Tips & Techniques - How to reduce getting snagged

Whenever we are bottom fishing, it's inevitable that we would get snagged if the bottom is rocky or has some structure. More so if you're fishing with expensive madais. After all, these are the places where the big fish hang out. So how do we reduce getting our rigs snagged in them?

Normal bottom-fishing technique:
A. Sinker hits bottom and you close the bale arm.
B. Boat drifts and sinker gets dragged along the bottom.
C. Boat comes over a structure and sinker gets dragged over the side of the structure.
D. The sinker may bump over some holes/cracks but sooner or later, it'll fall into a hole/crack that would snag the fishing rig. Usually, if the hook snags, it can be pulled out easily. But if the sinker snags, and the boat continues to drift, you may have to pull the fishing line to break it.


When drifting
The best way is to NOT leave your sinker 'scraping' the bottom as you drift along. What I do is to let the sinker touch the bottom, and then I'll wind my reel about 2 cranks. This will lift the sinker off the bottom but still within the holding zone of bottom-dwelling fish. As you drift along, the depth would invariably change so keep adjusting the line by winding up or releasing more line, all the while 'bouncing' the sinker along to keep in contact with the seabed.

A. Sinker hits bottom.
B. Crank the reel 1-2 times to lift it about 1-2ft above the seabed.
C. Tip the rod down to 'feel' the bottom again.
D. Lift up again to about 1-2ft above seabed.
E. Repeat the lift/drop sequence, always making sure the sinker/madai is not being dragged on the bottom.
F. You can hold the rod constant if you want, until you hit the next 'bump' on the structure and then lift up again.

I've seen anglers lose $5-$15 madais one after another and they keep blaming their bad luck for getting snagged when actually they are dragging their madais across the bottom. By being 1-2ft above the seabed/structure, you can prevent getting snagged but still be in the holding zone for most bottom-dwelling fish.

This method will work on most rigs, ie Apollo, ranggong, madai, Carolina rig. The idea is you want the sinker/rigs to 'bounce' off the bottom and not be dragged across the bottom.

Try it the next time you go bottom fishing!

When anchored
If you're anchored, you can 'park' your rod in the rod holder without fear of getting sangkut because everything is stationary. However, when you start to retrieve your line, it's best to either reel in fast or jerk the rod tip up and bounce the sinker back. This way, you would avoid dragging the sinker on the bottom and potentially snagging the rig.