What is your craziest fishing story?

[Glenn]

This should be good.

 

Mine would be catching 47 bass in 2 hours. It was nearly every cast.

[Mike L]

I threw a pop r in the middle of a school of shad popping all around the boat and “caught” a 3 ft gator. 
He nearly spooled me

 

 

Mike

[Alex from GA]

When I first moved to GA, 20 years ago, I got into a school of stripers for 2 hours and never caught one.  I didn't have what they wanted; I did the next day.  A guy in a boat close to me felt sorry for me and gave me one to take home and eat.

[scaleface]

My cousin and I caught caught two limits , 12  keeper bass of 15  inches or more on 12 cast then left the fish ..

[DitchPanda]

Was fishing my local lake years ago next to the boat ramp. In the corner south of the ramp was a tree laying in the water...kept seeing a big fish chasing bait in the crotch of the tree which was in inches of water. Picked up a spinner bait bait tossed it in cranked 1 time and this huge "bass" exploded on it. Fought it for a long time and it turned out to be a 15+ lb channel cat. Crumpled that spinner bait like an empty beer can.

Another story that comes to mind is the first time I ever really fished a jig I took that mindset of leave everything else home and focus on learning the jig. Got 1 bite that day but it was a largemouth around 8lbs. 2nd or 3rd biggest bass of my 20 years chasing them literally an hour into jig fishing.

[MassYak85]

Was down in VA for 6 months and had my kayak. I was fishing one of the reservoirs during the winter, jigging a blade bait in the main channel and thought I hooked a log....which then started moving. Turned out to be a 10lb catfish which was interesting to say the least trying to get it into my tiny kayak. 

[Way north bass guy]

Like most people on here that’ve fished a long time, I have a bunch of interesting stories, but here’s just one.Years ago I was muskie fishing by myself in the Moon River Basin of Georgian Bay, in October. I was casting a saddle between two islands with a big buck tail spinner. About 30yds behind me over open water, I heard a big splash. Turned around just in time to see the absolute largest fish tail I’ve ever seen in my life. It honestly looked like a shark tail it was so huge. It just waved above the water for a second or two and was gone, I cast to it for several minutes but couldn’t get a follow. I figure it could’ve been one of three species, either a giant muskie, carp, or a sturgeon. All three can get to huge sizes out there ( Canadian record 65lb muskie was caught about a mile from where I was fishing). Whatever it was, it was well over that size. 

[N Florida Mike]

Getting hemmed in by two 9 foot gators while wade fishing as night fell was kinda crazy...

[slonezp]

A few years back I took dad to Sturgeon Bay. On day one, we struggled for the first 3 hours catching only 2 or 3 fish. Then we found the motherload. We caught dozens of 3-6lb smallies over the next 4 hours with multiple PB's being caught for both of us.

 

Did a spring trip to Kentucky Lake maybe 12 years ago. Probably caught 200 bass in 3 days with a 3 pound average, including my PB largemouth which was close to 7lbs. 

[CountryboyinDC]

My neighbor's sister swallowed her Fitbit while we were fishing.  I don't know why she had the Fitbit off at the time or how she swallowed it.  I believe that the part that came off the band (and the part she evidently swallowed) was the size of a horse pill. I just know that we were trying to find it using apps that do that sort of thing.  Then we noticed it was moving the same way she was.....and she wasn't wearing any clothing in which it could be stored.  It was noon and we hadn't cracked a beer either.

[Boomstick]

Last summer on a camping trip on the last night, it was a cool day and a nice cool night after a heatwave. I had figured out they will hit spinnerbaits when the sun starts going down, and some time after the spinnerbait bite died down, the crankbait bite starts. So that last night, I got a few on the spinnerbait and then lost my spinnerbait in some rocks. It took a while for the crankbait bite to start, but once I got a fish it was insane. I caught a fish every cast. In between casts, I was unhooking them for my youngest son and this ten or eleven year old girl because they didn't have a hook remover, and they also were catching them every cast. The girl was fishing a senko on a hook and after her second bass, she lost her senko and was catching them on nothing but a red hook.

 

Between the three of us, we caught 20-30 fish. I don't think anyone had a cast they didn't get a bass that was at least 2.83lbs

 

Eventually, I lost my crankbait but it was late and we hadn't eaten anyway.

[swhit140]

I went with my dad about 25 years ago on a road trip to Missouri. We went there in his old truck to drop off some equipment that he sold to another business. We stopped at Bass Pro Shops back when it was probably the only Bass Pro at the time. So we picked up some tackle and decided to go do some fishing, so we ended up at Pomme de Terre Lake. Since we had some new tackle we started fishing, I had fished around some rocks with a crankbait and caught a few there. Then the fish started schooling close to where we were fishing so I had a new Zara Puppy and had caught 20+ fish. I made a cast and my bait went flying off my cast. So my dad went for a swim about 20 yards to save my lure to bring it back so we continue catching some more fish.

 

[A-Jay]

This one was Pretty Crazy ~ 

A-Jay

[Nelson Delaney]

Catching a 29” brook trout on 4 wt fly rod while fishing for landlocked salmon.  

[GreenPig]

Went LM fishing April 12th 2018 and caught 61 Stripers, 19 Hybrids, 6 Spots, and 0 LM. Caught everyone on topwater. It was a phenomenal day. 

[TnRiver46]

The craziest would probably be finding a dead body in the water but I could write a book! 
 

honorable mention: allergic reaction to hornet stings while way back in the middle of nowhere, several alligator captures, and a search party come to mind 

[Catt]

Review of 2007 ?

 

Last year my time on the water was greatly limited but for what ever reason I was on big fish all year starting with a personal best back in February of 12 lbs. 8 oz. I think it was a combination of limited time on the water and the fact Toledo Bend was 15' low for almost a year before returning to normal. My limited time on the water had me relaxed and concentrating harder while the low water concentrated the big bass.

 

Lacassine Wildlife Refuge: V&M 9 Super Ringer Worm T-rigged Black Neon

10.37 lbs

10.61 lbs

11 lbs 3 oz

 

Toledo Bend Reservoir:

10.013 lbs, Oldham Jig with Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craw Black-N-Blue

10 lbs 3 oz, Gene Larew 7 ½ Ring Worm T-rigged Camouflage

10.42 lbs, Oldham Jig with Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craw Black-N-Blue

10.061 lbs, Oldham Jig with Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craw Black-N-Blue

10 lbs. 9 ¼ oz, Gene Larew 7 ½ Ring Worm T-rigged Camouflage

10 lbs 10 oz, Gene Larew 7 ½ Ring Worm T-rigged Camouflage

11 lbs 1 oz, Gene Larew 7 ½ Ring Worm T-rigged Camouflage

12 lbs 8 oz, Rat-L-Trap

 

Total Bass Caught: 980

Total days on the water: 58

Average daily catch: 16.89

Bass under 14": 382

Bass over 14": 441

Bass over 5 lbs: 63

Bass over 6 lbs: 51

Bass over 7 lbs: 17

Bass over 8 lbs: 9

Bass over 9 lbs: 6

Bass over 10 lbs: 11

Largest: 12 lbs 8 ozs

Top Area: Toledo Bend; Main Lake underwater point & ridge

Top Technique: Texas Rig

Top Bait: Worm

Top Color: Camouflage

[roadwarrior]

[MGF]

After more than half a century of fishing I guess I have a few but the one I think gets the most interest from folks is the time I was hunted...actually stalked by a racoon. I'll try to keep it short without leaving out the important parts.

 

A friend and I were carp fishing on the bank of a river right next to a bridge...in the middle of a hot summer day. As we fished we watched a racoon acting goofy on the other side of the river. He'd climb the tree and bounce around then climb down and splash around in the water and so on. He was there for a long time.

 

My partner, who lived close by had to leave and I stayed to fish. The racoon came up over the bridge. When he got just above me he hung over the side and hissed.

 

He came down off the bridge on the path just behind me and continued on. I didn't trust him so I stepped out onto the path to watch him leave. He looked back over his shoulder and on seeing me he turned and, on seeing me, turned and ran at me. I ran for the car.

 

But I fell. I rolled over just in time to push him back with my feet as he jumped at me. Somehow I got to me feet and made it up to the road and the car. My gear was still down by the river.

 

I waited for a while and didn't see anymore of the animal so I carefully snuck back down to my equipment. Not seeing the racoon anywhere I decided to sit back down and fish when...I heard a hiss behind me.

 

That son of a gun was in the bush right behind me. I was between him and the river. Somehow I got around him and up the bridge back to the car. My gear is still down by the river.

 

I found a stick to use for a club. I put that in one hand, my fillet knife in the other and stood in the middle of the 2 lane road by the double yellow looking around for the racoon.

 

That's when he ran out from under my car and go hold of my ankles. At this point I'm enraged and I want him dead. I busted my club over his head. He backed up and he stood up on his hind legs like a bear. I dove at him swinging the knife and he turned and ran. That was the last I saw of him.

 

Other than some road rash from my dive on the road and maybe a scrape or two from my fall on the path I didn't have a scratch on me.

 

I didn't fish that spot again for a very long time.

[Catt]

This was just plain old funny ?

 

Catt & Pat are sitting on a little ridge just south of Indian Mounds; full moon is barely on the horizon, slight southerly breeze. I make a long cast towards deep water and start the count down to the bottom. The Texas rigged worm settles down when there's that classic "Thump", drops the rod, reel the slack, and set the hook. Nothing gives, then in a microsecond on my knees, rod half under water.

Catt: Yells get the net!

Pat: For what!

Catt: I think he's heading for the Louisiana side

Pat: You gonna land em or what

Catt: Aint you suppose to play em first?

Finally back to my feet, line singing again, drag slipping, rod all bowed up.

Catt: He's headed for Six Mile, if you start the big motor we can head em off.

Pat now standing behind me: Want me to pour some water on your reel?

Catt: No! just get the gun!

Look a swirl just under the surface, a sudden dive for freedom, you're mine sucker.

Pat with quick move and it's in the net: Took you long enough.

Catt falls back into the seat drops his rods on the deck: Dude let's see it.

Pat turn on the interior lights: Shoot it's only a striper!

Catt sits up, lips it and grabs the tail, gotta be at least 36"

Pat digs around in the console for the scales 16 LB 5 OZ.

Catt: Slipping it back in, that's a hawg right there.

Pat: Don't count it's a striper!

Catt: Still a hawg

Pat: You're still down 7 to 4, shut up & fish.

[Mike L]

Mrs Mike has told me more than once to  just shut up and fish!

Good to know I’m not the only one ?

 

 

 

 

Mike

[scaleface]

25 minutes ago, MGF said:

After more than half a century of fishing I guess I have a few but the one I think gets the most interest from folks is the time I was hunted...actually stalked by a racoon. I'll try to keep it short without leaving out the important parts.

Cousin and I  had a racoon doing that  one time night fishing . She [there were little ones in the bush ] Was pacing back and forth snarling at us . Then she would get in thw water and swim a bit before heading back to the  bank . This went on until we trolled down the bank . 

 

Last year a different cousin { I have dozens of cousins]  and I were fishing the same lake at night . He fired a buzzbait toward bank then on the retrieve there was all kinds of splashing . I shined the flashlight and there was a racoon swimming after his buzzbait .

[MGF]

12 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Cousin and I  had a racoon doing that  one time night fishing . She [there were little ones in the bush ] Was pacing back and forth snarling at us . Then she would get in thw water and swim a bit before heading back to the  bank . This went on until we trolled down the bank . 

 

Last year a different cousin { I have dozens of cousins]  and I were fishing the same lake at night . He fired a buzzbait toward bank then on the retrieve there was all kinds of splashing . I shined the flashlight and there was a racoon swimming after his buzzbait .

I wouldn't have been so surprised if it hadn't been the middle of the day. DNR guessed that the racoon probably had distemper or something but your story reminds me of another.

 

I was fly fishing from the bank of the Fox river in down town St. Charles, Il. I had quite a bit of line out when a beaver came swimming up river. I tried to mend my line out of his way but it ended up laying over his back. I didn't really know what to do so I just held the rod tip up and hoped the line and lure would slip free as he swam under.

 

As he swam the line moved across his back with the lure getting closer. When the popper got into his fur he, very calmly, turned and swam toward me. He paralleled the bank almost right at my feet. As he swam by I jiggled the lure out of his fur and he went on his way.

 

It was like he understood exactly what was happening. 

[the reel ess]

I've told this one before on here. The story of the ghost catfish.

 

When I was a kid I was catfishing off our neighbor's dock with a piece of hot dog wiener.  It was raining so I set the rod up in a holder and walked back to their gazebo and watched. A while later the rod bent over so I ran out and set the hook. It was something big. It fought a while, then I just felt dead weight. I reeled it up and it was just the head of a small dead catfish. I assumed maybe I'd hooked a soft shelled turtle because they also like hot dogs and the turtle was in the act of eating a dead fish when it came across my hot dog, then the turtle got off. leaving me with just the dead fish. Anyway, I told my parents the story and they told me to quit telling tall tales. 

[JohnFromLisbon]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

The craziest would probably be finding a dead body in the water but I could write a book! 

 

 

Wow... That's just. Whoa. That's some intrusive thought material right there. It's probably one of my biggest, like... Irrational fears.