Did Something Stupid Today>It Will Haunt Me Forever

[FishTank]

Please read and tell me if you have ever done this.....

 

Just for the record my personal best Largemouth is 10.2lbs 

 

I was out fishing today and pitched a zoom lizard about 5 foot away from the bank and soon as it hit the water a big fat largemouth hit it.  The fight was on.  She swam towards me, jerked sideways and then tried to pull away.  It took the line straight out.  I tightened the drag almost all the way down and she was still pulling out line.  I got her to the top of the water and she jumped.  When I saw her, for the first time, I about loaded my pants.  She was at least 12lbs maybe even 15.  I am not joking.  I have fished the waters of Indiana for 30+ years  and never seen a bass this big here.  Then this is the stupid part.....  As she went back into the water she tried to turn down and spit out the hook but she was still on the line.  She started to turn over and I did not want to loose her, so I put my thumb on the spool to stop the line from going out and so I could muscle her back to me.  Then the line broke....  Stupid, Stupid, Stupid......  I thought, I am using 12lb FC what could brake that.  I should have let her run.  What was I thinking?  I kept fishing but no luck.  I gave up and went home.  I am totally bummed.....  

 

I will go back to this honey hole and try again but it is heavily fished and several people fishing saw what I hooked up with.  I have a feeling it will get crowded quick.

 

 

[Catch and Grease]

Just let it go... my PB is just shy of 5lbs but I have hooked 2 bass (That I actually got to see) that would have easily went 8+ and I lost both.

 

One was with a oxbow bomber square A, I was ripping it through grass and thought I hit a clump of grass because it felt like I was reeling in dead weight and I look down and I see probably the biggest bass I've ever had on the end of my line, I got her all the way to the boat and then the hook popped out... honestly I didn't set the hook good because of the fact that I thought it was grass, had I set the hook I probably would have landed her...

 

Since that mistake I set the hook into anything that stops the vibrations of my crank baits, sure most of the time its grass/stumps but every now an then I hook a bass that I could have bet money was grass or a stump. My point is I learned from my mistake and you will too, that'll probably be the last time you make the mistake of trying to horse a fish when you shouldn't!

 

You may think it will "haunt" you forever, that's what I thought too, but after awhile it just turns into another memory and not necessarily a bad one.

[everythingthatswims]

 If the fish is hooked so that it can spit your hook, tight drag and horsing it is just going to pull the hook out, usually with a T-Rig you can keep them buttoned during the fight. Well you won't do it again after losing the big girl, I hope you can get a second shot at her! 

[Oregon Native]

Dang....unless there was a lot of structure around I would have trusted my drag (assuming you have a relieable reel).  It's definitly an exciting few short minutes usually for a LMB fight.  Also ... you got a long time ahead of yourself for more of these memorys of these exciting moments.  (both good and bad)

P.S.  Yup have lost some dandys

G-Luck

[Sam]

For some reason I still remember a. Umber of the big ones I lost.

Part of fishing.

Just suck it up and head back.

She is still there mad will be ready to bite in a few days.

[F14A-B]

LOL!!! Welcome to the "I lost a Big Fish Club"

I lost a really big FLMB, in about 89..... I still remember it like yesterday! Yep, lost her on the first jump, what a monster too... Well nice story, you will remember that for YEARS....

Incidenty, what part of Indiana? What lake please?..... Lol... I love it!

[Preytorien]

I'm in Indiana, I can't even imagine anything bigger than 7 or 8 pounds. My biggest is 5.5

[F14A-B]

I'm in Indiana, I can't even imagine anything bigger than 7 or 8 pounds. My biggest is 5.5

Isn't that the truth! Big ones are not common, however, they have stocked Florida Strain in this state, I assume the State Record still holds.. 11 + caught in sothern Ind. I know the Lake, it's nice and Private, it was certified by the State after much debate concerning the FLMB Vs. Northern strain/ Native Species, caught on A 1/4 oz pop r!

[BassinLou]

Learn form the experience and move on. I have had my heart broken bass fishing several times. Its part of our sport. Sometimes the fish wins too.  

[Brian6428]

That sucks. I can't even imagine how that feels to lose a fish that size. I lost a 3lber earlier this season and I was bummed all day.

[bostonsox2904]

Sorry to hear it! Knowing that fish is in there will keep the fire burning inside you. I remember three fish I've lost in my life, and I know I'll never forget those. Ahhh..

[FishTank]

I'm in Indiana, I can't even imagine anything bigger than 7 or 8 pounds. My biggest is 5.5

 

I caught my personal best in one of the strip pits near Greene Sullivan State Forest (Dugger, IN).  The one I hooked into today, well lets just say, I am not revealing where but it used to be a pay lake that had feeders.  People always talk about the big fish that use to be in there.  It is now abandoned.  

 

I still feel dumb though.  I can't blame the gear, the weather, bad omens, nothing but me on this one.

[papajoe222]

I think everyone has lost a fish that they will never forget. That is, until they loose or catch a bigger one. Hopefully it will not happen to you again and you will forget because you will catch a bigger one. Glass half full, remember.

[Skeeter Dan]

I was pond fishing with my Grandson a couple of weeks ago and caught the biggest bass of the year for me . I reach down to put him on the stringer with the other three bass and before I could get him strung he flopped out of my hand and back into the water he went. You win some you loose some and some say( ***)you should have had a V8 Juice.

[Catch and Grease]

I was pond fishing with my Grandson a couple of weeks ago and caught the biggest bass of the year for me . I reach down to put him on the stringer with the other three bass and before I could get him strung he flopped out of my hand and back into the water he went. You win some you loose some and some say( ***)you should have had a V8 Juice.

Haha at least you caught him!

[FirstnameLastname]

I feel you man. At least you have a classic the one that got away story.

[Fisher-O-men]

I've lost two nice ones this year, but I only estimated them at 7-8 lbs.  I have to remember the times when I got a fish to the boat only to be discouraged by the scale.  Fish seem to look bigger in the water.

[Bluebasser86]

I lost one in Missouri several years ago that would have been close to a state record I believe. My PB is just over 10 and it was noticeably larger than that fish. She was big enough she towed a 16' johnboat for a considerable distance and ended up straightening a 5/0 Mustad Ultra Point hook almost straight out. The sting of losing one like that doesn't go away, you just have to try to shake it off and move on. 

[BennyB]

FishTank,  I am in the exact same boat as you, down and out a monster fish. 

 

Let me begin with a couple weeks ago.  It was towards the end of the day fishing my favorite lake and I was fishing a huge deep lay down.  I am working a T-Rigged worm super slow, feeling every characteristic on the bottom and throughout the tree.  I feel my worm take a little plunge off a drop in between the limbs and I can just feel that this spot is money.  I know it is good, and then slam, a fish inhales the worm with a solid thump and I set the hook.  Rod bends in half and it is a massive fish, just takes off running.  I can feel the weight and it is a big fish for sure.  Definitely something bigger than a lot of the 5 and 6 lbers I catch regularly.And then, pop, line snaps.  I had just caught a fish before, hadn't retied being lazy, and I knew there was even a few knicks on the line.  It hurt.

 

So, I go home, buy myself some 12 pound P-Line Fluorocarbon and get ready for trying to find a fish like this again.

 

Then this last Friday.  Exact same time of day at 3:00pm, exact same lay down.  I had found the exact drop between the timber and I can just tell this spot is perfect again.  Sure enough, bam, fish on and I have a good little fight with a 3.5 lber.  Land it, check my line, which has  one or two tiny abrasions on it and I think, "Oh, that line will hold.  Anyways, what are the chances that I get a monster on the line in the exact same spot."  So I trow on another lizard, cast it out and work it down to my hole.  I am just letting it soak, for a long time and then, a thick thump, thump.  Real in my slack and nail the hook into the fish's mouth.  And holy heck, fight is on.  Drag just goes ripping.  I finally get a little leverage as the fish slows its run and I start to bring this beast out of the depths.  ZZZZZZZZ, another big run, with huge, slow head shakes underwater.  This monster is ticked.  By this time I can tell,  this isn't your average bass.  The biggest fish I have landed yet was in the low 7's and it was nothing, I mean nothing, like fighting this fish.  I start to make a little headway on this fish and then, it just stops.  Just shear heavy weight.  I couldn't even move this fish, it was just suspended.  We are locked as I keep the line tight I prepare for another run as the fish is close to the boat now.  Smack, my rod bends like crazy and the hippo takes off again.  Then it happened,  a loud Snap.  Half shocked, my rod snaps straight and I don't know what to do or think, and she is gone.  GONE!  I don't know if I will ever get a 3rd shot at this fish.  It has haunted me all weekend, just laying in bed at night, thinking what if.   I feel your pain brother!!!!!    OUCH

[fishinfiend]

That sucks dude. That will probably be your only shot at her and most likely someone will end up eating it .

[Dave P]

Did the same thing this spring on KY lake. Broke on off a 7-8 on a 6XD with 12lb test.

[missouribigbass]

It happens. Fishing is no different than anything else. You'll make mistakes and learn from them. Next time you hook up a monster you'll go back to that mistake in your mind and won't lose it next time. I fish for trophy bass. Nothing else I could care less about catching 50 2lbers. I've made every mistake you can make. And will make more but for the most part the key is just to keep your composure and save the excitement for after the fish is in the boat.

[einscodek]

Heart goes out to ya there.. that heart sinking into yer stomach feelin

..but that line might have broken anyway

I bet you gonna upsize yer equipment after this..

 

I tell ya I've lost big ones every which way possible:

just enough slack line to get off

line break

shook lure

shook lure at the boat just about to be landed

in my grip shook off into the drink

swivel failure

ultralight rod breakage

 

What hasnt happened .. yet (my biggest nightmare):

catch exceeding my pB in my grip when an even bigger one jumps up and swallows it whole and both go diving into the drink

that would pretty much complete my list

 

you got my sympathies my man..

[TorqueConverter]

I've only had 3 smallmouth on the end of my line in my life an two of them were dinks.   A few weeks ago I hooked into a giant smallmouth and didn't get a good hookset in and lost him by the boat.  I totally understand the enthusiasm behind smallies now.  What a fantastic sport fish.  That thing fought like a freight train with the brakes out. 

[rippin-lips]

I don't have any of these oh my god,biggest fish ever,my line broke,I didn't retie,she got off stories. That stuff doesn't ever happen to me.