Missed bites / big pull downs

[DurhamAngler]

Hi everyone i had a good but frustrating night last night fishing a heavy ground rock mark.Ended up getting 3 small codlings out and losing a better fish on a snag practically at my feet :-(
It was a busy night with plenty of bites ,most of them being big pull downs which didnt come back and this has got me thinking, as i`ve read similar reports lately,as to why this happens.

I think its most likely my rigs arent quite right allowing the fish to feel resistance before they actually swallow the bait so they spit it out and dont come back - but what are your thoughts guys ?

[ozzy37]

had the same problem at a rough ground mark few days ago as well. few different opinions but my opinion is that when it is flat calm the bites are more tentative because they have time to mess about and pick at it. whereas in rough sea they either gulp it down straight away or risk not finding it again. i've only had the problem of missed bites when it's flat and when most of the fish that are about are small

[*monkey*hanger*]

ill second that the dreaded one big hit wonders only seem to happen when its calm as ozzy has said they usually swallow the bait instantly in the rough had the same problem my self friday so swithced to smaller hooks same again its just somethink we have to live with if it wasnt as hard as it is then it would be called catching and not fishing ;-)

[Johnc1109]

So it's not only me I had same problem last night had some cracking noks but was one bite then nowt

[seanyrooroo]

I had 3 huge bites followed by loads of slack line last night in the open. All of of them resulted in missed fish. I personally think that there wasn't enough barb showing as I was using huge crab and black baits. Lesson learned though, bigger hooks needed!!

[Cod,cod,cod!]

Or smaller baits..

[finseeker]

....

[magpies]

I had that on Roker pier a couple of times. Nothing then 1 aggressive "pull down" then doesn't come back. Happened on and off all night. Different rigs and baits made no difference. Still don't understand what was happening.

[Rocker]

Lobsters.

[CHUKKA]

Using pulley rigs by any chance? These result in lots of dropped bites.

If your using normal rigs then a long long hooklength of 4-5ft can sometimes give the fish time to swallow the bait. Happened to me one night on cambois, pal was getting double shots on super long traces, fish lying on when I was getting loads of bites and just the odd fish. Lesson learnt!!

Opposite sometimes though when short traces can nail fish especially whitings.

[ozzy37]

Using pulley rigs by any chance? These result in lots of dropped bites.

If your using normal rigs then a long long hooklength of 4-5ft can sometimes give the fish time to swallow the bait. Happened to me one night on cambois, pal was getting double shots on super long traces, fish lying on when I was getting loads of bites and just the odd fish. Lesson learnt!!

Opposite sometimes though when short traces can nail fish especially whitings.

good tip mate will have to try that. never liked pulleys for hooking fish either, too many missed bites in all conditions

[magpies]

Lobsters.

I thought the same, just didn't look right at the time.

[DurhamAngler]

Some food for thought there guys .

My rigs were 5/0 pennel clip downs,longish snoods at around 3 1/2 ft long.

I agree that fish have more time to inspect baits in calm conditions but these pull downs were definately not tentative and i`m not convinced it was lobsters either as my Kompressor ss was pulled right over a couple of times . I was using big cocktail baits of black lug sausage/mussel or razor clam (bad idea perhaps using pennels in heavy ground but i`m not one for small baits ).
Having the hook point masked is something i`ll need to experiment with as i know i struggle clipping up and often need to push the bait up the hook to get it in the clip !

[onefortheroad]

ive always had my doubts about pulley rigs and the fact the fish has a lot of line to pick up 1st when it swims off with the bait in its mouth , whereas a snood length fixed would be taught in an instant. I know some on here say pulley rigs work , so on that issue id have to say its dependant on just how hungry a fish is , if its swallowed a bait its hooked simple as that , no matter what rig is used , they can play with food and suck it and spit it out, , I own a fish tank and watch the fish feeding , this is when you get missed bites . so to conclude id always opt for a fixed snood length wether fished at the lead on clean ground or a foot or so up from the lead in the rough ground .

as rocker has said big crabs / lobsters give really good pull downs also .

[Rocker]

Don't get me wrong it could have been fish, but if a fish pulls your tip right over or breaks your lead out that should be enough to set the hook.
Lobsters will pick your bait up and swim off almost ripping your rod out the rest!
There's loads around newbiggin atm.