Five Ways to Lose a Trophy Trout

Take up the slack, Jack; use sharp hooks, Brooks; don't blow the strike, Mike.

With a sideways nod to singer/songwriter Paul Simon, this is not a reprise of "50 ways to leave your lover;" rather, it is a review of five ways for the wader to lose a career speckled trout.

There no doubt are 50 ways to lose a big fish. And, like many veteran anglers, I've fumbled and bumbled around most of them. But we need a manageable list.

Here are my choices for the top ways to screw up:

1. FAULTY LINE The thin connection between you and a thrashing, lunging, rolling sow speck is worrisome enough without a fray or a nick or an improper terminal connection. Don't give fickle Lady Luck and dour Old Many Gulf any extra trumps with a weak link.

Most salty waders use 12- to 14-pound monofilament or "super braid" line of similar diameter. This is a trade-out between casting performance with the typical 1/4- to 3/4-ounce payloads and reliability under normal inshore fishing conditions.

It doesn't take much to compromise the line especially mono.

If you are gunning for a big one, no knot should be suspect. If a connection appears "iffy," take the time right now to re-tie. Remember, a lousy wad of wraps against a mondo-giant strike can result in the soul-deadening slack of a clean break, or perhaps most galling the "piggy tail" of a pulled knot.

Also, every so often, run your fingers along the terminal three or four feet of line, feeling for kinks, nicks or abrasions.

2. NO SHOCK LEADER The snaggled snout fangs of a big trout can cut a light mono casting line if the combination of contact and stress are just right - or wrong, as the case maybe. Adding to the issue, the big speck might get away with a terrible treble-hooked plug stuck on its face.

A mono or fluorocarbon shock leader testing 20 to 30 pounds is smart insurance (with braid, it provides a measure of camouflage in clear water). It also allows you to tie a loop knot to a lure. The heavy mono holds the loop well, and any loss of line strength created by the knot should still rate above the light casting line.

You can attach the short shock with a small swivel but avoid reeling the hard-metal gadget through the tip guide. Leave it outside the rod.

Better yet, use a good line-to-line knot. The nearest knot book shows examples of proven connections and the serious trophy trout hunter could do worse than earmark a few pages, grab a coil of line, and practice, practice, practice.

Wrapping a short double line in the casting line (forget the complicated Bimini twist; the quick spider hitch pinched between thumb and index works just fine) provides more surface area to displace friction and take a positive grab.

However you wrap it, a good line-to-line connection allows you to rig a longer four- or five-foot shock for repeated re-ties during a single session. The extended shock also enables you to reel the shock onto the rod for a properly loaded cast with the lure dangling a foot or so below the tip.

But be advised that many top-end rod manufacturers think that tiny guides are cute and racy. I suppose they weigh fractionally less, a marketing advantage in the over-hyped frenzy for lightness. The shock knot reeled past the tip will bump and knock during your heartfelt deliveries, eventually blowing the ring from a high-tech guide. Larger guides make sense to me at least on real water.

Frankly, so does heavier mono. If I were taking dead aim at a double-digit trout and using mono, I would strip the 12 and re-spool with 15. Larger, heavier payloads used for big trout usually balance well with the heavier line.

I guess the good news for staunch light-tackle devotees is that many 12-pound mono lines (non-IGFA rated) probably test closer to 15, anyway.

But I digress; 12 or 15, add a shock leader when big trout are on the tide and a lure is on the line.

3. IMPROPER HOOKS Today's from-the-box hooks are far superior from those of decades past. Chemically sharpened points are excellent; don't ask me how they do it, but the technology is amazing.

But no point is immune to repeated contact with shell or sand, or even prolonged exposure to saltwater. Sooner or later, the hang-on-a-thumbnail needle point starts to slide and a point that fails to penetrate can cost you a career trout.

Worth note, big fish are harder to stick than small ones, and large hooks are more difficult to set than small ones.

Regardless of offering, the savvy angler makes a point to check the points on a regular basis. A common lapse is to continue using a pet "killer plug" after the encrusted trebles are downright bad. Either change out the hooks or buy a new lure. Or carry a small file; it's better than nothing for an on-water fix.

Bent hooks are another weak link. An opened bend seldom occurs on a large single hook, but deformed hooks are common on hard-used plugs with multiple sets of trebles. This often is the result of heavy leverage with needle-nosed pliers when unhooking a stubborn fish. You twist and yank and the lure pulls free but a treble might have opened during the process.

Take a moment to eyeball the plug. If a treble is opened or twisted, use the pliers to bend it back into proper shape; better yet, cut the plug off and re-rig. A bent hook loses a measure of strength. The integrity of the steel is weakened.

The re-positioned hook may or may not be an issue. After all, you've got at least six points on the typical mullet-imitation plug. But if the recently bent point is the only one clinging to a head-shaking 32-inch Laguna Madre trout well, try not to think about it.

Small hooks are another potential deal-killer on a career speck. This is a round-about way of saying don't rig with a school trout lure when casting into trophy trout water. The typical 1/4-ounce plug is intended for one- to three-pound fish; don't tempt fate by trusting puny thin-wire hooks when a career sow clamps down and heads south.

The small lure may draw more strikes but you are playing for the one big hit. Rig accordingly.

The angler using a lead-head jig or a jerk-type elongated plastic is OK just make certain the large single hook is a quality product with a wide gap to take a confident bite. This is no time to use an "El Cheapo" hook.

4. POOR HOOK SET Blown strikes on big fish usually occur way out or in close. Long casts are typical for the wader (or drifter) covering the open expanses of shallow flats where big trout often prowl. That's why you are toting a light, fast reel and a two-handed stick. You can cock that sucker and really let drive with the prevailing wind at your back.

Problem is, the long bomb that looks so good can be hard to reach even with a vicious rod sweep. The wader might have a tougher draw than the drifter because the angle to the strike is lower. A side wind that creates a belly of slack can seriously compound the problem.

A non-stretch super-braid line is a smart choice when chunking topwater plugs. The sharp hooks I was harping about earlier also provide an edge (pun intended) on a windswept cast.

At the opposite extreme, a big fish that follows the retrieve then slams the lure scant yards off the rod tip can make you look bad. The stretch of mono actually can help you now by serving as a shock absorber on a close-quarters collision.

But the harsh contact combined with a violent yank can snap even a heavy line. I once broke off two monster trout on short lines in Baffin Bay, and may yet have to seek professional counseling to recover from the trauma.

A light drag setting can be a strong ally. The typical star drag with small washers stacked on the handle can be balky, slow to release. Verify the start-up tension with a test pull now and then, and try not to hit too hard when the bay blows up in front of you. This, admittedly, is easier said than done.

A final observation on hook setting: Don't hit too soon on a surface strike. Allow the big trout to grab the plug and turn back down. In other words, don't trust your eyes amid all the abrupt welter. Wait for weight before whipping back with the rod. Again, easier said than done.

5. RUSHING THE GRAB If you want to clutch your chest in dread fear of an imminent heart attack, try attempting to hand-grab a monster trout before the fish gives up. Many grand specks have been "plumbered" by frantic anglers who panic over washtub boils at point-blank range. The loss is devastating because the great gleaming prize is right there and a few more moments of careful play almost certainly would have claimed success.

The tendency to rush the landing is aided and abetted by the fact that large trout sometimes are not particularly hard fighters (compared to species such as jackfish and redfish). A big trout often can be led, and the excited angler can be tempted to reel the fish too close, too soon.

Stay cool. Take your time. Keep the rod tip up and allow the fish to burn off steam by wallowing and running at will. The fish isn't going anywhere if you've got good knots and a solid hook-set.

The typical bay flat is an open playing field and specks are clean fighters, not prone to deliberately diving into cover (like bass or snook). A big one might fight in an entire circle around the patient wader. Maybe several circles. It's a delicate game of give and take.

The wader with a "green" trout might actually back up a few steps if the fish closes too quickly. The idea is to maintain firm control at a reasonable distance, using the flex of the rod to counter any sudden moves. Even the biggest trout soon will tire against a high tip and a smooth drag. Incidentally, I would not monkey with the drag; if you need more pressure, you've got a poised thumb right there. And the thumb allows quick release of tension if needed.

When wading in thigh- to waist-deep water, keep your feet close together as the tiring fish yields to the lifted rod. You don't need a final burst between your legs, especially if the fish is trailing a gang-hooked plug. Work the trout back and forth, checking for hook placement, and waiting for the shot you want before making a confident grab.

If the shoulder is too wide for a solid grip You lucky rascal! Maybe slip your fingers carefully under the big gill plate. Or cradle the rod and use both shaking hands. In a world overrun with "jug" school specks, this is an all-too-rare improvisation.

When wading and using a net, a frantic stab or slash after a departing fish is asking for grief. Roger Federer might get away with an overhead slam, but you are not on Centre Court. Let the fish go and lead it back around and take it headfirst. By the way, this is no time for a dinky little dip net. Tote some manly mesh and tuck it under your wading belt behind your back and out of the way until the quick draw is needed.

Once the giant trout is in hand, here's a final observation:

Think about turning it free, Lee.