The One That Got Away

[BassAddict'18]

Feel free to share your stories about those monster bass that you had on your line, felt the excitement and absolute adrenaline rush of reeling in, and then the sickening feeling of the line going slack as the biggest fish you've ever had escapes you.... 

 

Mine would probably have been this past weekend at a local fishing tournament. I was working a chatterbait along the brush and grass near the shore and suddenly felt this bass absolutely SLAM the chatterbait. This bass was at least a 10-12+ pound fish. it began to peel line, even though i had the drag tight, i could barely reel because the line was so tight, and then he began to run parallel to the boat. Then he took a rush towards the boat, and as I tried to fast reel, he sped up, and I felt the line go slack, and I almost cried. That fish was most likely the largest fish I had ever had on the end of my line. 

[Duster7466]

While dropping tube baits off ledges in Grand Traverse Bay, I got hit by a smallie so big it was like trying to pull a tire up off the bottom. I knew it was the largest smallmouth I've ever had on my line. My heart was pounding harder than schoolboys about to go for his first kiss. When she finally came into view I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the biggest thing I'd ever seen. With visions of getting my picture on the front page of the local newspaper in my head...................the line went slack. My heart sank. It was a worse feeling than getting dumped in junior high. All I could do was stare in disbelief as this beautiful bronze monster slowly made her way back down into the abyss. The tell tale curly Q at the end of my line indicated that my knot came untied. I have since learned to tie better knots, and to check my knot strength.

The hardest lessons are learned from the biggest fish.

[massrob]

I went to this little pond in a tannery I used to walk by when I was in high school. I didn't even think there would be fish in it. I was fishing a chatterbait and it got demolished and as soon as the fish made a huge jump I see this 5 lber with my white chatterbait in its mouth as soon as it hit the water it was gone. Still can see the fish and it's the only one I can remember losing.

[Ozark_Basser]

Fishing crooked creek in my canoe, I hooked into a smallmouth that had to be a 5 lber. I couldn't lip her because she had a 5 1/2 inch jerkbait sideways in her mouth. I probably could have tried to grab her by the belly but this was before I knew about that. I tried to swing her in the canoe with twelve pound fluoro and she got to the edge of the canoe, almost inside, and shook her head hard and broke me off and fell back in the water. I was livid. About twenty seconds later I could see her jumping trying to shake the jerkbait, almost as if she was laughing at me.

[BassAddict'18]

While dropping tube baits off ledges in Grand Traverse Bay, I got hit by a smallie so big it was like trying to pull a tire up off the bottom. I knew it was the largest smallmouth I've ever had on my line. My heart was pounding harder than schoolboys about to go for his first kiss. When she finally came into view I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the biggest thing I'd ever seen. With visions of getting my picture on the front page of the local newspaper in my head...................the line went slack. My heart sank. It was a worse feeling than getting dumped in junior high. All I could do was stare in disbelief as this beautiful bronze monster slowly made her way back down into the abyss. The tell tale curly Q at the end of my line indicated that my knot came untied. I have since learned to tie better knots, and to check my knot strength.

The hardest lessons are learned from the biggest fish.

You described that so well I felt like i was actually there with you! haha I have had plenty of fish come off before because of bad knots. Its a shame that I had to learn, after the fact, that my knot tying skills needed work

[J McRae]

Talking about perfect timing with this thread. Lol!

 

Today, I decided to go out and hit the water before my "vacation" time is up. The trip started off slow as usual. It was time to switch up my presentation and use the knowledge that I was told... Keep it simple. I caught two decent fish on a Culprit Ribbon-Tail Worm and Zoom Lizard. Then, I switched to a Strike King Bleeding Bait Spinnerbait I used once in the two or three years I've owned it (I'm a soft plastics type of guy). Well, after the fifth cast, a nice bass collided with my spinnerbait. Once I set the hook, she came out the water like she was on a Bill Dance episode. I got her from halfway across the pond right next to the bank. I saw her and she saw me... She darted towards the brush next to the bank to head out to the open water. Before I could react and do anything, my line broke. I lost the fish and my spinnerbait. I didn't think to move down the bank to a clear area due to the excitement and adrenaline. I immediately grabbed my gear and went home. 

[RanndomUndead]

4 years of bass fishing and ive yet to lose a monster, caught a 12, 10's, 3 8's and tons below...And the biggest fish ive seen lost was a little 8 inch largemouth who got launched about 100 ft when i set the hook on my topwater...heh

However, im pretty sure ive lost a couple 5's.

Then again, theres always those "20 pounder" stick monster stories.

"HES A BIG UN!....Dang he threw the hook *cough*"

[RanndomUndead]

Talking about perfect timing with this thread. Lol!

 

Today, I decided to go out and hit the water before my "vacation" time is up. The trip started off slow as usual. It was time to switch up my presentation and use the knowledge that I was told... Keep it simple. I caught two decent fish on a Culprit Ribbon-Tail Worm and Zoom Lizard. Then, I switched to a Strike King Bleeding Bait Spinnerbait I used once in the two or three years I've owned it (I'm a soft plastics type of guy). Well, after the fifth cast, a nice bass collided with my spinnerbait. Once I set the hook, she came out the water like she was on a Bill Dance episode. I got her from halfway across the pond right next to the bank. I saw her and she saw me... She darted towards the brush next to the bank to head out to the open water. Before I could react and do anything, my line broke. I lost the fish and my spinnerbait. I didn't think to move down the bank to a clear area due to the excitement and adrenaline. I immediately grabbed my gear and went home. 

You need the braid haha

[Darren.]

I have too many such stories. The pain

is still too near... 

 

Probably the toughest was when I hooked

what we guessed in the 8 pound range largie

and it was just off the gunnel and my then 6

year old stretched with the net, almost had it

but the bass did a tail dance and spit the hook

at us as if in jest. "Just kidding dorks"

 

We swear we heard laughing as it went back

down to the depths.

[J McRae]

You need the braid haha

Yeah, I do. The fish was around 6 or 7 pounds. This was a "You get what you pay for" learning experience. I'll be prepared the next time.

[RanndomUndead]

Yeah, I do. The fish was around 6 or 7 pounds. This was a "You get what you pay for" learning experience. I'll be prepared the next time.

Ive learned 49 lb braid is the end game for saving equipment. Bout the same casting distance as 12lb mono, atleast on a baitcaster, but strong enough to do anything.

I have balsa wood cranks that hhave gone through 3-4 hooks on both front and back but are still fully operational. Earlier this year i pulled an entire christmas tree out of the water.

Just make sure you carry an old jacket or something thick and soft that can go around your arm.

30-40 lbs of pressure from fishing line being wrapped around your arm is no joke

[J McRae]

Ive learned 49 lb braid is the end game for saving equipment. Bout the same casting distance as 12lb mono, atleast on a baitcaster, but strong enough to do anything.

I have balsa wood cranks that hhave gone through 3-4 hooks on both front and back but are still fully operational. Earlier this year i pulled an entire christmas tree out of the water.

Just make sure you carry an old jacket or something thick and soft that can go around your arm.

30-40 lbs of pressure from fishing line being wrapped around your arm is no joke

Thanks for the information. I've only used braid once before I started bass fishing. I'm about to buy a baitcaster and put braid on it. I don't need another mishap like that again.

[RanndomUndead]

Thanks for the information. I've only used braid once before I started bass fishing. I'm about to buy a baitcaster and put braid on it. I don't need another mishap like that again.

Yea, dont bother arguing with the folks saying you should use light braid. Theyre "pro lovers" generally and tend to be reckless at realizing pros really  have no lure limit, and they do because money. However, i do say use what you find most comfortable.

But with 49lb, ive gone through 5x as many treble hooks than i have lures, and theyre extremely cheap