Missing monsters

[Lanier Sealy]

Everyone has that one enormous bass that got away. You know the kind that keeps you awake at night just by thinking of it. What's the biggest bass you've ever miss (guesstimate) that still haunts you to this day. Mine is a 14lbs I missed at my pond last month. Had it at the boat and was about to get it when it bent my hook straight and swam off. What's yours? 

[Burtonxj]

Pushing atleast 30lbs. I swear.

 

[papajoe222]

Most guys will think I more than a little crazy (and they'd be right), but I don't fret over fish that get off. Don't get me wrong, it's disappointing.  I like to look on the bright side, the fight. I don't beat myself up over what I could have done. I try to rember what I was doing and where, when the fish hit. If I stay awake at night thinking about it, I'm reliving the excitement.

Now, rewind to my tournament days and I can tell you honestly that I've lost plenty of sleep over lost fish. 

Is the glass half empty, or half full?

[riverbasser]

All the fish I lose are huge obviously. At least a few state records.

[flyfisher]

i always find it funny how people can get a judgement of weight when it got away....

 

[IndianaFinesse]

6 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

i always find it funny how people can get a judgement of weight when it got away....

 

And then double it.

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

i always find it funny how people can get a judgement of weight when it got away....

 

But have no clue what it weighs while it's hanging off their thumb . . .

A-Jay

 

[Lanier Sealy]

Some of y'all on here! ?? I'm crying cause I'm laughing so hard at this! Hince the fact I said guesstimate it's not rocketsciene now c'mon man!

[WRB]

How long do you think a 14 lber in Georgia is? Length is the only way to guesstimate bass weight in the water, can't see it's girth clearly.

The big fish always gets away, it's part of fishing. 

I haven't ever had a bass straighten a hook to get away in over 60 years.

Tom

[d-camarena]

I dont think about lost fish. Ive lost hundreds but I just fix my bait and go back at it. Fish probably tells his buddys, "I lost a 200lb human today"

[flyingmonkie]

Getting bit is the hard part.  I'd much rather land a fish than not, but having one on the line - even for just a few seconds - is still an achievement.  After a fish gets off, I'm questioning my technique less and focussed more on making sure I don't miss two in a row.

I"m with PapaJoe... no lost sleep here.  I'll even document lost fish in my log... they get an asterisk.

[roadwarrior]

[Ski]

8 hours ago, flyfisher said:

i always find it funny how people can get a judgement of weight when it got away....

 

Heck my partner can tell ya the species  and weight of the fish that made a splash behind our backs!

 

[buzzed bait]

where's this 14lber pond in Middle GA?  i'll help you slay that beast!

[Ski]

1 hour ago, buzzed bait said:

where's this 14lber pond in Middle GA?  i'll help you slay that beast!

Mine came from "Grassy Pond" in Valdosta.

[Ski]

13 hours ago, WRB said:

How long do you think a 14 lber in Georgia is?

Mine was 28.5 long 21.5 girth 14.1 lbs

[everythingthatswims]

Gotta hook them before you can lose them, I always look at it that way. 

[Senko lover]

15 hours ago, flyingmonkie said:

Getting bit is the hard part.  I'd much rather land a fish than not, but having one on the line - even for just a few seconds - is still an achievement.  After a fish gets off, I'm questioning my technique less and focussed more on making sure I don't miss two in a row.

I"m with PapaJoe... no lost sleep here.  I'll even document lost fish in my log... they get an asterisk.

Mine would get quite a few astericks

[Choporoz]

I lost one yesterday that I never saw.  I don't know how much it weighed, but it was the fastest fish I've ever hooked.   Slammed a lipless the second it hit the water, dove and traveled nearly 40 yards left to right across my bow in a matter of seconds before spitting my lure.  Was taking drag the last 10 yards.  I have to think it was a striper, as I've never had a cheetah LMB like that.  But, I will tell you it was no less than 5 pounds.  probably closer to 25

["hamma"]

The most prolific one that comes to mind was a bass i lost during a tourney (one of our first team t's), we guessed a 4 lber on a jig and pig and we did get a good look at it, I didnt get a good hookset,... but,... it was during a "tough" day, fishing was slow, near the end of the day, and it would have fulfilled our limit,... after weight in? we came in second, missing 1st by 1 lb and a few ounces,.and missed some big money.. sleep eluded me for several days after,.. and I now cross their eyes when i set the hook on a jig and pig, and,..I still have nightmares every few months or so of that day

 Have I lost some "monsters"? of course.,... 50 years of bass fishing will do that to ya,..but to guess their size? Hhhhmmm,...oh yeah ,... Huuumungus ,.. Giiiinormous ,.world record breaking biggest bass that ever got awaaayyyy!!!,... then the alarm went off, and i woke up,...lol

 All kidding aside,.. i do remember as a teen vacationing in Maine with the family a guesstimated 8 lber on a Hula Popper, off shore,.. I have been diligent, to sharpen every hook ever since,...

[trick worms]

Today I missed one that was around 7, which would of been my new PB. Got it right up to my raft maybe a foot away from my face, then head-shaked and spit the hook

[the reel ess]

On 5/26/2016 at 0:14 AM, flyingmonkie said:

Getting bit is the hard part.  I'd much rather land a fish than not, but having one on the line - even for just a few seconds - is still an achievement.  After a fish gets off, I'm questioning my technique less and focussed more on making sure I don't miss two in a row.

I"m with PapaJoe... no lost sleep here.  I'll even document lost fish in my log... they get an asterisk.

I document the place there were and the bait I missed them on. You can bet I hit that spot every time out, no matter the season or conditions. I got a 5.4 yesterday (not a monster), but it was on a point where I've caught at least one bass 4 of the last 5 times out. I put the kayak in and made a beeline for that spot. All my 6+ fish as of the past 2-3 years have been on soft plastics- T-rigged craws. I got a few over 5 on topwater hardbaits.

I don't try to sharpen offset or EWG hooks because they come sharper than I can do it with a file.It is amazing to me how you can set the hook on a fish that big using quality hook and braid and not sink the barb. But the 5 lb'er yesterday was hooked very loosely. The hook had dug a small hole in the soft tissue. Any slack and it would have been gone.

I lost my certain PB on the same body of water. I don't know the size. My buddy was at the edge of the boat waiting to grab it. I only got it close enough for him to see the shadow in the water. He tells me over 8 lbs, minimum. Probably bigger. And he has caught several over 8 from there. Later I looked at the 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and it was bent out maybe 30 degrees. I learned a lesson about braid and drag. Unless you're using a superline hook (frogs have superline hooks) or flipping hook, you need a little drag. I ripped it out.

[Bankbeater]

I have lost several nice ones the same way.  The line has gotten behind some type of solid cover before the bass hits, and I can't get the bass over the obstruction once it is hooked.  This has happened to me while fishing from bank and fishing deep water.