Apply the same amount of pressure to the fish that it is putting on you. Once a fish goes to cover, I take a battle stance of sorts — I hold tight with my rod in an upward position. If it pulls down 2 feet, I pull back 2 feet. Notice I said pull, not reel. If you continue to reel you will eventually reel the fish up so tight against the cover that it won’t be able to swim. And remember, in order to have any chance of landing a fish in cover, the fish has to be able to swim itself free.
You should be able to free 75 percent of the bass you hook following this procedure. Of course you want to have a stout rod and line to back you up, too. Remember, pull don’t reel.
What do you do when a bass wraps you up in cover?
