Lesson Learned :a Net, Key Piece Of Equipment

[lmbfisherman]

So I was out kayak fishing for smallmouth bass on a beautiful northern Ontario Lake.  As I was patrolling a shore line with a lot of stumps and laydowns.  I see this ideal lonely stump that was really close to a drop off (4-5 ft to 12 feet), it definitely looked like a "BASS SPOT".  I was throwing a Strike King KVD 1.0 in sexy shad color.  So my bass sense told me.  There has to be one.  I aim and try to cast at least 15-20 feet passed the stump.  I cast out and a dead on perfect cast, wait a few seconds and then start reeling the crankbait.  As I sense the lure gets close to my target I did a quick change to my retrieve and reeled a few turns faster.  As I slow down again, SLAM!  Fish on.  I was being dragged around, I was like OMG this is a biggun.  I kept the pressure one, tried to keep it from jumping while  also making sure no boat was coming as it was dragging me out towards an area where boat traffic frequent.  I finally wear the fish down after a good 30-40 second fight as it was close to the starboard side of my kayak within reaching distance.  A thought crosses my mind, I should grab my net??  I said nah, he's right there.  I had him, he was huge.  Like one of those smallies you enviously see held up in pictures on the forum.  All I can think of is sweet, time to brag on the forum.  As I reached down thinking the fight was gone (the fish was half out of the water).  It did one last jump and poof it was gone.  It would've been easily my new PB.  (4.04 lbs)  Easily 5lbs or over..will never know now.   I was just in shock. I literally just sat there for 10 minutes floating around in my kayak and my rod laying down with my lure floating in the water.

 

I was like WTH man, I should've used the net.  Especially since it was a treble hook.  It haunted me the rest of the day and night.  I literally replayed the event over and over, especially the part it spit my hook.  I even had a vision of the fish laughing at me while it spit the crankbait and a dream that the fish said "You should've used the net, dummy."  So I hope this is a lesson for you all at my expense.  Use that net!  If you don't own one, get one!  I now use the net for everything except pike. 

 

PS - I do have a GoPro video of the event to remind myself of the loss. 

[Dwight Hottle]

You did everything right down to the end. Tough way to lose your PB. On the bright side of your experience you do know where she hangs out. You should get a 2nd chance at her. Good luck.

[Harry IV]

Lol ouch, it took me forever to learn to consistently boat the bigger fish that bit, but fishing out of a kayak with trebles is rough, I've lost a few nice smallies because of that. I tend to shy away from trebles because I've about lost some giants lol, sometimes its a necessary evil though. I don't use nets when fun fishing though, personal preference, if you wanna get better without them and the judgments as to when you need them though never reach for the net for a fish under 3, you've caught enough of those that its not something that'll haunt you the next week. 

[gardnerjigman]

That sucks. I will say that I most always net fish that ate a treble bait. Post the GoPro video!

[CFS]

Sucks! But hey, do you have a video to PM me or something? There is this kid in my middle school club that never uses the net. He says it is "too bulky." He hauls up large after large without an net on the pier. It would also be nice to remind everyone in my club.

[Jake the Cake]

Gotta have that net!!!  I have had that lesson learned a few times and I'm so terrified now that I even use a net for Crappie, lol.  Seriously though, I've been laughed at for netting quite a few of my fish, but guess who's not losing one close to the boat anymore!

[desmobob]

And, make sure your net is large enough.  I lost my PB accidental bi-catch Northern Pike because my very nice Frabill Power Stow net did not have a deep enough bag.  

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[everythingthatswims]

AND, rubber mesh does provide a strong enough surface for a fish to use to flop out of the net and back into the water. Be mindful