Big Deep Bottom fish

[Moonwalker]

I may need some help for landing big fish from deep bottom. The biggest thing I caught so far is Hanzir 10kg. However I often (well not really often) get strikes from much bigger fish. Sometimes the fish gets unhooked and other times the line is cut after a few seconds. Sometimes though I do struggle with the fish for some minutes before something fails.
What I need to ask is if its better to let the line go or try to wind the line as fast as possible?

[skip]

I would imagine if its getting unhooked you need to set the hook so perhaps a quick fast retreive burst and then back off to let the fish run.

If your line is getting cut then I would say you need to upgrade your leader.

But I have zero bottom fishing experience!!

[Moonwalker]

A quick fast retrieve burst is normal for me - thats how I get the feeling of the fish size. I think its more a problem of the fish biting on a small hook.

The problem of line breaking is not due to pulling strength but due to teeth or abresion with fins or bottom. I solved partially the theet problem by covering the leader with a pipe. However last time the spectra line broke about 50cm from the end. I think the fish touched it by its tail or fins.
Cant do much about that I think.

[shanook]

well regarding line break i would advice wire.......wont break for sure. As u know moonwalker if its a scabbard then mono will definitely be cut.
regarding hook set!! are u using circle hooks if yes u dont really need to set the hook it sets itself. As a matter of fact it would be better to let it hook itself rather then pulling on the line to set it as a circle hook has to have time to rotate to hook on the lip and if u pull it out quick it loses its working action.
If its a normal hook than yes its good to pull hard but........its a long way down man and by the time its gets there, the fish would be gone...even if ur line has zero stretch.
If the kook is small and its a circle hook then yes chances it wont get in the lip properly ... if its a normal hook it can get thrown as well.  u need to have larger hooks if u are targeting bigger fish....

Dont wind up very fast as that might tear the hook out of place just enough to prize it out of the depths.......but with hanzir be careful as from half way up it just flaots up on its own so go a bit faster from three quarters way up.

good luck moonwalker........I heard u found a new place for Bazut......good luck and leave some for further catches dont keep fishing the same spot as that will become useless leave some for breeding..........we are watching u :)PPPP    kidding

[Moonwalker]

Lol - I did not find any new place! If you go to the same place 10 time then maybe one time u get lucky:)

I use circle hooks, normal size and one big at the top. Maybe I will try a bigger one
About wire I tried it too and found out that it is cut quite easily by theet!

Hanzir is not tricky to land at all. It doesn't really pull too much and if its hooked properly you have no problems. However its not halfway up that it floats but rather the last 20-30m.

[shanook]

so u are back to square one mate.......any takers...........

[ganni]

what hook size are you using for the upper hook? you should put at least an 11/0 over there, a 13/0 would be even better.  and what is the size of the mono you are using? i would put 1.00 for the upper hook.

and regards the fish that cut the braid... why dont you try to put a mono leader between the braid and the terminal?

[Moonwalker]

Am not sure about the size cos the hooks were bought long ago. Maybe someone that uses deep bottom longlines can tell me what hook sizes they use.
Mono fuq upper hook is 100 covered with a pipe but 70 should hold too.
About last comment I believe that braid is stronger than mono and is not cut easily by abresion or am I wrong?

[ganni]

No mate, braid is very easily cut, it is not abrasion resistent, mono is much more abrasion resistent!!!

That's why i told you to use a mono leader.

Regards deep bottom long lines, hooks of size 6-7 are usually used, however you cannot compare these sizes to any of the circle hooks since these type of hook come in sizes like 10/0 etc, it is a different size system

[robby017]

what you could try is double mono as used in tuna longlines.... if one breaks, the other is there for backup.......

[Moonwalker]

Ok i can change the last 5m to mono but I would have a problem with the knot as that would get stuck in the rod or in the electric reel. I need to use at least size 100 for mono which would make quite a large knot. Any ideas?

[ganni]

that problem is easy to solve, you just need a gd braid to mono knot and it won't get stuck

[Moonwalker]

Any pics of the gd braid to mono knot?
What about splicing the braid and passing a mono inside?

[ganni]

there are many knots mate, i sent you a pm, check it out

[Moonwalker]

Cought one of the culprits - 7ft Scrabbard - post pictures this evening