how do you keep the bass from shaking thelure?

Question
Ilive in Osteen fla. AND WE HAVE SOME MONSTER BASS HERE. WHEN they jump they shake the hook, do I need to set the hook harder or anything I can do to land them instead of loosing them.




                THANK'S
                 jIM  

Answer
Having a big bass come out of the water and shake your lure sucks.  It happens to everyone, but it's pretty simple to at least cut down on how often it occurs.  First off, make sure your hooks are sharp and that you're getting a decent hookset to begin with.  From there, I cannot stress enough the importance of controling the fish.  Even monster bass can be controlled to some degree by keeping the line tight and the rod tip down.  KEEP THE ROD TIP DOWN.  By keeping the rod tip down you're discouraging the bass from making those high, crazy leaps.  If they jump at all, they're much more controlled because you're not picking them up in the air by raising the rod tip.  You have to get tough with them.  By keeping them down and controlling their head, even when they try to jump you're simply pulling them back down to the water.  This wears them out faster too because you're forcing them to feel more consistent resistance.  From there, remain assertive, but play the fish nonetheless.  With a little practice you'll get it.  If you need any more advice feel free to ask, I'll do whatever I can to help you out.  

Thanks for asking and good luck,
Chris