Tips on Landing monster Striper Need Help!

[Santaaa]

I don't know if I will get laughed at or not. I have been after striped bass since yesterday. I was fishing for crappie from shore but I hooked into what I believe was a striper and today I hooked into one again. Well the trouble is landing it. Yesterday it made my reel scream and it took all of my line. Today I was playing with the drag and tightened it but it still made my reel scream like a banshee. Today was probably the hardest I ever fought for a fish. I got him close to shore but it broke the line. It had my pole bent so far I was afraid it might break but I decided to keep on fighting it. luckly my GF was with me and she can confirm to my family that there is something big where I am fishing and that I am not just getting a bite from a small fish and me being dumb and letting the drag out to much. She hooked into something large too but neither one of us knew how the drag worked on her dads pole she borrowed so it broke the line quickly. The one I hooked was one heck of a fight and I am to say I lost. I tightened the drag on pole to try and slow it down well it slowed it down a little and I was getting it closer but it still made the reel scream. I am going back tomorrow to get myself a striper. Any tips on landing the big one? Wish me luck. I did get myself a crappie today which I have been after as I was told they tasted better then blue gill. They taste the same. It was fun to catch though. Only reason I was using a different bait then nightcrawlers and well I started catching something else.
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[gdn443]

Sounds like the reel your useing is too small for the fish your after. Also the line your useing for gills will break if you hook into something bigger and not played out. Time to upgrade. Go for 15lb line and a reel to handle it.
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[Santaaa]

I can't afford a new reel at this point. I am a college kid and what I have is what I have for now and well I was told try using Spider wire and it will help so I am going to try that first as well I can't afford the new reel. Maybe in a few weeks.
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[tubeN2]

I concur on the reel being too small. There is no problem with fishing for something big with light tackle. This is not recommended for the average angler though.

It takes a lot of practice to handle bigger fish on line that is designed for smaller fish.

What kind of reel do you have now?? That information will help us to give you some pointers on your next purchase.[cool]
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[Jordan5]

what reel are you using now?
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[Santaaa]

I have the Johnson Century Combo and the reel says 200B on the bottom below the button. Originally 8 pd. test line and well now it has 12 pd. test trilene. I landed the big one with it today though. It was a huge channel catfish. Not striper. Well anyways I got it in the guy at work told me to use what I had pull the pole up and don't let it out and let it back down slowly and wind up the slack quickly so there isn't any. It worked perfectly but I got it beached and well the thing was so big and when I went to drag it in further with my hands it flopped and knocked me down and it flipped back into the water and I dove after it and well my face hit off a rock. I have little bit of a fat lip and scraped chin and elbows. He slipped through my hands I about cried. Oh well what can you do. Although I got more bites I just could not land them. They broke my hooks in half. The knot on the line Held perfect and it did not break at the knot. The line did not break. I still can not believe I messed up and let it get the better of me. Oh well I will go back tomorrow and try again. My face still hurts. It had to have been around 3 feet long. It is the biggest fish I have ever seen come out of the lake. I am going back tomorrow and hopefully I can land it and keep it on land. I am so crazy. It was so much fun fighting that fish. My dad did not believe me when I told him but he called my younger brother and my younger brother said yeah there are ones that big and bigger back there. So I am not sure if he believes me or not. Wish me luck. I am goint to move to the catfish board and try tips there.
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[Jordan5]

sounds sweet. good luck on landing a nother nice cat. try and get some pics. and post them we would love to see
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