3 drag stripping runs, pretty potent bass.  A 7# isn't out of the norm here, I'd like to see one own me.

 

I should be clear by that - it probably ran all of 20 yards.  Heavy cover, 20# braid w/ 8# leader.  Was fishing 1/32 oz. wacky jigs with a small 4" finesse worm. The fish were in < 18" of water.  Only way to deliver the bait was a spinning setup.  Even then, I never felt out of control.  Normally, I'd be using a MH or H rated rod, which I was with floating frogs, but the big girls wanted something sinking that day.

 

Meduim spinner, 1000 series Shimano, big NY fish:

 

Oh, and Paul, that's an old wood knob Stradic I bought from BE, back in the early 90s, lol.

I personally don't do it very often, but I see guys on the pro circuit do it quite often when fishing crankbaits... It can and will damage your reel, but it can also help land a large fish when it is close to the boat and she takes a run on you... definitely bad for the reel though...

Mitch

Can someone explain to me why its hard on the reel to click it in freespool? I dont do it often but ibe had to a few times while fighting stripers on lighter line. I saw no ill effects to the reel after doing this

Oh, and Paul, that's an old wood knob Stradic I bought from BE, back in the early 90s, lol.

Ah! One of those newfangled jobs eh? Back when they still cut down trees to make stuff.

 

Hey, did you know I worked at BE for a while? I was there in mid 80s. I was one of Gail's best customers.

I should be clear by that - it probably ran all of 20 yards.  Heavy cover, 20# braid w/ 8# leader.  Was fishing 1/32 oz. wacky jigs with a small 4" finesse worm. The fish were in < 18" of water.  Only way to deliver the bait was a spinning setup.  Even then, I never felt out of control.  Normally, I'd be using a MH or H rated rod, which I was with floating frogs, but the big girls wanted something sinking that day.

 

Meduim spinner, 1000 series Shimano, big NY fish:

 

Must be something about those NY bass.  I catch a thick 22" yesterday, guessing in the area 6 pounds.  Considering the water is still warm the bass may have been a bit lethargic and was caught right near the bank.  Back reeling, drag stripping runs, the fish may may have run 10' only because I let it, I basically just lifted it it out of the water, used light power spinning 25 supreme reel.  Nice bass and it was fun, but certainly didn't require every bit of my landing expertise.

Northern strain vs. Florida strain?  Temperature?  Water temps were in the mid 50s and rising.  It was prespawn, April. Though I don't recall a fish fighting like this one.  it was memorable.  The 7-2 I caught was like reeling in a steel toe boot.

What bass owns you that bad?  My 2nd biggest NY bass (7-1) made three drag stripping runs.  Never felt helpless, or out of control.  I can't tell you the lake on the internet, but it was one of those stump filled, CNY mud puddles.  Plenty of heavy cover.

Ah! I wasn't meaning feeling out of control bc the fish can take line. Bass don't run far. They can have as much line as they can earn lol. I was talking about hooking fish over dense weeds (usually milfoil or coontail here) and they getting their fins in and burying. I can usually get them back, although sometimes I have to go over and dig em out. But if I keep their heads up and pointing my way, they can't dive and bury. I am using MH spin or casting tackle at this point in the year. And I crank like mad, giving no quarter, to keep that head up and coming my way.

 

There is one weed type though I don't want them burying in, and that's Chara. Stuff is like steel wool. It grows in clear water ponds and I can see the buried bass -just a tail sticking out of that steel wool. There's no pulling them free and they are too deep to reach. Sometimes I just have to wait them out. In such clear waters I'm often using med spin tackle a jig worm or tube. I've gone to 10lb bc of the Chara.