeth causing any break offs.

[Feathers and Fins]

This is meant to be a friendly discussion and airing of opinions regarding some comments I have read several times over the last couple of years.

Things we "know":

1. Walleye have long teeth. Disagree, short toothed critter

2. Unlike sharks, the side of each tooth is not sharp like a shark tooth. Agree

3. Lots of Northern types fish for walleyes with 4 and 6 pound mono, especially when ice fishing. Yup

4. People fishing Bull Shoals, TR, and Beaver seem to experience and report frequent break offs/bite offs, especially jig fishing. See below

5. The huge majority of those reporting the bite offs know how to tie good knots (examples are Quillback and Bill Babler) See Below

6. Typically, walleye do not headshake like Northern Pike until later in the fight. Not True

So what do you think?

Break offs can almost 90% or better be attributed to IMO the angler not cutting off at minimum 3 feet of line up from the hook after catching a fish or often when working structure and cover. It is the Angler not paying attention to his lines condition or drag way to tight or the combination of both that leads to it.

I can not tell you the last time I used anything above 15lb line for anything including the Ocean Fish. A leader may be required for certain species but the main line is still light. Walleye do not have the teeth to break off and or cut off quality maintained line imo.

[kjackson]

I've caught a lot of walleyes using four and six-pound test. I've lost some on the hookset, and usually there was that little pigtail on the end of the line to show the reason. Unless Southern walleyes have been filing their teeth on the sides, I would not expect that the cause to be "bite offs" by walleye. Dragging a jig over shell beds or broken flint bottom might be a cause.

It almost sounds like there might be some pike or pickerel or some other really toothy critter around . Doesn't the Tennessee have native musky in it? I remember reading something maybe 20 years ago about a guide fishing for muskies in the big Southern reservoirs in In-Fish. Don't remember much about where or what rivers, but I'd guess that's another possibility. I would expect some of whatever it is to be caught occasionally, though.

This reminds me of the hoorah on Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho shortly after the first plants of chinook salmon were reaching maturity. There were a lot of reports of chinook being lost because they would "bite the leader". Salmon don't do that; it would be like the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl. What C d'A does have is really big pike...

[Quillback]

2 springs ago I was fishing in my buddy Jeb's boat on Beaver, I had just caught a keeper sized walleye on a jerk bait, checked my line, it was OK, made another cast, twitch, twitch, paused the bait back to the boat, and gave it one final pause right at the boat where I could see the bait. A big fish appears out of nowhere, all I could see was the head, and the jerk bait disappears as the fish inhales it. Lift the rod, line seperates with little pressure just like it had been cut. I didn't get a good look at the fish, but I'm convinced it was a big walleye.

Every once in a while, especially on TR, I'll get a bite, lift the rod and the line seperates, I'm convinced it is not because of frayed line or bad knots, it's cut. I blame it on walleye, but it could be something else I suppose. Could be gar, but I've had it happen when the water is cold and the gar are not active.

[Old plug]

One word GAR

[bfishn]

I've had several gar bite-offs, never a walleye that I know of, and have had hooks in plenty of 'em. I have, however, had walleye strikes, brief weight, then nothing left but line when a few inches of slack developed from a head shake and the line got cut by the gill plate.

Next time you boat one, pull the line behind the sharp ridge halfway between the eye and the gill edge. Cuts it like a new knife.

If an eye is moving towards you when taking a slow moving or stationary bait, it's common for a split second of slack before he turns and tightens. That's when the line gets behind the gill plate.

[Feathers and Fins]

BF, that is a BINGO and also how a fish with no teeth ( snook ) get off when everything else is perfect. I have had snook cut 50lb shock leaders like it was a hot knife to butter. Walleye have that same little gill blade, good reminder and point.

[Quillback]

I've had several gar bite-offs, never a walleye that I know of, and have had hooks in plenty of 'em. I have, however, had walleye strikes, brief weight, then nothing left but line when a few inches of slack developed from a head shake and the line got cut by the gill plate.

Next time you boat one, pull the line behind the sharp ridge halfway between the eye and the gill edge. Cuts it like a new knife.

If an eye is moving towards you when taking a slow moving or stationary bait, it's common for a split second of slack before he turns and tightens. That's when the line gets behind the gill plate.

Makes sense to me.

[Mitch f]

Break offs can almost 90% or better be attributed to IMO the angler not cutting off at minimum 3 feet of line up from the hook after catching a fish or often when working structure and cover. It is the Angler not paying attention to his lines condition or drag way to tight or the combination of both that leads to it.

Yep, this is a major issue. I've also think 100% fluorocarbon line magnifies the problem. I've completely stopped using 100% fluoro anymore and use a good hybrid. The older fluoros have good abrasion resistance but suck on knot strength.