snego Posted August 9, 2018 Posted August 9, 2018 This is bugging me. I was driving out in the country the other day and discovered a small lake/pond that I didn't know about. Didn't have the kayak but had all my rods in the car, so I stopped to see if I could catch anything from the dam. Tossed in a 5-inch Senko wacky-rigged on a Gamakatsu wide gap weedless finesse hook, braid with fluoro leader, 6'7" MH spinning rod. Over the course of 45 minutes or so, the same thing happened several times in about the same spot. SOMETHING grabbed the worm--not on the drop, but on the way in--pulling it repeatedly and HARD, like rod-bending hard, i.e., this was not a sunfish tapping on the bait but a large, strong fish. I could not get a hook set, which seems weird if it was a bass, especially with multiple bites, since they usually inhale the thing. After five or six STRONG tugs I would pull the worm up covered with about a half pounds' worth of weeds, so the fish was trying to pull it down into cover. Weed guard not tripped. Was this a bass or ... what? Quote
DINK WHISPERER Posted August 9, 2018 Posted August 9, 2018 Maybe your rod is so sensitive that the weeds are fooling you? 1 1 Quote
papajoe222 Posted August 9, 2018 Posted August 9, 2018 Could have been a turtle. Was the worm cut on the end? 1 Quote
snego Posted August 9, 2018 Author Posted August 9, 2018 That did cross my mind but I doubt it. I felt a strong pull, over and over. And I've fished plenty of weedy spots with the same setup without ever encountering something like this. Turtle, hmmm. Maybe a snapper? Could be. Didn't see any cuts, but once it pulled the worm out of its O-ring somehow. I've hooked a big snapper before and never want to do it again. Almost lost a finger. Quote
Glaucus Posted August 9, 2018 Posted August 9, 2018 Be surprised by what a big bluegill can feel like. Happened to me last month at a pond, over and over again in the same spot. Sometimes it would rip the Senko apart. Finally hooked whatever it was. Reeling it in, hmmmm it's got a little weight but it isn't fighting like a bass...This feels weird... Ended up being the biggest bluegill I've ever caught. Biggest bluegill I've ever seen in real life. Didn't even do the machine gun tapping they're known for. As for turtles, that's possible too. I've had turtles bite my Senkos right in half. But they don't really pull hard. It's a quick thing. They're so sharp that they really just bite it and it's done. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted August 9, 2018 Super User Posted August 9, 2018 1 hour ago, snego said: SOMETHING grabbed the worm--not on the drop, but on the way in--pulling it repeatedly and HARD, like rod-bending hard, i.e., this was not a sunfish tapping on the bait but a large, strong fish. Northern Pike, pickerel, carp, snapper... Quote
snego Posted August 9, 2018 Author Posted August 9, 2018 6 hours ago, J Francho said: Northern Pike, pickerel, carp, snapper... Can rule out pike in that lake, I think--only a few lakes are stocked with pike in CT. Pickerel a possibility. Dang, I'm just gonna have to go back and catch the thing. Quote
CrankFate Posted August 10, 2018 Posted August 10, 2018 10 hours ago, Glaucus said: Be surprised by what a big bluegill can feel like. Happened to me last month at a pond, over and over again in the same spot. Sometimes it would rip the Senko apart. Finally hooked whatever it was. Reeling it in, hmmmm it's got a little weight but it isn't fighting like a bass...This feels weird... Ended up being the biggest bluegill I've ever caught. Biggest bluegill I've ever seen in real life. Didn't even do the machine gun tapping they're known for. As for turtles, that's possible too. I've had turtles bite my Senkos right in half. But they don't really pull hard. It's a quick thing. They're so sharp that they really just bite it and it's done. I got one of those big ones recently. They are really nice looking fish when they are over a pound. They look like the fiberglass mounts with bright plastic looking colors. They don’t even feel like a real fish when they get that big. Quote
snego Posted August 10, 2018 Author Posted August 10, 2018 On 8/9/2018 at 11:23 AM, J Francho said: Northern Pike, pickerel, carp, snapper... Went back today with an ultralight rod and spin fly and caught a nice size pickerel, so maybe that was it. 3 Quote
NorthStar Posted August 23, 2018 Posted August 23, 2018 Needle nose gar are pretty hard to hook. Not sure if they are in your area. 1 Quote
Super User geo g Posted August 23, 2018 Super User Posted August 23, 2018 Could be a big gar. They will make a violent rip at the bait but often not get hooked. Quote
Super User webertime Posted August 23, 2018 Super User Posted August 23, 2018 bullhead, I've had small ones like 10" smack the heck our of a Texas Rig when flipping. Rock bass too Quote
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