Snagging

Happy New Years all! My resolution this year is to snag less. How do you avoid and unstick yourself from snags? Thanks

I thought for a second you were referring to fish snagging.
Somehow I don't imagine you're the type to throw an 8'0 treble hook under a tiny single corky into a group of spawning salmon and call that fishing.


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To completely avoid snags there is only one thing that will help ... don't touch the bottom, or kelp, or docks, or other fishermen, or fish that will run into the rocks.

The biggest thing to avoid snags is don't let your gear drag. If you drag along the bottom you are more likely to wedge your jig into a crack or under a big rock. Staying as vertical as possible will make a huge difference. As soon as your gear you touches bottom get it moving back up. You also don't need to hit the bottom every drop either. I have caught lings 10 feet off the bottom.

When you do snag push back up current as quick as you can with out putting tension on your line. Once in the opposite direction try popping you gear. Meaning put a heavy load on your line then let it go slack. You are trying to sling shot your jig out of what ever crack it is in.

Good luck and have fun in 2013

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I took my two grandkids out on a rock fishing charter boat this summer. With 14 fishermen we never got one snag. The deck boss had us drop lines straight to the bottom and immediately begin slowly pulling them up. Lift, dip and reel, lift, dip and reel.

Caught lots of fish in a pretty short time.

From my kayak I was always dragging the bottom and getting snagged nearly every time. I plan to change my technique this year.


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I would say it probably has something to do with that guy you fish with!!

To completely avoid snags there is only one thing that will help ... don't touch the bottom, or kelp, or docks, or other fishermen, or fish that will run into the rocks.

The biggest thing to avoid snags is don't let your gear drag. If you drag along the bottom you are more likely to wedge your jig into a crack or under a big rock. Staying as vertical as possible will make a huge difference. As soon as your gear you touches bottom get it moving back up. You also don't need to hit the bottom every drop either. I have caught lings 10 feet off the bottom.

When you do snag push back up current as quick as you can with out putting tension on your line. Once in the opposite direction try popping you gear. Meaning put a heavy load on your line then let it go slack. You are trying to sling shot your jig out of what ever crack it is in.

Good luck and have fun in 2013

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+1

Also, If I know that if I'm stuck pretty good, I will just open my bail ASAP, turn a 180 degree turn and pass completely over the spot where I know I snagged. Go well past it. As I am still facing and traveling the opposite direction beyond my snag I will then close my bail and continue pedaling until I start feeling the tension. Then I bounce and pop it out. If I still can't get it free I will tighten my drag completely and pointing then rod tip towards the snag continue pedaling away from the snag and hang on. 9 times out if 10, I usually have it free at this point. If not, just continue pedaling until it either pops out or breaks off. Seems to work pretty well for me. Like FG says, as much as possible "avoid dragging your gear". Also, if the current and wind or moving fast enough to push along so that your jigging sideways or at an angle, that will get you snagged quick, adding more lead onto your dropper will help keep it straight up and down and helps avoid snags.
Jammer

To completely avoid snags there is only one thing that will help ... don't touch the bottom, or kelp, or docks, or other fishermen, or fish that will run into the rocks.

The biggest thing to avoid snags is don't let your gear drag. If you drag along the bottom you are more likely to wedge your jig into a crack or under a big rock. Staying as vertical as possible will make a huge difference. As soon as your gear you touches bottom get it moving back up. You also don't need to hit the bottom every drop either. I have caught lings 10 feet off the bottom.

When you do snag push back up current as quick as you can with out putting tension on your line. Once in the opposite direction try popping you gear. Meaning put a heavy load on your line then let it go slack. You are trying to sling shot your jig out of what ever crack it is in.

Good luck and have fun in 2013

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

+1

Also, If I know that if I'm stuck pretty good, I will just open my bail ASAP, turn a 180 degree turn and pass completely over the spot where I know I snagged. Go well past it. As I am still facing and traveling the opposite direction beyond my snag I will then close my bail and continue peddling until I start felling the tension. Then I bounce and pop it out. If I still can't get it free I will tighten my drag completely and pointing then rod tip towards the snag continue peddling away from the snag and hang on. 9 times out if 10, I usually have it free at this point. If not, just continue peddling until it either pops out or breaks off. Seems to work pretty well for me. Like FG says, as much as possible "avoid dragging your gear". Also, if the current and wind or moving fast enough to push along so that your jigging sideways or at an angle, that will get you snagged quick, adding more lead onto your dropper will help keep it straight up and down and helps avoid snags.
Jammer

+1

In 2012 I snagged up at least 20-30 times pretty good at ORC, but only lost one lure.  Only lost about 5 lures for the year with zillions of snags.

"In 2012 I snagged up at least 20-30 times pretty good at ORC, but only lost one lure.  Only lost about 5 lures for the year with zillions of snags"

  I snagged up about the same at ORC.Unfortunately my loss ratio was 5X Insayn's.Didn't lose any "red hammers" though.

I get to Add 1 blue fox spinner to that ,dang snag count of 2013 ,and 2 pink corkies.

Thanks for all the tips and tricks. I do seem to snag up a lot once I hit some current. I'll be more aware of my line angle. Looking forward to ORC and a great year of fishing with as many of you as possible.

Treat yourself to a line counter reel.  Use your fish finder to determine the depth and then use the counter on the reel keep your gear a foot or so above  bottom.  I do this when fishing live bait and it works great. 

Fungunnin and Jammer have it right, and using the same techniques I've lowered my loss percentage to about 10%.  However, I don't like to put all that stress on my reel so when I'm really rearing back I wrap the line once or twice around the lowest eyelet on the rod. 

Fungunnin and Jammer have it right, and using the same techniques I've lowered my loss percentage to about 10%.  However, I don't like to put all that stress on my reel so when I'm really rearing back I wrap the line once or twice around the lowest eyelet on the rod. 

Doesn't that fray the heck out of your line? Not to mention the stress on your rod guide..  I've had better luck with a couple wraps around the reel frame on the non handle side.

Never reef up using the rod to break free (how most of my clients break my rods ) get over the snag and point the tip straight down at the snag and pull straight away from it (using paddle/mirage drive or brute force).   I had a Trevala explode on a client who was reefing on it (against my directions ) and ended up with a cut and bleeding cheek and ear as the rod broke, could have easily cost him his eye.

Fungunnin and Jammer have it right, and using the same techniques I've lowered my loss percentage to about 10%.  However, I don't like to put all that stress on my reel so when I'm really rearing back I wrap the line once or twice around the lowest eyelet on the rod. 

Doesn't that fray the heck out of your line? Not to mention the stress on your rod guide..  I've had better luck with a couple wraps around the reel frame on the non handle side.

Never reef up using the rod to break free (how most of my clients break my rods ) get over the snag and point the tip straight down at the snag and pull straight away from it (using paddle/mirage drive or brute force).   I had a Trevala explode on a client who was reefing on it (against my directions ) and ended up with a cut and bleeding cheek and ear as the rod broke, could have easily cost him his eye.

Wow. That guide thing doesn't really sound like a ton of fun ,

Fungunnin and Jammer have it right, and using the same techniques I've lowered my loss percentage to about 10%.  However, I don't like to put all that stress on my reel so when I'm really rearing back I wrap the line once or twice around the lowest eyelet on the rod. 

Doesn't that fray the heck out of your line? Not to mention the stress on your rod guide..  I've had better luck with a couple wraps around the reel frame on the non handle side.

Never reef up using the rod to break free (how most of my clients break my rods ) get over the snag and point the tip straight down at the snag and pull straight away from it (using paddle/mirage drive or brute force).   I had a Trevala explode on a client who was reefing on it (against my directions ) and ended up with a cut and bleeding cheek and ear as the rod broke, could have easily cost him his eye.

Wow. That guide thing doesn't really sound like a ton of fun ,

Apparently not when people are breaking your gear  and refusing to follow simple directions.


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