Heart Broken

[aharris]

Me and a buddy of mine went out to a private lake (80+ acres) and fished a while yesterday. We fished most of the day with a spinnerbait and caught some decent fish. On the way back to the dock, we stopped to fish a brush pile in 15 or so feet of water. Me being the genius that I am figured, hey, I'll throw this shaky head...on 10lb braid down there and see if I can get bit. Well...I did, I caught a 3+ right off the bat. Two casts later, I proceeded to hook into a freaking GIANT. When I stuck it, it literally almost spooled me instantly. I tightened my drag down b/c I really had no other choice. It got me stuck in the brush pile for a minute but eventually came out. She came up to the top of the water and made another run like a freakin tarpon! I mean it was all I could do to hold my rod! She took off back to deep water and made it to the brush pile again. I felt her running thru the brush and then...snap. She was gone. I literally almost threw up in the boat. I mean, my pb is a 9.2 and this one was bigger than that was one. I tried to be a versatile angler and start using finesse stuff and this is what it gets me. As a consilation prize, I did catch this one. We actually caught this one and one more over 6 almost back to back. Probably caught 15 in all.

 

 

 

[Topwaterspook]

Dang shame , SC. I feel for you. I had my PB break through the guides net. I was sick. At the very least you'll always have that memory. Better luck next time.

[roadwarrior]

Well you are obviously a skilled angler, so I guess you did what you thought was the

right thing in the moment. I check my drag before casting and NEVER adjust it with a

fish on.

 

 

 

 

[aharris]

well she ended up in the brush pile anyway, so tightening the drag obviously didnt work. That little 10lb braid just couldnt hold her any longer around that log jam. Ahh well...maybe next time.

[PABASS]

That sux sure it wasn't the knot that gave way?

 

I agree my drag is always on before I cast but if I got a horse like that I probably be changing it to.

[aharris]

nah man, it wasnt the knot. 10lb braid with a 10+ pound bass in thick cover isnt gonna fair too well. And I never try to adjust my drag while fighting a fish, but I had no choice here. It was either tighten the drag up a little and try to slow her down or leave it like it was and...well....anyway, she got to where she was wanting to go...i jus slowed her down a little. It was fun though...I just wish I couldve gotten my hands on her.

[AK-Jax86]

That's how I goes sometimes but atleast u got a nice hawg in the boat dispite the monster you lost

[MCS]

That sucks, but hey at least you had a good fight and got some other nice fish as well.

[Paul Roberts]

Ouch. Sorry to hear.

 

Drag had nothing to do with it. As RW said, you are an accomplished angler and you made a decision ... and lightning struck.

 

If there's anything to learned there it may lie in the reasons we choose tackle. Finesse can a necessary evil, but not always, maybe rarely, is it a necessity. Use it when you really need it.

 

Where I fish I don't have bass the size you are talking about. But I do have circumstances where tackle matters. One unique one is the presence of a macro-algae called Chara that carpets some of my deeper crystal clear water quarries, water you'd look at and immediately think "finesse". But Chara is like steel wool, and hooked bass will just bury in it. It's frustrating as you can see em through 10 feet of crystal water -just a tail sticking out of that bright green carpet below. I had to go up to 10lb just to keep 2lbers from burying, when I'd normally be fishing 6lb. Some bright sunny days in that clear water, 10lb simply turns away too many fish. But it's not worth hooking them if I can't get em in the boat. Those times I fish elsewhere, or pray for clouds or wind.

[aharris]

Yeah, I probably had no business in fishing that thick of cover with that light of tackle, but we had fished it earlier and it wasnt really a problem. I got a 3+ out, but this one was just too big. I know I'm probably being greedy b/c like I said, we had just caught two 6+ pounders almost back to back but man...it was heart breaking loosing that big of a fish.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Sucks man but at least you still caught some nice fish.  I wouldn't mind catching that one in the picture.

[TriCityBassin']

Sorry dude

I love the light stuff.  I can't believe it broke your Braid!  I have caught Blackfish (bowfin, Grendel) out of laydown and cypress that weigh up to 8lbs on Seaguar 8lb Invisx.  To me, your braid was heavy stuff....still shocked you broke off!

[paul.]

oh well, it is what it is.  the worst thing you can do is overanalyze it.  there will be more opportunities.  the fish win sometimes - it's that simple.  i like your attitude about this and i think you're handling it right.  just be glad you were able to spend a few seconds of quality time with her and move on.  you won the mental part of the game figuring out where she was and tricking her.  many, many guys never even make it that far.  allow this to stoke the fire in a positive way.

 

the fish you are holding is great.  and 2 like that in one day?  that's incredible. 

[Big-O]

Those fish keep us anxious to get back on the water don't they   WTG!

[aharris]

Those fish keep us anxious to get back on the water don't they   WTG!

Oh yeah, I'm ready to go back now. haha