Stop lifting them into the boat and letting them hit the deck. Seriously. That's my best advice according to what you are doing. Worm fish, spinnerbaits, jigs, etc... I'll lift them in the boat, unless they are a big fish, and then I'll use the net. But with a topwater or crankbait, I net the fish. If it's got trebles on it, I have a net on deck waiting.
Second thing - treble hooks. How sharp are yours? I used to replace every single factory hook with quality aftermarket hooks because most companies put junk on their crankbaits. Nowadays, I'm seeing many manufacturers using much better quality hooks, but even then, I see some that are lacking sharpness (or the right angle for that matter). Check every point on every hook and make sure you are using extremely sharp, quality trebles.
Keep the rod tip down and the fish from jumping. Don't horse the fish to the boat. It ain't a worm hook, and a bass with a crankbait in his mouth out of the water while shaking his head is a nightmarish sight to me. I keep the fish from jumping, play it carefully to the boat, and have a net waiting in the water to lead him into (don't swipe the net towards him - lead him into it).
Line. I like copolymers for cranking. I used Super Silver Thread for many years before switching to Yozuri Hybrid. I have been experimenting lately, but I still like those two copolymers, particularly the Yozuri Hybrid line.
All the best,
Glenn
