It depends mostly on my rod/reel/line and the cover. If I hook a good one on a small crankbait and lighter line I play them a bit to avoid bending out a hook or breaking off. If I hookup on a jig or t-rig they're coming to me ASAP because I know I can horse them. It also depends on fish species. I've always said that largemouth fight like you just annoyed them, and smallies fight like their life is literally on the line. I've lost many smallies on their 4th or 5th jump very close to the boat so I get them in fast and with the rod tip low to minimize that. 

I usually fight them as fast as my drag/line can handle.  When the fish isn't peeling drag I reel up until my line is close to the breaking point, while applying maximum pressure on the fish.  When it runs I let it.  This has worked pretty well for all species, but sometimes doing this method a fight has lasted for 45+ minutes (not on bass).  It really just comes down to how strong lb test your mainline is.  Still enjoyable any way you look at it.

Like many others have said, I will fight as necessary, but I have never "skied" a fish to land it.  It depends on my rig and the fish, but I don't play it any longer than is reasonable - I don't want to do any more harm than is necessary. 

 

Around here the bass are mostly not that big, so I don't worry too much about them taking control.  I don't fish 50# line either.  I spent quite a few years trout fishing when I lived in Montana back in the 60's and early 70's.  I fished a flyrod always with about a 2x (6#) or 3x (5#) tapered leader.  The lighter the tackle, the more fun it is playing smaller fish.   The heaviest line I have on any reel right now is 12# mono.

 

My best fight ever was a 4 pound rainbow in fast water (Swan River near the Piper Creek bridge for anyone familiar with the area), caught on a perch streamer and 2x leader.  That was a tail dancing beast, made me work downstream about 300 yards before I could bring him to shore - I almost had to swim a few feet through a 5' deep hole to get around a tree.  Nothing like the feeling of landing an active fish under those conditions.

 

Had some good but brief fights with some 8-10 pound mutton snappers and jacks when fishing the tidal channels in the Bahamas too, but those I tried to haul as fast as possible to keep them away from the ever present lemon sharks.  I had 30# braid on a Shimano spinning reel for that.

 

Where’s: If I don’t “horse” them in they will end up as underwater Xmas decoration ?

Depends on rod and line and bass size.

 

Big bass on my heavy rod with braid will get skiied and flipped if I can.

 

Skiing a big bass and flipping with a rod that cantnhold the weight will end in bass hitting side of boat and then digging into water and likely pop loose

My goal is to control the bass with whatever tackle I am using and by doing that you minimize losing bass. Letting bass fight too long isn't good for the fish, horsing them into the boat isn't needed and not a good idea with big bass, bouncing bass into a boat with carpet damages their skin/slime coat.

Tom

 

Great Topic!  I reel them in as fast as I can!!!!  Horse style if I have the gear.....  However, my goal was met a long time ago when it comes to Bass fishing, and then I beat twice last year.

 

So I like to go after the big one's here in South Carolina.  Study em like a deer hunter with trail cameras.  Feed em.  Catch em and release them and repeat the process over and over.   I caught a 55lb stingray and the fight sucked lasting over an hour with light equipment and a boat that would chase.  Just big bass is what I'm after, if not, I'd crappie fish with light rods going after the biggest Crappie.  Just me, and good topic!

1 hour ago, WRB said:

My goal is to control the bass with whatever tackle I am using and by doing that you minimize losing bass. Letting bass fight too long isn't good for the fish, horsing them into the boat isn't needed and not a good idea with big bass, bouncing bass into a boat with carpet damages their skin/slime coat.

Tom

 

With you 100% Tom, my gear won't horse a big bass out of the water into the boat.  I will try to reel as fast as I can without braking the line to keep them from turning around.  That's kinda what I interpreted horsing was.    But care for the fish so we can catch them again.  They are smaller here in SC.

If it's a little fish, I'll ski them in quickly and get them released unless they're being feisty, then I'll let them play themselves out for both our safety. Bigger fish I'll fight carefully but land as quickly as possible. 

While I'm never in a huge hurry, I don't drag the fight out much longer than it needs to be.  The gear and line, size of the fish, and snaggable cover will largely dictate this.  That said, I've probably lost more fish by horsing them than by playing them out. Fish which are poorly hooked or skin hooked will most likely come unbuttoned if you horse them.  Tiny dinks?  I don't care if they come unhooked.  They're the ones which are most likely to bury a hook into my finger anyway.

21 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I like to get my fish in the boat. 

 

If I was purely in this for the fight, I'd be targeting something other than LMB.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  Bass fishing is so much more than the fight. 

24 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

  That said, I've probably lost more fish by horsing them than by playing them out. Fish which are poorly hooked or skin hooked will most likely come unbuttoned if you horse them.  Tiny dinks?  I don't care if they come unhooked.  They're the ones which are most likely to bury a hook into my finger anyway.

Exactly 

21 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

I definitely enjoy the fight and don't horse fish in. For me, the enjoyment of catching a fish is 1) sensing the bite, 2) setting the hook, and 3) fighting the fish.

 

On the other side, I've read that if you fight a fish too long it will build up lactic acid in it's muscles and it may kill the fish.  Or that you can exhaust or stress a fish out too much which could also be fatal. I'm NOT a fisheries biologist, this is just what I've read.

 

I want the catching to be enjoyable but I also want to give the fish a high chance of survival after I release it.  So I enjoy the fight, but also try to land and release the fish in a timely manner. Whatever that means...

I agree. I want the fish to survive so it's a quick as possible landing, photo and release for me.

Really enjoy the fight since I do most of my fishing with spinning tackle and 7lb test line.

A lot depend on gears and size of fish. Stiff rod big line I would reel the bass to surface as soon as possible without giving them a chance to turn head.

Particularly in tournament fishing, and probably in most bass fishing situations, the majority of sensible anglers will want to bring in the fish by the most efficient and effective manner, the way most likely to get the fish into the boat. The best method to achieve that will depend on the on the line, the lure, and the cover. It is counterproductive and perhaps cruel to torment a bass by toying with it too long, and during that extra time she may spit the hook or break away. Likewise, one can quite easily yank a hook out of a fish's mouth by pulling too hard. The best way to get a fish in the live well -- or posing for a prerelease photo -- might involve a long fight with light line and thin wire hooks, or it could require 3 frantic seconds after catapulting the fish out of thick mats with a stiff stick and #80 braid.

Bass are one of the weakest pound for pound fighters I have caught, especially here in South Florida where we have so much selection of hard fighting fish. I don't fish bass for the fight they offer, I fish for them since the big ones can be a challenge to catch on a consistent basis, they are everywhere where I live, and it is a relaxing hobby for me. If I want a real fight I fish for sharks bigger than myself while standing up( no sitting down and no fight belt for a real challenge) and I land the shark by myself without assistance. 

On 11/30/2017 at 4:38 PM, A-Jay said:

 It seems that there may be as many different versions or perhaps ‘definitions” to the term ‘fighting a bass’, as there are anglers.  

 While I do not fish competitively, for me ‘the fight’ is part of the process.     How I go about it, is often dictated by a few different factors.  Some I have a bit of control over and some I have none.  Things I can control include my tackle size, where & how I’m fishing.  The more open & clearer the water, usually means I’m fishing lighter gear deeper.  The heavier the cover, the more colored the water, usually means I’m fishing heavier gear.  In either case, ‘the fight’ will usually be shorter with heavier gear and a little longer with the lighter stuff.  But in each situation, my goal is to land the bass, so I’ll do whatever I need to, to get that done.  

 

  Factors that I obviously cannot control that can directly affect the duration of ‘the fight’ can be but are not limited to, the individual spirit of a bass, (some fish just seem to have a hyper high level of survivability and will do all types of crazy stuff to earn their freedom – I like that in a bass), the size of course, the water temps (cold bass sometimes don’t do a whole lot) and then there’s the occasional hooking of a huge non-target species – good times right there.  

 

Now where as I do enjoy it immensely when they bite my cricket and then pull my string, I rarely intentionally prolong the process nor do I make a concerted effort to overly speed it up – I just take it as it comes and hope they end up in my net.

A-Jay

 

X2

The best answer to this question was the first. I love finding the fish, patterning, and figuring out effective presentations that get bit. And topwater fishing is a blast. But largemouth and fight don't belong in the same sentence unless you're using light tackle in open water. 

Each bite is different...Each fight is different?

 

When I get bit my first thought is I want a solid hook set...next is OK dummy ya hook it how ya gonna land it!

 

Am I in matted grass, wood/brush/lay downs... what?

 

Each requires a hook set the instantly turns her head & gets her coming up, any hesitation will result in hung up & a lost fish!

 

I learned a long time ago on other species it is best not to horse them in. I play them out but quickly. 

On 11/30/2017 at 1:29 PM, Choporoz said:

I hadn't thought about it before, but I wouldn't be surprised if (like smallmouth) the fighting spirit of river 'eyes is different than in lakes.  I do all my walleye fishing in cold lakes in northern Ontario (and years ago in northern WI/UP.)  I'd bet warmer climate, moving water walleyes are much, much stronger.

I think size has more to do with it than current. I fish for river walleye as well as on Lake Michigan. If the walleye are under 20", there's not much of a fight. Over 20" hold on to the rod. 

 

If it's all about the fight, nothing beats early spawn kings on bass gear. 

 

I should add there is a fight when it comes to Largemouth fishing, but it's either the cover, not the fish. On typical Bass tackle the fish doesn't have a chance. 

1 hour ago, HookRz said:

I should add there is a fight when it comes to Largemouth fishing, but it's either the cover, not the fish. On typical Bass tackle the fish doesn't have a chance. 

While I'll readily agree that there are harder (and longer) fighting fish than bass,

I manage to run into a few now and again that have done themselves proud in the fish fighting department.

Although not always the case, it seems to be somewhat related to size. 

A-Jay

 

Fighting a bass is a delicate process that varies greatly depending on as many variables as lure choice does.

 

With a spinning rod, the fight on 6lb test with a drop shot hook is vastly different from 10lb test and a shakey head.

 

Crankbait fishing calls for a different style of fighting too, but even in that, depending on what you're fishing around, your line, and your hooks, it could be a long and drawn out fight, or a relatively short one.

 

The list goes on and on! My main goal is to get the fish in my hands for a picture. If I get her to bite I have earned it, I don't need to give her any more chances to get off by letting her "fight" more!

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

While I'll readily agree that there are harder (and longer) fighting fish than bass,

I manage to run into a few now and again that have done themselves proud in the fish fighting department.

Although not always the case, it seems to be somewhat related to size. 

A-Jay

 

Nice Fish! Not skiing them big girls for sure.  But it's not a matter of size. Relatively a ten pound Smallie is going to fight harder than LM. A ten pound Steelhead will put them both to shame. And "typical" LM tackle these days is 5X to 10X heavier than what I use for 6# Erie Smallies, and my Steelhead tackle is lighter still. Nothing like a Steelhead hitting a spoon cast off the beach and taking off on a forty yard run! 

What we should celebrate about the Largemouth is the variety of tactics we need to learn to catch them consistently under various conditions. A thinking mans fish for sure. Fight? Meh...but then a big one in my neck of the woods is a five or six, and I'm yanking them out of cover on on 20# copoly that actually breaks in the mid 30's or 65# braid. The same line that's on my Muskie rods.