Cost of Pigs and Frogs

[twitchfish]

Went out Late Sunday evening to test a "new" frog set-up. Went to a small park pond that I am sure is not more than 2-3 years old. It is beautiful, lots of lily pads and points and lily pads and park "traffic" and pads. I love lily pads.

I did not expect to catch anything. Did not grab any extra tackle, no pliers, no knife, no fathers day present scale that the gifters still ask how it is working, no nothing - frog rig and and extra frog. By the way, sandals too. perfect for your municipal weed lined mosquito farm. I fully expected not to catch anything anyway, it was almost dark and I just wanted to throw this frog.

About five casts in and nice 2 1/2#er screams out from under these pads and HAMMERS this frog. This thing did just like the videos out of the water and mashes it. Luckily, just barely hooked, landed, dehooked and released.  But, in the excitement, I have sank up to my ankles in this wet mucky sand.  Pull my feet out and move to the next point, consider going back to the truck, which is FEET away and grabbing the necessities, I don't, I go fish. Apparently, someone is hiding some fish in here.

No takers for prob the next 50-60 casts. It is getting really dark and I move one more time to an even softer, sandier, muckier point.  I tell myself 10 more casts and I'm out. Cast one, I sink and to make it even better a nice professional overrun, in the dark.  I pick and pick and finally free it, reel it, look up and my line is swimming off. I set the hook and it is on. I am sinking, losing my balance and this girl comes out of the water once and....oh, my. I put down my rod and finally get enough balance to land her, losing both shoes. This frog is deep and I don't have anything, not even a shoe to get it out. Remarkably, on the secend grab of the hook it easily comes out. She looks tired, I am tired. A quick cell phone pick and I walk her back to the water and caress her til she swims off.

I gather myself to the bank and step on the tip of my rod. Poop.  Dig up my shoes, gingerly grab my rod, not broken thankfully, but the reel is face down in this mess. It is caked in this stuff to the point you can't see line. I cleaned it as well as I know how, but what else needs done? In this situatioon would a freshwater rinse do? Leave the line on when I do it? I opened it and the spool and guts seemed very clean. I don't want a future problem if I can prevent it now.

AND that shoiddy cell phone picture is too big to post. I have 2pics and if someone can guide me how to resize it, I would love to show it.  This is the biggest fish of the year and possibly ever. I have multiple 6 pound fish I have caught over the years and this girl wildy outweighed them. I had a really nice scale in the truck I got for Father's Day. She measured about 21" via my rod handle. All I have to show now is a couple of cell phone pictures that I am VERY proud of. Reminds me of the punchline of an old joke, "The old guy says but Father, I'm telling EVERYBODY".

"The man who catches a big fish doesn't go home through the alley".

I want to take mine to the Main Street of Bass Fishing.

Thanks for letting me ramble.  Thank you all for your help and entertainment.  Be well all,

Twitch

[aarogb]

    That sounds like a GREAT fish Twitch!!!!

    BTW, to clean that gunk off I would just spray your reel with freshwater and wipe it off really good.  No need to change the line.

[skillet]

 Liked your story . Like DM said, a good rinse (been there done that). There's a FAQ about re-sizing.....somewhere :-[...

skillet

[skillet]

 Re-sizing is at the top of this page by LBH...

skillet

[twitchfish]

I got pictures!!!

Not the best quality, BUT I GOT ME SOME PICS!!

Thanks DM and Skillet.

Twitch

[Quitlimpin]

Nice report.  What a chunk!!

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Wow! Nice gut on that girl

[twitchfish]

SHHHEEEEooot, I've gone home with a fat girl once a bunch of times.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Man that is a PIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!                    

CONGRATS