Yesterday I followed up a couple frog blows in light mat with a punch rig. Mustad flipping hook, 20 lb pline copolymer and xfast heavy rod.

Hooked into two but lost both when pinning them on mat. Too much give in line? The rod is xfast and I've used braid with it before and I've ripped hooks out of fish.

Am I gonna have to buy a new punching combo?

I use Yo-Zuri 15lb for punching and frogging and seldom have a problem.

Yes, you need a new combo!!! We have pads in the waters I fish and there are 2 lakes that have mats and a friend took me out to teach me how to punch 3 years ago. I told him I was going to use my flipping stick and 50lb braid, he had his own rod he got just for punching, an Irod 7'11" Bub Punch rod with 65lb braid and I did manage to catch 3 fish but I missed a bunch and lost a few too, my partner caught 14 fish, and missed one, the moderate action seemed to really make a difference and after that I watched a few videos and that is what the punching guys recommend. I don't punch enough to get a separate rod but I do nknow I use braid for it, and I'm a guy who uses nothing but mono/copoly for everything except punching, heavy flipping, and frogs.

I wouldnt personally do it...

I use either Braid or 25lb Flouro (seaguar Tatsu or Abrazx) As I dont want ANY stretch and Braid punching in Grass or Pads cuts through the crap..

I punch matt's whenever I find them..Matter of fact I look for them more than any other type of cover. Be it pad's, hydrilla, milfoil, lay down reeds..whatever.

My combo is a 7' 2" H/XF Quantum Smoke rod, Curado G with 65# braid and won't change a thing. Do I lose fish sometimes? Sure.

But I'm convinced any change in what I use, the more I'll lose.

Sometimes you have to give yourself the right tools for the job you're doing.

Your equipment looks fine to me. Even if that means not useing braid.

It works for me but obviously doesn't for everyone.

If I was a pro and fished for a living and as good as those guys are I may feel different. But I'm not. I'm not that good.

So I use what I have confidence and experience in.

The biggest and most important tip I can give you is no matter what you use, Once you set the hook get thier head up!! Quick!!

Drag em across the top right to the boat if you have to.

Also, sometimes you just have to purposely pin them in and go get em.

I've said it before many times, to me flipping or pitching into solid or weak matted cover is akin to hand to hand combat.

Nothing is left to chance.

Good Luck and keep at it.

Punching for big ladies is an art that you have to learn given where you're at, and how you do what you do.

Mike

I couldn't turn the fish and get their heads out. I love punching and my main punch rod was predisposed as my frog rod as that was the pattern for the day. However I had no similar rod for throwing a follow up bait so I used my flipping stick with the copoly.

I feel like the weak point was the stretch of the copoly (pline cx premium is low low stretch) compared to zero of braid and it's veggie dicing ability.

You definitely need a new combo.

Another vote for a new combo..

If you want to do battle with matt bass in the weeds, well you're going to have to play the game.  Braided line #1, you're rod if you choose to keep using it will work but I do punch and flip a lot of grass and mine's a moderate action 7'11" Quantum with a 8:1 *** reel spooled with braid.  The moderate action helps keep the fish pinned as well as pull that fish out of the grass or whatever heavy cover it happens to be in.  It's not finesse fishing, it's tug a war.  Make sure you have the right gear to play that game or you're going to loose more then you win.