The One That Broke Your Heart

[1984isNOW]

Everybody; share your heartbreak story of the one that got away, lets learn from each other's mistakes. 

 

I casted a small red crankbait out behind my kayak on a very clear water (30ft+) good size lake in Maine, let a bunch of line out, and started paddling. It was on a spinning reel and I got snagged on something while I was paddling - at top speed to catch up to me then girlfriend now wife - and so I had to yell to her to stop cuz I got stuck. I think it was on a dock rope or an old buoy line or something, but as I'm pulling nothing is happening at all, it won't budge and I'm still drifting forward coming to a stop. 

 

Then all of a sudden my reel starts screaming at me and my line goes darting away from me almost as fast as I was kayaking. Immediately my heart starts pounding, and as I'm reeling it in from about 40 yards, because I let line out for the cast to troll, I see it jump out of the water. She was far, but I could see the girth well enough to know she was a fatty. 

 

Now my heart isn't pounding anymore, because it's in my stomach, and I am reeling as fast as I could and yelling for my girlfriend to come back and see this thing because I'm pulling in a monster. She comes up about 10 feet away from me and I feel the fish starting to head in between us. I can tell by the way that the line is moving that it is going to jump again and only be a few feet in front of her kayak, so I think it would be really cool to let her see it jump right in front of her eyes. 

 

As the fish leaps towards the clouds my heart absolutely stops - has to be double digits, an absolutely majestic beauty - the fish flips me the bird ,spits water in my eye, and my line goes limp, and then my crankbait ends up floating gently all by its lonesome on the water.

 

I once heard an old timer in NH who ran a tackle shop out of his house say it took him almost 60 years to catch a fish over 8 pounds, and when I lost that fish that came to mind and I thought - I don't think I have another 60 years in me to get a second chance at the fish of a lifetime. Completely heartbreaking, it still hurts like 5 years later, and it genuinely causes me to struggle with the thought of even bothering to continue fishing or not. 

 

Around here (MA) a 3 pound fish makes your day, a 4 pound fish gets you worked up for weeks, and a 5+ pound fish will be your PB for a long time (I’ve only caught 4 fish over 5 pounds in 20 years) - that’s the icing on this heartbreak cake. It can be a battle for me to do this thing I love now, because I know my potential for worthwhile fish is so low. But most of the time, if I have time, I’ll still try to get out there and appreciate what God gives me, from tiny feisty sunfish to big ol’ logs I pull in - I’m just trying to be more grateful, and I'll never let another fish jump again! That was for you @ol'crickety

 

Much love

[the reel ess]

I flipped a T rigged craw to a rock and the great beast devoured it before it touched the bottom. I set the hook well and it made a beeline for my buddy's boat and went under. I tried to force it back and it bent the Gamakatsu EWG hook out and escaped. Totally my fault. It probably would have been a PB at the time. I ordered some superline hooks later that same day. I've caught a bunch of bass 6-8+lb. in that lake since and I've possibly caught the same fish. I'm armed with a H-F pitching stick, braid and good hooks now. 

 

I still pitch to that rock every time I fish there. I've caught another 6 lb. off of it with a shaky head. I played it much lighter. It's easier to keep bass out from under a kayak than it is a 17' Tracker. You just use the rod to leverage it and the kayak turns. That's probably the most thrilling thing about kayak fishing.

[T-Billy]

Broke off two would have been PB LM in two years pitching a jig on 20# Invizx. That stuff is crap. #NOMOREFLOUROEVER!!!

[dodgeguy]

I've lost numerous large bass on lipless cranks  right at the boat.One of them was a definite 5 plus smallie. That hurt the worse because it would have been a pb. I finally got so ticked I went and bought a net. Haven't lost one at the boat since then.

[NavyToad]

Fishing a spinnerbait on the Potomac, making really long casts and a big smallmouth took it on the fall. I was using 14# mono on a 7’ BPS “Extreme Performance System” rod that came as part of a combo and it had a very moderate action. When the fish surfaced all I saw was the size of his gill plate and knew I had a good fish on. When I got him to the boat I figured he was close to 5lbs. and when my brother tried to net him he jumped over the net, threw the hook and said goodbye. Distance, line stretch, and rod action contributed to a poor hookset was my conclusion. Didn’t break my heart, but my brother and I still talk about it 25 years later. Biggest smallie I ever hooked.

[Bluebasser86]

I was fishing a lake in NE Missouri in a 16' johnboat with a friend. I'd already caught a couple 6lb fish flipping a beaver into the standing timber. The lake has very thick trees and very mean bass as well as having muskie. I pitched my bait into a tree right on the edge of a drop and got just a little "tick". I was using a 7' 6" MH/F flipping stick with 25lb flouro and a 4/0 Mustad EWG tube hook. The fish didn't move when I set the hook, instead it headed for deep water and started turning the johnboat. I was sure I'd just stuck a muskie and it would quickly cut my line, but I worked it slowly to the boat and eventually saw a huge white side with a black stripe. I couldn't believe how huge it was, for sure bigger than my 10 from Mexico. She surged back towards the timber, I panicked, slammed my thumb on the spool, and the hook bent. The boat was quiet for a long time after that fish. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I've broke off big fish before but nothing that has ever stuck with me more than a day or two.

 

On the other hand I've lost Saltwater fish that made me physically ill, and will stick with me for the rest of my life.   I think it has to do with being involved in a fight vastly longer than with a Bass.  

 

I lost a 150-200lb Tarpon in the Keys after a 2 hour fight, and following the fish for 1.2 miles.

 

Lost a Blue Marlin in Saint Martin that broke my heart.   Finally as a kid I lost a giant Cobia I hooked on a pier in the Outer Banks, NC.  

 

The only fish that most likely should have been caught was the Tarpon.    Cobia spooled me on a pier, nothing I could do, and the Marlin just pulled it's hook.    

 

Knock on wood I've been blessed with freshwater.  

[Mobasser]

Fishing a black Lunker Lure buzz bait at night, probably 25 years ago. A big weedbed was against a bank, and dropped off into deeper water.                                                    My first cast was off target, and landed in moss. I reeled in and flipped on my light, picking the moss off my buzzer. Next cast was good, right along the weed edge.                                                    A really big bass sucked in my buzzbait. I saw her white belly when she rolled once on the surface. Then she was gone.  Ive replayed this strike, and losing this fish in my mind many times since.  She was a heartbreaker.

[Fishingmickey]

     I lost one that still hurts remembering it. It was about 8 years ago. I was fishing Choke Canyon and I had a Big Bites Cane Thumper 5" swimbait on a Owner Jig-a-rig 5/0. I was using 20# fluoro on a Curado 300EJ reel w/heavy action rod 7'1" Shimano Crucial rod. 

     I was bottom bouncing the cane thumper and I felt the tick and set the hook and tied into what might have been my personal best. I knew I had a big fish! I fought her firmly, not horsing letting her pull drag. I felt bulldog head shakes and she jumped twice. My heart was in my throat both times she jumped.  I've got her next to the kayak and coming in to the net. She makes one last head shake and half hearted jump. My bait swings free from her mouth. I made as much of a lunge with the net as I could from a kayak. I got almost half of her in the net and I lifted. I didn't have enough of the fish in the net and it slid free.  I felt sick losing that fish and having been so close to landing it.

      I was pre-fishing for a KATS tournament and fishing a on line nation wide benefit tournament. That fish would have helped me win the on-line tournament. It was a two biggest fish month long tournament.  I already had a 23.5" bass and this one would have went over 25". I felt it was easily a double digit fish and very possibly my personal best.

 

FM

[LrgmouthShad]

I also lost a biggun on Shearon Harris years ago. It sure looked huge to me but I was inexperienced at the time

 

I don’t like that Devils Horse fish because I don’t think I did much wrong. 

[1984isNOW]

28 minutes ago, NavyToad said:

Didn’t break my heart, but my brother and I still talk about it 25 years later. Biggest smallie I ever hooked.

That my friend, is a broken heart if I've ever seen one. If you're still talking about it 25 years later she's either a lost PB or a high school sweetheart haha

 

Much love

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

I've lost numerous large bass on lipless cranks  right at the boat.One of them was a definite 5 plus smallie. That hurt the worse because it would have been a pb. I finally got so ticked I went and bought a net. Haven't lost one at the boat since then.

I've lost so many good bass on lipless cranks and other various treble baits. But it's a risk always worth taking.

[A-Jay]

I've had a few "Big Ones" come unbuttoned over the years.

Definitely not a fan.

Any gear failure or having my line part seems to make it worse for me.

But when I get a clear look at her, and have a fairly decent idea of what I'm dealing with, and THEN she wins the battle, those are the fish that haunt me. 

This is a clip of my most recent defeat . . . .

Super pretty morning with a solid jerkbait bite, hit close to the boat.

https://youtu.be/yfnYSE-HjIE?t=886

Sometimes they just get off . . . .

A-Jay

 

 

[WRB]

There is a 2014 11 Feb thread discussing this subject.

Repeating the stories of heart breaking moments loosing big fish could fill a book, every angler has a story about the big one seems to always get away.

I am no different and  have stories about off shore Big Game fish from tuna, marlin, etc. Fresh water fishing a lifetime I haven’t lost too many, the 2 LMB that still haunt me we’re potential 20+ lb fish.

The 1st was at Lower Otay during peak. I wanted to fish a spot known to hold big bass but Ron Huggit of Dads Tackle in Chula Vista was already anchored where I want to be. Ron was fishing with free lined live crawdads, so I decided to fish about 150 feet away, we chatted he was ok with this.

I made a cast about halfway between out boats and hooked a big bass that ran right at Ron’s double anchored boat and wrapped my line around his front rope. Ron grabbed a net tried to net the bass but it broke off. That would have ended the lost bass but Ron was so excited saying that was the biggest bass he had seen, over 30” long! I didn’t see this bass but Ron was highly skilled and knew big bass getting a good look at it.

The 20+ lb bass I got a good look at was at lake Casitas in 1992 back seating with a friend fishing Trout Point. Made a long cast along the point side about 20’ -25’ deep and hooked a big bass. The bass finally got within about 5’ in clear water could see this fish clearly when we drifted near the point ridge, Gary wasn’t controlling the boat but standing next to me amazed at the size of this bass. The bass took off over the rocky ridge breaking my line....gone! This bass was a lot bigger then my PB 19.3 lb, still haunts me.

Tom

[king fisher]

I have managed to suppress all memories of the big one that got away and refuse to talk about it for fear of opening an old wound.  Some may say blocking the memory may not be healthy, but it has to be better than walking around crying, and screaming don't jump all day long.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I've had a few "Big Ones" come unbuttoned over the years.

Definitely not a fan.

Any gear failure or having my line part seems to make it worse for me.

But when I get a clear look at her, and have a fairly decent idea of what I'm dealing with, and THEN she wins the battle, those are the fish that haunt me. 

This is a clip of my most recent defeat . . . .

Super pretty morning with a solid jerkbait bite, hit close to the boat.

https://youtu.be/yfnYSE-HjIE?t=886

Sometimes they just get off . . . .

A-Jay

 

 

I totally get your first reaction where you make another cast and see if somehow that escapable gut punch feeling will miss you.......yet inevitably you collapse 30 seconds later when the enormity of it all sets fully in.   

 

Your video depicts the emotions perfectly.    

7 minutes ago, WRB said:

There is a 2014 11 Feb thread discussing this subject.

Repeating the stories of heart breaking moments loosing big fish could fill a book, every angler has a story about the big one seems to always get away.

I am no different and  have stories about off shore Big Game fish from tuna, marlin, etc. Fresh water fishing a lifetime I haven’t lost too many, the 2 LMB that still haunt me we’re potential 20+ lb fish.

The 1st was at Lower Otay during peak. I wanted to fish a spot known to hold big bass but Ron Huggit of Dads Tackle in Chula Vista was already anchored where I want to be. Ron was fishing with free lined live crawdads, so I decided to fish about 150 feet away, we chatted he was ok with this.

I made a cast about halfway between out boats and hooked a big bass that ran right at Ron’s double anchored boat and wrapped my line around his front rope. Ron grabbed a net tried to net the bass but it broke off. That would have ended the lost bass but Ron was so excited saying that was the biggest bass he had seen, over 30” long! I didn’t see this bass but Ron was highly skilled and knew big bass getting a good look at it.

The I got a good look at was at lake Casitas in 1992 back seating with a friend fishing Trout Point. Made a long cast along the point side about 20’ -25’ deep and hooked a big bass. The bass finally got within about 5’ in clear water could see this fish clearly when we drifted near the point ridge, Gary wasn’t controlling the boat but standing next to me amazed at the size of this bass. The bass took off over the rocky ridge breaking my line....gone! This bass was a lot bigger then my PB 19.3 lb, still haunts me.

Tom

What does a 19.3lb LGM fight like?    99.9% of all Bass fisherman will never feel how these big fish fight.    

 

One of these days I'm going to research and learn how to livebait those Crawfish.   I know you were fishing a jig likely, but the Crawfish seem like a great way to catch DD Bass.   

[WRB]

5 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I totally get your first reaction where you make another cast and see if somehow that escapable gut punch feeling will miss you.......yet inevitably you collapse 30 seconds later when the enormity of it all sets fully in.   

 

Your video depicts the emotions perfectly.    

What does a 19.3lb LGM fight like?    99.9% of all Bass fisherman will never feel how these big fish fight.    

 

One of these days I'm going to research and learn how to livebait those Crawfish.   I know you were fishing a jig likely, but the Crawfish seem like a great way to catch DD Bass.   

I caught my giant bass using jigs, stopped using live bait in the early 70’s. 

Pre Spawn giant bass are very strong fast bass that usually make a head shaking jump. The 19.3 was no exception, jump full body length out of the water shortly after hooking it after making a long cast at The Old Folks Home, a deep rocky point on lake Castaic. This bass ran under my boat and out the other about 50’ and did a heart stopping surface head shake while trying to get my line under the TM. Hand landed this bass and it was a lot bigger then it look when it jumped.

The myth these giants are lazy trout eaters is simply wrong.

Bed bass can be tried from spawning more then once and maybe that is where this lazy bass myth comes from.

Tom

[Swamp Girl]

I'll go with yesterday's boo-boo. I hooked three 4-lb. lm and lost all three at the canoe.

[Darth-Baiter]

broken hearts syndrome (for me) is directly proportional to distance from my home.    if i lose a big fish on vacation it hurts.  i lose one in my home-lake, then it's, "Wait, i'll be back".  

 

its the ones i dont get the honor of laying eyeballs on that haunt me.  not a broken heart, but i got lots of questions.  like why, how, and what the heck was it????  (they are all 10lb fish at this point)

[Gera]

Great Read, you do know how to tell a story. 

 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

I lost a really big bass while fishing Lake Bacarrac in Mexico. We were fishing a shore line with top water baits when the guide noticed some surface activity out over deep water in a big basin area. We moved over to the area with the trolling motor & I decided to tie on a 3/4 oz SK red eye shad in silver/blue color. The bass had a school of shad up to the surface over a deep area & were feeding. I hooked up first cast and it was almost non stop action fish after fish all about 4-6 lbs. I probably had 20 some fish landed before I hooked up with a big one. The moment it hit I started to remark it was a big fish. I pulled & she pulled drag preventing me from making much headway. I was using 17lb mono and had the drag set to give if needed but not lightly. This fish was kicking my butt. I continued to fight it for what seemed a really long time considering it was a bass & not some saltwater species. I finally got the upper hand & started to bring her boat side. No body had seen it yet. The guide finally dipped the net down & brought up a four lb bass hooked by the rear treble. We all looked amazed by what had just happened. Then I looked at the bait after unhooking the 4lber & noticed that the front treble hook had one tine straightened out. We surmised that the big fish was hooked by the front treble only. Later that day after lunch I caught a new PB at 11-73/4. The 11lber did not fight anything like the bass from earlier that morning. Since we didn't see it I'll never know how big she might have been. 

[Darth-Baiter]

20 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I lost a really big bass while fishing Lake Bacarrac in Mexico. We were fishing a shore line with top water baits when the guide noticed some surface activity out over deep water in a big basin area. We moved over to the area with the trolling motor & I decided to tie on a 3/4 oz SK red eye shad in silver/blue color. The bass had a school of shad up to the surface over a deep area & were feeding. I hooked up first cast and it was almost non stop action fish after fish all about 4-6 lbs. I probably had 20 some fish landed before I hooked up with a big one. The moment it hit I started to remark it was a big fish. I pulled & she pulled drag preventing me from making much headway. I was using 17lb mono and had the drag set to give if needed but not lightly. This fish was kicking my butt. I continued to fight it for what seemed a really long time considering it was a bass & not some saltwater species. I finally got the upper hand & started to bring her boat side. No body had seen it yet. The guide finally dipped the net down & brought up a four lb bass hooked by the rear treble. We all looked amazed by what had just happened. Then I looked at the bait after unhooking the 4lber & noticed that the front treble hook had one tine straightened out. We surmised that the big fish was hooked by the front treble only. Later that day after lunch I caught a new PB at 11-73/4. The 11lber did not fight anything like the bass from earlier that morning. Since we didn't see it I'll never know how big she might have been. 

dang.  i am going to that lake and soon.  you got my heart beat up.  whoa.

 

(how were the margaritas?)

[Bankbeater]

About 10 years ago I was fishing a Stik-o from the bank and casting around fallen timber.  I hooked a good one and it went right into that wood.  I gave some line hoping it would run out, and it did, but by then the line was around something.  Game over.

[Fishingmickey]

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I'll go with yesterday's boo-boo. I hooked three 4-lb. lm and lost all three at the canoe.

Belgrade stream? China Lake was slow this year. I did manage one that was pretty close to 4lb.

FM

[N Florida Mike]

I’ve only  had a few that really bothered me.

# 1 . I was fishing in a tournament in Rodman out in the stump flats at the east end of the lake. It was very slow that day. I don’t recall having any bites until this one. There was a lone stump out all by itself, and I made a perfect cast with the ambassador b/c. The cast went right under an overhanging prong of the stump. I was using a 7.5 inch red shad culprit worm, and I think I had a 1/8 oz or maybe 1/4 oz bullet wieght with it. 14 pound stren. Picked up the slack , felt the tap, set the hook, and at first I thought I was hooked on the log. It absolutely didn’t budge. You know how you turn nearly all the fish at least a little on the set? Not this one. Then she started slowly swimming directly away from me, and began picking up speed. Then she took off, the drag was too tight, and the line snapped , sounding like a pistol shot. In 45 + years of bass fishing, absolutely the biggest Ive ever had on. 

I dropped the rod and just sat there for awhile. I didn’t win the tournament…

 

My wife had one on in the home lake that was towing us in the jonboat until it just came off… That pretty much killed her desire  to fish anymore after that…?