The One That Got Away

[WVbassin87]

We've all got a story, let's hear them. Mine was about 3 years ago. it was a typical saturday and i was at my favorite spot. i'd seen the dark figure of a huge fish several times that morning, but no luck getting a strike. i made a long cast, cranked the reel handle a few times and suddenly the lure stopped. i assumed it was hung up, so i raised my rod tip high and pulled back hard, hoping to free it. then i saw it, that dark shadow at the end of my line rising slowly. i managed to see the top fin break the surface, then a twitch of the head snapped my line. since that day i've been obsessed with the thought of landing that fish.

[Catch and Grease]

I don't have any big bass stories but once I was fishing for trout and hooked into a HUGE Spanish mackerel after a great fight and struggle I get him to the boat and right as his head was going into the net my line slices in 2.... I saw him so I'm fine with that but I really wish I coulda got him in the boat!

[David D.]

I got one that happened just about 3 hours ago...

I was at my local pond where my average catch is just a little over a pound. As the sub was going down I was fishing a Rage Tail Toad across the top of the water, along the edge of some vegetation and a bass hit it harder than I have ever seen a topwater strike. I gave it half a second, reeled down and set the hook into what felt like a log. I got the fish in to about 15 yards before she broke the surface again and I could see that she most likely would have been my new PB, she certainly felt like a high 6, and looked much bigger than my current PB (6 lb 2oz).

At this point I was stoked, the hook was set in the top of her mouth and I thought it was a sure catch... Until she jumped again and spit the hook right at me.

I just sat down after that, trying to figure out how she got off.

[porkleaker]

I was on the St. Lawrence river and something was pulling the boat, and it was most certainly a fish. Unfortunately I was just a kid and my line snapped, that'll haunt me until the end of my days lol.

[Jar11591]

I was on the St. Lawrence river and something was pulling the boat, and it was most certainly a fish. Unfortunately I was just a kid and my line snapped, that'll haunt me until the end of my days lol.

In the St. Lawrence, I bet it was a big old Muskie.

[skeeter1980]

Back in the 80's before I really got into bass fishing,I had a 14 ft jon boat.Well one hot summer night,July 3rd,my dad and I fished all night.At 6am I caught my pb,on a buzz bait.This bass did just what I always hoped a big bass would do.It put up a show.Tail walking on the water,diving and coming up,trying to shake her head.I landed her and weighed her,6lbs.Back in the day,all I had was a metal stringer.I was going have it mounted.Dad looked at the rusty stringer,and said,it won't hold her.I said sure it will,while I was putting her on the stringer.We continued fishing,and about half hour later,I said dad ,let me see the fish.He pulled up the stringer and it was empty.Dad I said what you do with my bass?I started looking in the boat for it,but where you goona hide a bass in a jon boat?Well she got off and the tears started coming.We get to the ramp,some guy is putting in.He asked have any luck?I shouted back,shut the hell up.LOLDad told the guy,I had a bad night.For weeks I ctried over that fish.Now every July 4th,I still think about that fish. 

[geo g]

1988 I was taking my new bass boat on its Maiden Voyage to the south end of Lake Okkechobee.  I went with a dear friend Charley Yanda of Miami.  We launched from Slims Ramps and fished the south end of the lake.  I remember it like it was yesterday!  Charlie was throwing a Charlie's Worm and catching tons of fish.  I was throwing a black/blue jig and swimming it back to the boat.  I had 0 fish.  It was NOT my style to throw a jig, but I was committed.  Down about 15 to 0 I stayed after it.  In Winnies Cove I was fishing the boat trails through the area.  All of a sudden my line started sideways.  I set the hook and brought the fish at least 20 yards closer to the boat.  It was heavy.  All of a sudden the huge fish went airbourn twice, ten yards from the boat and it was the biggest fish I had ever seen anywhere.  On the pinnacle of the second leap the line breaks and charlie and I sat there in silence for a good two or three minutes.  The next day Charlie bought two of those Black/Blue Jigs.  It was a day I will never forget because of the one that got away.

[Tylertut]

I have two that I remember pretty well. Two years ago while wading with my father in the Great Miami River I casted my spook in this small pool that I thought I had no chance of catching anything. No later than my spook hit the water a huge smallie blew up on it. I fought it for a short while before it shot upstream and frayed my line on a rock. It had to be about 4 or 5 pounds, which was huge for me. I still fish the same pool hoping to get that fish.

My other story happened just last week. I had my kayak on an old gravel pit and found a good spot where there was a lot of fallen timber along the bank. I pulled in about 12 decent size bass of this spot and when the bite died I decided to drop shot the drop off right past the timber. Right after my weight hit the sandy bottom a largemouth slammed it and started peeling drag. He got about 10 yards out, jumped and threw the hook. I estimate it to be around 7lbs which would be more than a pound over my PB and pretty big as far as Ohio bass go.

[porkleaker]

In the St. Lawrence, I bet it was a big old Muskie.

 

 

I'm guessing that's what it was. Just saw a monster one some guy recently caught there...Coulda been the same one lol

[Theangler1]

I was in another boat over when my uncle and little sister were fishing together, when she was reeling in a 5 inch or so bluegill back to the boat on a cheap Shakespeare pink rod, when we see a huge pike follow behind it. The width of the pile must've been 20 inches around, but then my uncle takes the rod and gets ready for a fight. The pike takes a huge run and runs back to the boat. He thought it was gone. But then it makes another run, jumps and breaks the surface and it was gone. It must've been a 40+ inch pike. But the little hook in the bluegill was never involved, so it was holding the bluegill the whole Time. around the Midwest and illinois that is a HUGE pike. Too bad it had to be the one that got away.