Torpedoed but you shoulda seen.............

[Guest avid]

Very nice day here on the treasure coast.  Temps in the upper 70's with a 10mph breeze.  

Lake is still extremely low due to lingering drought. waterline is almost a foot out from the end of the ramp.  Never saw that before.

I figured small would be the best bet, but my finesse tactics weren't really working.

I decided to go vintage.  Tied on an old classic.  The baby torpedo in frog pattern.

It was only a few casts that brought in a nice 3lbr.

I put on a couple of topwaters.  Poppers and walkers.  Nothing on the sammy, but the rico was getting little hits.  Alot of little hits actually, but couldn't get hooked up.

I decided to go upscale and put on a megabass pop max in whatever is japanese for "frog"

I cast and just let it sit.  After about a 12 count I got hit.  Big bluegill.

They are starting to bed up and I guess that explains the little nuiscance hits I was getting on the topwaters.

Anyway.  I got a nice drift along the edge of a big cove.  I was flipping a dark pumpkin beaver type lure handpoured by Chris (where is he anyway??).   Wham.  I set the hook on a BIG bass.

It shot out to deeper water but with my 50lb power pro my drag is screwed down tight.

thats when she jumped.  Oh man I never saw a bass jump this high.  I know I'll exaggerate how high the jump was and how big the bass was if I try to guestimate, but it was a BIG bass that jumped REALLY high.

After she hit the water she shot under the boat and my rod was bent completely down and under the boat.  I backed off on the drag a little.  There was a little line stripped off then...................gone.

I don't know if the hook ripped loose, or if she found something to wrap around and get free.

I strongly believe it was ripped out because felt like the line broke.  Like a "pop" and she was gone.

Only the line was not broken and the hook, owner cutting edge, was not bent.

All I know is that it was quite the thrill.

How was your day?

[Davefromwarwick]

nice fish avid i wish it was warm up in new england

[fourbizz]

in whatever is japanese for "frog"

LOL! We are all slowly learning a second language...one bait at a time.

[Sam]

Great story, Avid.

Sorry you lost her.

Closest I have come to your situation was when a stripper hit my crankbait and took off for deep water.

No jumping. Just goodbye. Line poped and I lost one of my favorite crankbaits.

Hope you can go after her again and bring her in.  If so, send pictures.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

.

How was your day?

Sat inside (freezing I might add) wishing I was fishing

Good story.  Wish it had a happy ending though

[burleytog]

Can we all take up a collection and get avid a good digital camera?  

Good story avid.  

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Can we all take up a collection and get avid a good digital camera?

I offered him my old one.  He graciously declined.  Something about maintaining his reputation. ;D ;D

[Redlinerobert]

Nice story!  Sorry bertha got away.  :-?

[Guest avid]

Glad you liked the story.

It happened in the same cove where I lost my $700 GLX/TD-Z combo,

so this cove is definetly beating the crapola out of ole avid.

As for the camera.................................Maybe someone could send me a longer arm.  ;D

[roadwarrior]

avid,

Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.

I hope you will consider setting up your drag a little differently. Tight drags are fine for smaller fish that can be horsed in, but they too can be landed with the drag set for your trophy bass. You cannot anticipate the precise time that PB will strike, being in a state of readiness at all times is the only safe option. I hope you have better luck next time.

[cpvenom]

when a stripper hit my crankbait...

Wow, where were you fishing? The strippers in Atlanta only hit 20 dollar bills ;D (couldnt help it). That is a bummer though Avid. The biggest bass i have lost was a 10+ that broke the line right as i had it on the bank. If the bank wasnt so steep, it wouldnt have rolled back into the lake! That loss still haunts me to this day...

[Lightninrod]

Lawdy-miss-Claudy!!!  What a story Don!  Wished you'd a landed her my man! 8-)

Dan

[Guest avid]

avid,

Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.

I hope you will consider setting up your drag a little differently. Tight drags are fine for smaller fish that can be horsed in, but they too can be landed with the drag set for your trophy bass. You cannot anticipate the precise time that PB will strike, being in a state of readiness at all times is the only safe option. I hope you have better luck next time.

I understand your logic, and actually have always followed it.

Untill I moved to Florida that is.

The lakes are so shallow and weedy that if you let the fish run any distance they will find  something to wrap around and get off.  That happened to me a couple of times so I started cranking the drag tight and landed more of the bigger fish.

But I loose the REALLY big ones.

I think I'll post on the SouthEast forum and see what the other George and some of the other big bass boys in F-L-A do.

Thanks for the reminder.

avid.