Losing the big ONE.....

[Gomer Pyle]

So I get this call from a good fishing buddy, " hey dude, I just got permission from a friend to fish about 10 different lakes and ponds in this exclusive golfing community here locally, wanna go?" "Sure, are you kidding?" Just a little background to set the stage...this is a secluded resort area, a gated community with homes surrounding a large golf course. There a quite a few lakes in this community, some good size, others just ponds. Friends who live there say that all these lakes and ponds are stocked with Florida LMB, and are fished by only a few of the residents. We have heard many stories about people catching many LMB > 10lbs. I was excited to give it a whirl. And now to the story...

I put on a 10" Junebug Producto worm....throw it out in the middle of this good size pond. While waiting for my bait to fall to the bottom, Im looking over at my buddy talking to him when all of a sudden my pole almost gets ripped out of my hand. Holy Sh#%, I set the hook and think I have a snag. I fish with a 5'6" pistol grip Daiwa rod with MH action, and let me tell you, that rod was bent almost in half. I held the rod high for maybe 2 secs...yep, that's definitely a fish...a HUGE one at that. Funny thing though, this fish didn't seem to fight and run like say a smaller 2-3lb fish. It was like reeling in a big tire that would pull back occasionally. Now here's where things start going South, I had my drag a little too tight on my baitcaster. > This reel was strung with 10lb Cajun Red monofilament. I got the fish to within approx. 5 ft. of the bank when he finally rolled to the surface for the first time...Good Golly Miss Molly...that fish had to be a good 24-26" long and fat fat. So, while Ive got tension on the fish, I'm desperately trying to free up the drag a bit, when all of sudden, a HUGE pull that almost yanked the pole out of my hand...then the dreaded sound of SNAP! :'( I just sat there on the bank in total shock and speechless...it was like the ABC Wide World of Sports " THE THRILL OF VICTORY ....AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT! :'(" I'm sure many of you out there have had that very same experience...man it sure does SUCK!!!!! And how was your weekend of fishing?....

[DINK WHISPERER]

Dude, please no bright blue.................................hard on the eyes man!!!!

[Jake.]

Try using your thumb instead of the drag when you are fighting one close to the boat or shore. Engage the spool and pressure it with your thumb to allow the fish to take line. It works for me.

[Gomer Pyle]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply there Dink...is this better? As far as using your thump for drag, that's a great idea I'll give it a try next time.....

[senko_77]

Man what a bummer!  Next time get your drag set right before you head out to that honey hole.  The good thing is you got her to bite, so that means you can do it again.  

[HookMaster]

After reading your story, I started having flash backs of all the good bass I could've caught if only I used stronger line, re-tied after i caught a good bass, set my drag right, reeled in the slack, and the list goes on LOL!  I feel your pain but these are all lessons learned.

[Dan:]

5'6"??? Can you really get a good hookset on a worm with that?

[Clark Stewart]

I almost threw up reading this. I had a flashback! Golf course lake - huge huge lake! Fishing one of the bridges over the water that is a cart path with a giant tiki stick - bamboo stick. Momma takes it and promptly raps around the piling. I run and reel down the path to where she's at and by some miracle of pulling she unwraps herself! Now the problem is that I can't lay on my belly and reach the water. Like a dumb A I pull her free of the water. The second her tail clears the surface. SNAP! I did get the pleasure of looking down her 9+ pounds of mason jar mouth full of senko as she swims away . What made it worse was my best friend was screaming at me to hold on so he could get her for me, but adrenaline made all sound go away.

The real kicker...As soon as she got off I noticed I was 10 feet from the bank! I could have walked to the end of the path and got her on the bank!!!!

[fishinfewl]

I hate the feeling of losing a big one but that's just part of the fun.  

[mrlitetackle]

man, that feeling sucks somthin serious......

sorry for the loss pal.

.... and thanx though for the black lettering, it is indeed much easier to read.

[Hammer 4]

Wow, that had to be a ugly feeling..

No offense, but next go Preparded, a longer rod and like Senco said, pre set your drag...it's the little things that can get ya.

[Raul]

5'6"??? Can you really get a good hookset on a worm with that?

Yes you can.

[Dan:]

5'6"??? Can you really get a good hookset on a worm with that?

Yes you can.

From more than 25' away?  :-/

[D4u2s0t]

back to basics.  always make sure you check your drag.  If you have your drag set properly for the line strength you're using, you will never lose a fish (there's always the risk of getting the line run along rocks, around a dock, etc. which is an exception) because the fish pulled too hard.  When you go out, always make sure your hook is re-tied.  after a few fish, or a big one, check the knot.  it's better to re-tie than to lose a fish because your knot broke.  sometimes just from crawling along the bottom, or hitting cover, or whatever, your line can weaken without even catching a fish.  every time I re-tie I hold the line in one hand, and pull the hook with the other.  sometimes it will easily break the knot because the line was weakened.  I'd rather take the few extra seconds to check than to just tie and throw it in.

[Grey Wolf]

Learn from your mistakes.

[roadwarrior]

Yeah, learn from your mistakes and those of others:

HUGE Disappointment  

David Hayes caught the World Record smallmouth bass in 1955 on Dale Hollow Lake.

Some believe the next World Record will be found on the Tennessee River:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/smallmouth_record.html

Almost exactly four years ago, November 2004, my fishing partner and best friend,

Speedy Madewell, boated a 10 lb beauty. I netted the fish and weighed it, he released

the monster! Since that time we have had some luck with other big bass, including the

bronzebacks in my avatar (January, 2005).

Last Saturday Speedy and I fished the river with limited success: an assortment of species

including largemouth, smallmouth, Kentucky bass, striper, cats and drum. We may have

caught forty fish or so, but no size and most importantly, no browns of note. Around 11:00

things changed.

With poor results off either bank and limited water release by the TVA, we moved to the

"middle of the river". Actually, we decided to fish along the river channel, defined by

navigational buoys. The drop is well defined, but relatively small, only 3-5' in 15-25' water.

Still,this represents significant structure for fish in open water.

After landing a few nondescript fish, I got a nice strike drifting along the ridge.

I set the hook hard and didn't budge the fish. However, there was very little fight

and I saw another drum in my future. After 10-15 yards of retrieve, the drum dove

and turned into a big catfish, just digging to the bottom, but no run. As I brought the

fish closer to the boat, Speedy asked, "Gonna need the net?" Without any emotion

I replied, "Yeah, it's big and ugly."

Speedy runs the trolling motor on the forward platform of a BayRanger 2180,

center console. So, with the net on the floor opposite me, it takes

a minute to get set up. With little current, we let the boat drift.

This time of year the water clarity on the Tennessee is about 3, maybe 4 feet.

As my partner came over to my side he asked, "What's ya got?" I replied, in a

steady voice and without inflection, "The biggest f***ing smallmouth I have ever seen."

The fish appeared to be a Trident submarine as it rose toward the surface so both of

us could get a good look at her, but then she bolted. She initially ran about 15 yards

forward, then after a 90 degree turn, another 20 yards toward the middle of the river.

My situation was precarious. I'm in the middle of the boat and have to hustle to get to

the front, around and over the trolling motor while at the same time maintaining rod

position with a sizzling drag. I was starting to have some fun!

The pig came up, but did not jump. I got her turned around, but she had already decided

she didn't like the Ranger. When she was halfway back, she bolted again, but this time

dove deep. It took a few minutes to get her a little closer.

Most smallmouth, especially biggun's, tend to fight the best on the first run after a close

encounter with the boat, but even later, they never give up. This fine lady staged at rod

length, tugged mightily and would not come up. I asked my buddy what he thought

I should do? He responded, "Doesn't matter. That fish ain't ready and she's going

to do anything she wants!"

Well, I've caught a few big fish and I was in no hurry. My rod appeared parabolic with the line

straight down into the river. I said to my friend, "This is when you have to believe in your equipment."

And then.......the line snapped.

stupid, Stupid, STUPID!

We weren't catching anything interesting, so although I noticed a burr on my line before

the last cast, I didn't do what I always preach: "If it ain't perfect, it ain't good enough."

When there is any doubt, retie your line, leader or hook.

So, could that smallmouth have been the New World Record? I don't know, but it wasn't boated,

so it doesn't count. You might ask, "Really now, how much do you think she weighed?"

I don't know the answer to that either, but what I can tell you is, she was...

HUGE!

[tyrius.]

5'6"??? Can you really get a good hookset on a worm with that?

Yep.  

Growing up I fished a 5'6" pistol grip rod (Ugly stick) and I stuck fish with it.  I fished a 6' 2 piece ML spinning rod (Ugly stick too) and used frogs and such over moss and stuck fish with it too.

For some reason bass anglers think a monster hookset is required.  It really isn't.  It doesn't take all of your strength to force a hook through a bass's mouth.  A specialized rod (Heavy action/fast tip) isn't required either.  It helps, but it isn't a requirement.

Just this weekend I was out fishing a strip pit with some co workers and one was fishing a jig with a 20 year old fiberglass rod (that thing had all the backbone of cooked spaghetti).  He stuck a 5 1/2 pounder on a finesse jig with no issues.  Another one was fishing an ultralight setup with 4 lb line and caught a fish just over 4 lbs on a t-rigged 5" senko.

[Dan:]

I just don't feel like I can get any pressure to a fish at long distance with anything less than 7'. I catch fish, but I feel like I miss a lot.

[BassinSoldier]

It wasn't my biggest ever, but last Friday night around 1am I nailed the biggest largemouth I have hooked to date on Kentucky Lake fishing boat slips at Paris Landing marina, on a black and blue colorado spinner bait.  After a few drag ripping runs I get her to the boat, and like a freakin tard I try to boat swing her instead of lipping her.  As I lift her out of the water I realize she is hooked by the just the trailer hook, and in the end of the snout instead of in the mouth.  No sooner than I noticed this, the hook popped out and back into the lake she went...Thanks for reminding me.  I feel sick again now...