When You Know A Fish Is Going To Jump

[Mitch f]

What's your plan of action? Do you pile on the pressure before he hits the surface? Do you "bow" to the fish when he jumps?

[Jerry Rapp]

I enjoy it. But usually drop the rod.

[J-Doc]

I drop rod and reel in slack line. Dropping rod pushes them down faster. If you keep your rod down you can generally keep them from jumping. Control speed of reel and feel the fish. If fighting hard, give some slack. If not fighting reel in.

[joeD]

I usually start laughing and hoot and holler.

I have no "plan of action." Because, as a well known boxer has said "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth."

[Old plug]

It so funny this should come up today. I was down on my dock doing something and the rain came up and sort of trapped down there. So i took out my drop shot rod and the very first time I sent it down i had a nice bass hooked. he about fouled me in the in the brush. But i worked him out and he shot 10 ft across across my well. jumped and ended up on the other walkway made a couple flops and fell back into the water. and I landed him. Normally if I have something on there that is worth landing I try to bow the rod before he makes a commitment to jump. Otherwise I just let them jump and hope they shake the hook.

[Mitch f]

I usually start laughing and hoot and holler.

I have no "plan of action." Because, as a well known boxer has said "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth."

plan of action was a bad choice of words on my part Joe.

Actually my little daughter started crying and I wasn't even going to post it but happened to do it accidentally anyway!

[joeD]

Your fine Mitch. This is a bad choice of words.

[fishinwrench]

I love to let'em jump, and the more air the better. I just try to control their head with steady movement in my direction while they are in the air.

If a fish jumps while moving away from you then you are just depending on luck and barbs. Soon as he/she clears the water I get face to face with them. Even the little ones so it stays a habit.

Also if there's any obstacles between us (log, dock cable, ect.) that's my opportunity to get them on my side of it.

[LittleRedFisherman]

When I know a fish is going to jump, well it depends on what I think I've got on the line. If it's a small trout or even a smallie, i'll say look here it's gonna jump, i'll usually extend my rod out and try to let the tip take the shock of a head shake, but keep some kind of tension to keep the hook in.

If it's a big brown or a Dandy Smallie, I'll say, oh crap, and hold on...lol My fishing buddy lost a 19 inch (give or take) smallie the other day when it lunged out of the water, we are still thinking about that one, but it makes us wanna go back even more.

I like fishenwrench's explanation, that sounds like a good game plan.

[Justin Spencer]

I just enjoy it and like Joe usually let out a yell. A few years ago I caught a 24" brown on a 7 1/2 foot 4 wt. It jumped 3 times (looked like a rugby ball coming out of the water) and I loved every jump, made the catch that much better, although I will admit when I saw it come out of the water my anxiety jumped 10 fold seeing how big it was.